Fusion at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2011

[Ivy Matt]

Following up from my previous post, the fair has wrapped up, and the winners announced. Some of the winners:

Taylor Wilson won an Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his project, “Countering Nuclear Terrorism: Novel Active and Passive Techniques for Detecting Nuclear Threats”. Unlike current neutron detectors, which use helium-3, Taylor’s uses water. Not mentioned in the recent publicity that I’ve seen, so far, is that his neutron detector is apparently based on a Farnsworth fusor. In addition to the $50,000 award, he also won the $5000 Best of Category Award in Physics and Astronomy, and a First Place Award of $3000.

Forrest Betton, Demitri Hopkins, and Eric Thomas, the three high school students referred to in my previous post, won the $5000 Best of Category Award in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering for their project, “Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Using an Electrostatic Focusing Lens”. In addition, they won a First Place Award of $3000 in the same category.

Charles Ramey won a Third Place Award of $1000 in the Physics and Astronomy category for his project, “Effects of Cathode Composition on Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Reactors”.

And, of perhaps the most interest to those on these forums, Adam Bowman also won a Third Place Award of $1000 in the Physics and Astronomy category for his project, “The Construction of a Small Dense Plasma Focus Using a Novel Experimental Setup”.

Not really fusion related, but I found yet another science fair project inspired by Ironman: “Efficient Implementation of Tilt Compensated Compass and Depth Camera in Interactive Augmented Reality”. It won Lai Xue of Chengdu, China an all-expense-paid trip to the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, as well as the $5000 Best of Category Award in Computer Science, and a First Place Award of $3000.

[Ivy Matt]

I’ve just looked at the Special Awards, and there’s more:

The Coalition for Plasma Science (CPS) gave out two First Place Awards of $1000 to William Jack for his project, “D+D Fusion Reactions in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Reactor”, and to Dylan Moore for his project, “Finding Harmonics in Plasma”.

Also, Langdon Engineers & Scientific Services awarded the Albert Langdon Swank Experimental Physics Award, a $5000 scholarship, to—guess who? Adam Bowman, for his project, “The Construction of a Small Dense Plasma Focus Using a Novel Experimental Setup”.

[Lerner]

Let’s find Adam Bowman. Maybe if he is not too far away, he can come here for a visit.

[Ivy Matt]

He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, a few hours closer to me (in the opposite direction) than to you. He is apparently very interested in astronomy and physics, and last year his project for ISEF was titled “The Efficiency of a Small Particle Accelerator at Irradiating Various Targets and Producing Radiation”. It won him a $500 Fourth Place Prize in the Physics and Astronomy category, as well as a $1000 First Place Prize sponsored by the Vacuum Technology Division of the American Vacuum Society. I’ve been able to find a little bit of information on his project for this year:

Bowman’s project involved the construction of a small dense plasma focus using simplistic components and systems. He was able to perform preliminary tests establishing the device’s potential utility as an X-ray source and nuclear fusion research tool. In addition, the plasma focus has many potential applications in the microfabrication and materials industries, including X-ray lithography, thin film deposition, and etching. Bowman plans to continue his research with the apparatus this summer, focusing on the device’s nuclear applications as an X-ray source and as an effective fusion-based neutron source.

[Brian H]

Sounds like a natural match. I wonder if he’s already aware of and following LPP/FF.

Hm … a possible apprentice/successor/future DPF/FF Champion?

[JShell]

Adam Bowman is a sophomore at Montgomery Bell Academy

https://www.montgomerybell.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Adam+Bowman+Wins+Science+Fair&nid=690442&ptid=3265&sdb=False&pf=nop&mode=0&vcm=False
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Adam Bowman Wins Science Fair

3/21/2011
Sophomore Adam Bowman participated in the Middle Tennessee Science and Engineering Fair over spring break at Austin Peay State University. His project, “The Construction of a Small Dense Plasma Focus Using a Novel Experimental Setup”, won one of two grand prizes at the fair, a first place award in the physics category, and seven other awards from various organizations. As a grand prize winner, Bowman will be able to advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) this May in Los Angeles. This fair includes over 1600 students from approximately 60 countries. Bowman participated in the ISEF last year as well, winning fourth place in the physics category and a first place award from the American Vacuum Society.

Bowman’s project involved the construction of a small dense plasma focus using simplistic components and systems. He was able to perform preliminary tests establishing the device’s potential utility as an X-ray source and nuclear fusion research tool. In addition, the plasma focus has many potential applications in the microfabrication and materials industries, including X-ray lithography, thin film deposition, and etching. Bowman plans to continue his research with the apparatus this summer, focusing on the device’s nuclear applications as an X-ray source and as an effective fusion-based neutron source.
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My recommendation if you want to find him is to email the chair of the Science Dept. at Montgomery Bell Academy. Perhaps he could do a summer internship with LPP or take a gap year to work with LPP before college. Or, we could communicate with him via email.

http://www.montgomerybell.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=126764

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