2023 Falmouth Academy Science & Engineering Fair

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR

35th Annual Celebration of Science

Falmouth Academy

35TH ANNUAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

1:30 ................ Orientation for Judges

2:00-5:00 ....... Judging of Projects

5:00 ............... Student Class Dinners

4:00 ............... Reception for Judges, Mentors, Sponsors, and Faculty

6:15 ................ Public Viewing

7:00 ............... Awards Ceremony

7:45 ............... Bus to Vineyard Ferry

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR SPONSORS

LEGACY SPONSORS

Marine Biological Laboratory

Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, Inc.

Sea Education Association

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woodwell Climate Research Center

NEWTON SIGNATURE SPONSOR

Scott Wayne

EDISON SPONSORS

Ament Endowed Fund for Science

Cape Cod Healthcare

Capeside Oral & Facial Surgery

Cazeault Roofing & Solar

McLane Research Laboratories, Inc.

Notus Clean Energy, LLC

Teledyne Marine

CURIE SPONSORS

Dalpe Excavation

Falmouth Water Stewards

Landschop Landscape Architecture

Lowell Instruments, LLC

Martha’s Vineyard Bank

Mid-Cape Home Centers

MIT Club of Cape Cod

Pelagic Electronics

MARCONI SPONSORS

The 300 Committee Land Trust

Accel Composite Materials

Associates of Cape Cod

Court Street Animal Hospital

Dr. Sophie Markovich, DMD

Sports Center Physical Therapy

ABOUT THE SCIENCE FAIR LOGO

The original Falmouth Academy Science Fair logo was a linoleum cut designed by Ira Carmel ’89 on the occasion of FA’s inaugural science fair, held on March 17, 1989. The logo was refreshed in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Fair, but retains its original whimsical representation of the depth and breadth of the research that is conducted by our students. Whether exploring the basic elements of life or building better rockets, our students’ curiosity about the world around them is reflected in this logo and in all the work presented.

ARCHIMEDES SPONSORS

Dr. Scott D. Brown ’89 and Ms. Melissa Hofer

Bruce & Shirley Gordon Giving Fund

Hutker Architects, Inc.

Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute

IN-KIND VENDORS

Coffee Obsession

Lucini Bus Lines

Party Cape Cod

During the months and days leading up to our Science and Engineering Fair, there are many teachable moments and opportunities for students to explore, discover, and question. With 24/7 news, sometimes inaccurate or polarizing information, a global pandemic, and the trend to question scientific fact, it is ever-more important for students to be able to differentiate truth from fiction.

Students often ask their science teachers, “Is this true or is it propaganda?” “Should I believe what I’m hearing on the news?” “Is this source reliable?” I appreciate that our students understand that there are choices to be made, and that they want to make an educated one.

All this questioning leads students toward the topic they choose for their Science and Engineering Fair project. Throughout their experimentation, they learn to trust the scientific method to arrive at their results. These are wonderful teaching moments, and I often tell them, “The cure to cancer will most likely, initially be considered a mistake.”

They grow to embrace their mistakes and to see what they can learn from them. It’s an absolute joy to participate in these conversations, and when that “Aha” moment is seen marching across their faces, I can’t help but smile from ear to ear.

Thank you for your amazing support of our students through this process of discovery.

Jill Reves Teacher and Science and Engineering Fair Coordinator

ACADEMY

Mr. Lane Abrams WHOI, Senior Engineer

Mr. Philip Alatalo WHOI, Research Associate

Ms. Ellie Armstrong MBL (retired)

Ms. Kate Armstrong ’15 MassHire Metro North Workforce Board, STEM Programs Manager

Dr. Richard Armstrong Falmouth Podiatry, Podiatrist

Dr. David Aubrey EOM Offshore, LLC, Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Kyle Benton ’12 EPAM Continuum, Innovation Consultant, Mechanical Engineer

Dr. Albert Bradley WHOI, Engineer (retired)

Ms. Beth Brazil Woodwell, Senior Director of Foundation Relations

Dr. Scott Brown ’89 Rochester Institute of Technology, Principal Scientist

Mr. Brian Buczkowski USGS, Curator of Geologic Collections

Ms. Kendra Buresch MBL, Senior Research Assistant/Lab Manager

Ms. Antonie Chute NOAA Fisheries, Biological Sciences Technician

Mr. Dan Darnley Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc., VP - Legal Intellectual Property

Ms. Jayne DiCandio Waquoit Bay National Estuary Research Reserve, School and Interpretive Program Coordinator

Ms. Carol DiFalco Our Sisters’ School, Educator/Social Science Researcher

Ms. Jessica Donohue SEA, Research Associate

Ms. Rachel Dragos ’12 Cape Cod Community College, STEM Program Coordinator

Ms. Evie Fachon WHOI, Ph.D. Student

Dr. Stefan Gabriel Johnson & Johnson Mitek Sports Medicine, Principal Engineer, R&D

Dr. Adrian Garcia USGS, Civil Engineering Researcher

Dr. Stanley Gemborys Hampden Sydney College, Professor of Biology

Dr. Elizabeth Gladfelter WHOI, Guest Investigator

Dr. Robert Gould MBL, Research Scientist (retired)

Dr. Kristin Gribble MBL, Associate Scientist

Dr. Lara Gulmann Buzzards Bay Coalition, Research Associate

Dr. Mark Hahn WHOI, Senior Scientist

Dr. Thomas Hallahan Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, Senior Director of Administration, Advancement, and Finance

Ms. Katie Halloran WHOI, Ph.D. Student

Dr. Gregory Hinkle Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, VP Research Informatics

Ms. Julia Holtzer MBL, Research Assistant II

Dr. Peter Hopewood Cape Cod Surgeons, Surgeon

Dr. Richard Houghton Woodwell, Senior Scientist Emeritus

Dr. Jeff Hughes Wellesley College, Lecturer

Ms. Clara Hulburt ’79

Ms. Jillian Igoe ’18

Dr. Mike Jech

Teledyne Webb Research, APEX Profiling Float Product Line Manager, Slocum Glider Commercial Sales Manager

Mote Marine Laboratory, Coral Health and Disease Research Assistant

NOAA Fisheries, Research Fisheries Biologist

Dr. Jeff Kaeli WHOI, Oceanographic Engineer

Dr. Josef Kellndorfer Earth Big Data LLC, President

Mr. Louie Kerr MBL, Director Imaging Services and Staff Scientist

Dr. Alan Kuzirian MBL, Senior Scientist, Emeritus

Mr. John Lazarus Foley Lardner LLP, Partner - Patent Attorney

Ms. Natalie Leva United States Department of Agriculture, Biological Laboratory Technologist

Mr. Nick Lowell ’88

Lowell Instruments LLC, President

Dr. Daniel MacDonald University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Professor, Civil Engineering

Dr. Karl Matlin MBL, Whitman Scientist

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR JUDGES

Mr. Ken McCormack ’09 AbbVie, Scientist I

Dr. Anna Michel WHOI, Associate Scientist

Ms. Amy Nevala WHOI, Science Writer

Ms. Maureen Nolan Teacher (retired)

Dr. Rudolf Oldenbourg MBL, Senior Scientist

Dr. Don O’Malley Cape Cod Healthcare, Orthopaedic Surgeon

Mr. Charles Perry McLane Research Laboratories, Electromechanical Technician

Dr. James Preisig JPAnalytics, President

Mr. Rob Reynolds Zephyr Education, President

Dr. Charles Robertson Dupont and NanoDrop Technologies, Physicist, Developer (retired)

Dr. Elise Rose Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Genetics (retired)

Dr. Stanley Rose Rose Ventures Inc., President

Ms. Andy Rosen Clinical Social Worker (retired)

Mr. David Santamauro IFI CLAIMS Patent Services (Fairview Research LLC), Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Tim Shank WHOI, Associate Scientist

Dr. Rich Signell USGS, Research Physical Oceanographer

Dr. Roxanna Smolowitz Roger Williams University/Coonamessett Farm, Honorary Retiree/Adjunct Professor (RWU) and Veterinarian/Owner (CF)

Dr. Melissa Soule WHOI, Research Specialist

Dr. Alan Steinbach UC Berkeley, Clinical Professor Emeritus (retired)

Ms. Mel Stephen Plymouth Public Schools, Physics Teacher (retired)

Ms. Hillary Sullivan Woodwell, Research Associate

Ms. Serena Sung-Clarke MIT/WHOI, Ph.D. Student, Biological Oceanography

Dr. Uri ten Brink USGS, Research Scientist

Dr. David Twichell USGS (retired)

Ms. Nancy Twichell Falmouth Academy, Science Teacher (retired)

Dr. Tim Verslycke Gradient, Principal

Dr. Bill Waite USGS, Geophysicist

Dr. Nancy Walbek State of Minnesota and Gustavus Adolphus College, Psychologist (retired)

Dr. Kerry Walton NYU School of Medicine, Professor (retired)

Mr. Scott Wayne (retired)

Ms. Deborah Winograd U.S. Department of Agriculture (retired)

Ms. Sachiko Yoshida WHOI, Research Specialist

MBL Marine Biological Laboratory

MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology

NOAA National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center

SEA Sea Education Association

USGS United States Geological Survey

WHOI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woodwell Woodwell Climate Research Center

THANK YOU TO OUR 2023 MENTORS & ADVISORS

Dr. Alison Ament

Mr. Scott Bennett

Dr. Albert Bradley

Mr. Beckett Colson

Dr. Timothy Cronin ’02

Dr. Sara Gonzalez

Mr. William Grossman

Ms. Catherine Gwynn

Dr. Mark Hahn

Dr. Greg Hirth

Dr. Leonid Ivanov

Dr. Frieder Klein

Dr. Alan Kuzirian

Mr. Adam Lazarus

Mr. John Lazarus

Mr. Scott Lindell

Mr. Robin Littlefield

Dr. Alison Macdonald

Dr. Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser

Dr. Anna Michel

Ms. Susan Moffat

Dr. Stephen Phillips

Dr. Loretta Roberson

Dr. John Stegeman

Ms. Tracy Sylvester

Mr. Zachary Tobias

Ms. Jessica Wakefield

Ms. Sarah Youngs

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS

Jack Beardsley and The Effect of Different Sodas on Human Teeth Henry Stoermer

Elizabeth Blauer Different Toothbrush Types and Their Effectiveness

Sofia Canelos Do Gluten-Free or Gluten Cupcakes Taste Better?

Emme Carroll What Bird Calls Do Domestic Cats Respond to?

Elijah Connors

The Effect of Water’s Flow on Kelvin’s Thunderstorm

Kate Conover Lichtenberg Figures

Jackson Cummings Which Bottom Paint Is Best for the Environment?

Mira Davis

The Treat Preference of Different Horses

Alexandro Yusuf DeChiara The Decrease of pH and the Effect on Artemia salina Hatching Rate

Declan Diriwachter What Wing Angle Creates the Most Lift?

Cassie Duarte The Best Paint for Cardboard Props

Julia Ernst Pink, Brown, or White: Which Color Noise Best Improves Sleep Quality?

Sophia Famely Do All Red Flowers Have the Same Flower Pigments?

Veronica Foureman Do Different Types of Water Affect Plant Growth?

Nolan Gallello What Attracts Fish to Your Hook the Best?

Charlotte Galvam The Effect of Different Preservatives on Bread

Sophie Holmes Composting Efficiency with vs without Earthworms

Natalie Hurlbut Which Cleaners Work the Best on Germs?

Lila Jacobson How Colors Affect Purchases

Magdalena Jazo Frog Hatching Dependent on Temperature

Moss Junker The Effect of Music on Memory

Alexia Kalkanis Which Type of Cup Is a Better Insulator?

Giulia King

How Salinity Affects Germination of Bean Seeds

Filip LaRhette and Finding a Healthier Substitute for Corn Syrup in Rock Candy

Hogan Teles

Russell Lavery Van Parijs How Does Height Affect Steps per Mile?

Noah Leveque

Mia Mathger Jones

How Different Cover Crops Prevent Soil Erosion

Color Change in Anoles

Kaden Matthias Which Is Best - a Gravel Bike or Road Bike?

Humberto McGroarty Sampaio What Wing Shape Is the Most Fuel-Efficient for an RC Airplane?

Justin McNeil

How Different Recipes of Ballistics Gel React to Getting Shot by a 50-Pound Drawback Crossbow

Sophie McSherry The Effects of Different Types of Baby Shampoos on the Heart Rate of Daphnia magna

MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 7-8)

Giovanna Messina How Are Algae, the Protists of the Future, Affected by Heat?

Mathilda Moehnke and The Amount of Waste Produced before and after Halloween in Two Towns

Chloe Sperry

Andrew Muldoon

Finley Muric

Gabriel Murray

Tate Nelson

Gabriela Otoni

Hannah Park

How Does Climate Change Affect Plant Growth?

What Is the Best Angle to Shoot from on a Basketball Court?

The Effects of Different Levels of Caffeine on Daphnia Heart Rate

Music’s Effect on a Sourdough Starter

How Color Affects the Human Brain

What Helps You Go to Sleep Better: Listening to Books vs Reading Books?

Madeline Park-Boudreau The Effect of Eating Habits on Academic Performance in Middle Schoolers

Sylvie Parsons

Ryan Ronan

Which Ground Layer Produces the Most Runoff?

How Much Fat Is in Your Food?

Elyse Sharpe and Escherichia coli Outspread and Cleanse with Different Cleaning Products

Harley Snowden

Maya Shukla

Siana Solarazza

Elise Soule

How Does the Environment Affect the Height of a Wave?

The Effect of Environment on Yeast Blooming and the Final Outcome

The Effect of Different Sound Frequencies on Radish Germination

Sophea Souza Sports Drinks’ Electrolyte Content

Oliver Strickland

The Complexity of Games in Relation to the Language of the Code

Ellery Takach and The Effect of Different Fats and Sugars on Sugar Cookies

Zoë Van Keuren

Story Taylor

Zara Taylor-Keefer

The Effect of Road Salt on Radish Plants

Social Anxiety: Stress because of Strangers

Penelope Thornton Effects of Ocean Acidification and Temperatures on Shells

Tama Tiapula

Alexandra Todd-Weinstein

Nolan Van Keuren

The Difference between a Soccer Ball Filled with Helium vs One Filled with Normal Air

Comparison of Superworms and Mealworms in Digestion of Polystyrene

The Effect of Color on Taste

Siehanna Vazquez Where Germs Are in Schools

Joaquim Verslycke

Avery Webb

Natalie Worley

Bean Sprouts’ Growth under Future Environmental Conditions

The Effectiveness of the Silva Mind Control Method

What Method of Public Service Announcements Is Most Effective in Minimizing the Spread of Germs?

Ezra Ackerman

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS

The Most Effective Way to Make Water Potable

Seomae Aronson The Effect of Different Salts on Planaria

David Aubrey Cape Synopticity

Yaz Aubrey The Mineralogy of the Meteorite Dhofar 1658

Emma Bena The Antibacterial Effects of Old Man’s Beard and Crustose Lichens

Abigail Brown How Cover Crops Help Battle Erosion

Matthew Brown and Testing the Effect of Glacier Rebound on Earthquakes

Thomas Hirth

Anastasia Canelos and The Icy Blue Light of Luminol

Sophie Gaughan

Elise Casso Testing Different Hydroelectric Turbine Designs

Caroline Cazeault Weathering: Ceramic’s Worst Nightmare

Ronan Cazeault Not So Bass-ic Strings

Genie Chang and The Effect of Different Temperatures on Seed Germination

Jaiden Elber

Ava Churchill Has Covid Affected People’s Ability to Recognize Facial Expressions?

Carly Coggins and Is Twin Telepathy Real?

Gracie Coggins

Sara Cook

How Does Climate Change Affect The Gender of Sea Turtles

Bailen Darack and Skincare Products: Which Are Worth Your Money?

Hannah Flanders

Cian Davis The Effect of Surfboard Design on Fluid Dynamics

Maaya deMenocal Litter in Public Places

Marc Djikaev The Effect of the Three Piece Boot Design

Max Donovan How Heat Affects the Glucose and Allicin Levels of Allium cepa

Meg Dooley The Effect of COVID-19 on the Housing Crisis in Cape Cod

William Dubreuil Does a Modern Home Impact Hermit Crabs’ Shell Selection

Dillon Fondren Using Hydropower to Create a Solar Battery

Lilah Fulham Mini Hot Air Balloon Engineering Experiment

David Gallagher Can People Recognize Propaganda’s Effects on Their Own Viewpoints?

Nathaniel Gartner The Effect of Idling on the CO2 Level in the Air

Taleena Gonneea The Effect of Nicotine Exposure on Planaria

UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 9-12)

Thomas Goux Effect of Solutions and Temperatures on the Development of 35mm Film

Erik Gulmann The Effect of Temperature and Light on Biofouling in Buzzards Bay

Theo Harding Technology Use and Addiction by Age Range

Apex Heywood Life Cycle Studies in Two Nudibranch Species

Ian Homa and Behind the Scenes of the Paint Business Hayden Roslansky

Torsten Houtler

Effectiveness of Natural and Commercial Antibiotics on E. coli

Elizabeth Lynn Jazo Sound and Sketch

Anne Jeffrey

Peter Jeffrey

Lila Journalist

The Effectiveness of Seaweed Cultivation on Nutrient Bioremediation

How Temperature Affects the Survival Rate of Grass Shrimp

We Need to Change How We Talk about Climate Change

Sasha Kaplenko Sports Drinks and Electrolytes

Matthew Kellogg Building a Peltier-Cell-Based Cloud Chamber

Willow Lajoie Blood Type Susceptibility to Covid-19

Declan Lane Analyzing the Presence of Microplastics in Local Waters

Devon Lanson-Alleyne Effect of Font Variation on Reading Capability of People with Aniridia

Emily Lazarus Continued Design and Evaluation of Trough-Type Fish Ladders

Joseph Legutko How Fast Does the Moon Change Phases?

Robby Lender

Junke Lin

Correlations and Insights into Demographic Differences in Health Choices

Comparing Marine Communities in Woods Hole and Plymouth Using Fouling Plates

Susanna Lowell Investigation of the Stability of Thermistors for Oceanographic Use

Faye McGuire

What Are the Optimal Conditions for Tidal Energy?

Joshua McGuire Evaluating the Impact of Sea Level Rise on a Coastal Community

Nina McKim Kight

Lila Mele

Connor Mercer

Eva Muldoon

What Is the Effect of Deodorant on a Human Body?

Comparison of Pancreatic Cancer Statistics in the US Based on Race and Gender

Analyzing Aerodynamic Characteristics of Grid Vanes in a Wind Tunnel

Measuring the Health of Cape Cod Waters via Salinity and pH

Arden O’Neil Bloodstain Pattern Analysis of Various Blunt Force Instruments

Luke Okoshi-Michel

Does the Microplastic Content of Clams Decrease after the Summer?

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 9-12)

Fletcher Parsons and How Does Ocean Acidification Affect Clam Shells? James Riddiford

Maverick Pil

Ethan Plotkin

Alex Ray

The Efficiency of Rechargeable Batteries

Self-Made Power: Producing Electricity with a Homemade Dynamo

The Effect Visitors Have on Coral Reef Die-Off

Henry Richins and The Effect of Different Types of Light on Bioluminescent Plankton Charlie Rickard

Max Ridl

Robert Ronan

Are More Expensive Golf Balls Worth Buying?

The Effect of Soil pH on the Growth of Brassica rapa

Amelia Russell Schaeffer Conductivity of Electro-Netting under Different Conditions

Michael Saganic How Do Different Pre-Workouts Affect the Body

Dhara Sananikone-Evans Capture and Filtering of Greywater

Jackson Sharpe Coastline Changes over Time at Lewis Bay and Monomoy Island

Karly Shifrin Observing Causes of Cerebral Palsy in Magnetic Resonance Images

Maria Soares

Bodhi Talbot

Wyatt Thornton

The Potential Effect of Global Warming on Dugesia tigrina Regeneration

How Is the Amount of Bacteria on Objects Changed by Falling Particles?

On Efficiency of Oysters Filtering Nitrogen vs Sediments

William Thrasher How Environmental Conditions Affect Ant Behavior

Tomás Tortora Boats and Gyro Stabilizers

Sara Valle How Does Music Affect Human Heart Rate?

Willow Wakefield Comparing Blood Drawing Methods

Harrison Webb

The Effect of Light Intensity on the Speed of a Solar-Powered Model Buggy

In honor of the late Dr. Donald J. Zinn, Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, Inc. is proud to continue our long-time commitment to sponsor the Falmouth Academy Science and Engineering Fair. Our awards are given to students whose projects have an emphasis on the natural world, particularly in relation to the aquatic environment.

Thank

Good Luck Future Scientists and Engineers

- Scott Wayne

Congratulations to the future scientists and changemakers of Falmouth Academy.

What I love about science is that as you learn, you don’t really get answers. You just get better questions.

– John Green

CLIMATE SCIENCE FOR CHANGE

The Marine Biological Laboratory proudly supports the outstanding work of Falmouth Academy Science and Engineering Fair participants. Congratulations Students!

Congratulations to all the participants of the Falmouth Academy Science & Engineering Fair

C A P E S I D E

508.645.6576 info@capesideoralsurgery.com capesideoralsurgery.com 414

s t o p b y o u r b r a n d n e w k i t c h e n s h o w r o o m i n f a l m o u t h

m i d c a p e c o m

s o u t h d e n n i s • O r l e a n s w e l l f l e e t • f a l m o u t h m i d d l e b o r o m a r t h a ' s v i n e y a r d

Pelagic Electronics

174 Lake Shore Dr. East Falmouth, MA 02536

Since 1970, Pelagic has offered quality products for use at any ocean depth, including:

Actuators

Deep Sea Solenoids

Impeller Pumps Magnetic Switches Tension Releases

pelagic@meganet.net

(508) 540-1200

LANDSCHOP

We are proud to support the Falmouth Academy Science & Engineering Fair