Connecticut’s Top Student Scientists

And Engineers Honored

NEW HAVEN — A senior at Newtown High School and a student at Newtown Middle School were two of Connecticut’s most talented young scientists and engineers to be honored by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering during its 33rd annual meeting and awards dinner on May 21 at New Haven Lawn Club.

Winners of the 2008 Connecticut Science Fair, the 2008 Connecticut Science Challenge, the 2008 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and the 2008 Connecticut Invention Convention were all recognized during the evening ceremonies.

Newtown High School junior Rebecca Reed was the first place winner for verbal presentations of the 2008 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. The 44th presentation of the event took place the weekend of March 9–10 at the University of Connecticut.

Rebecca was selected as the top presenter of CT-JSHS for her presentation, “Neural Network Activated Muscle Response.” She received a $2,000 scholarship to the college of her choice from the Research Offices of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and was offered the Junior Science and Humanities Scholarship to the University of Connecticut.

Also honored on Wednesday was Newtown Middle School student Jill Theile, one of 11 statewide co-winners of the 2008 Connecticut Invention Convention. Jill’s invention was called “Magnetic Drawer.” She was one of 650 of the state’s best young inventors from 100 schools across the state participating in the final round of the convention, also at the University of Connecticut earlier this year.

Dr Kelly Brownell, the director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, gave the keynote address for the May 21 awards dinner and annual meeting. Nineteen newly elected members of the academy were also recognized during the evening.

Headquartered in Hartford, The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering was chartered by the General Assembly in 1976 to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and to the state of Connecticut, and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well-being.