On February 3, 262 gifted and talented students from across the Roanoke Valley participated in the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School (RVGS) for Science and Technology’s annual Student Project Forum.
The following William Byrd students received top awards in their categories:
- Ryan Buxton and Luke Johnston, 3rd Place Environmental Sciences,
Using Expandable Graphite and Iron to Clean Up Oil Spills
- Taylor Dawson and Elizabeth Fedor, 1st Place Plant Sciences C,
Allelopathic Effect of E. globulus on the Germination of R. sativus
- Abbey Ingram, 1st Place Biomedical and Health Sciences B,
The Effect of IL-6 Gene Silencing on STAT3 Regulation in Pancreatic Cancer
- Adi Iyer, 1st Place Biomedical and Health Sciences A, The Synergistic Effect of Sertraline and Tetracycline on the Growth of E. coli
- Richard Qiu, 1st Place Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Diabetes-Mediated Dysregulation of the Blood-Brain Barrier: Concept, Mechanism, and Implications
- Erin Wienke, 3rd Place Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Effect of Light Quality on the Metabolism of Cyanobacteria
The RVGS extended thanks to:
- The diverse panel of over 60 judges who evaluated 154 science fair experiments for the 2018 Student Project Forum.
- Silent auction committee members Paul Parnell, Lisa Nielsen, and Susie Holt for their efforts in organizing the silent auction and annual appeal that raised more than $25,000 to support student research at the Governor’s School.
- Over 180 parents, local businesses, and community supporters who generously donated gift cards, gift certificates, and cash for the event.