A total of 69 students earned gold medals, including three sweepstakes winners, while dozens of prizes and entries into state, national, and international fairs, were awarded at the conclusion of the 2023 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair which was held at Bourns Technology Center on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
A total of 450 students from 25 affiliate fairs representing public, charter, and private schools, presented their findings in 347 projects spanning 19 subject matter categories.
Gold, silver (runner-up), and bronze (third place) medals were presented, along with community donor awards. Within each of the 19 subject matter categories, students competed in the Elementary division (grades 4-5), Junior division (grades 6-8), and Senior division (high school). Winners in the Junior and Senior division advance to the California State Science and Engineering Fair to be held on April 11, 2023, at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA.
Sweepstakes awards were presented to one project in Grades 4/5 combined, one project in the Junior Division, and one project in the Senior Division:
- Elementary Division Sweepstakes (Grades 4-5)
Elijah Holm
Seneca Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD
Understanding the Algorithms of a Rubik’s Cube: What is the Most Efficient Method to Solve a Rubik's Cube?
- Junior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 6-8)
Aiden Grover
Riverside STEM Academy, Riverside USD
Decreasing Pickleball Noise
- Senior Division Sweepstakes (Grades 9-12)
Angelina Yang
Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
Mosquito Synthesis and In-Depth Evaluation of Biodegradable 2-methylyne-1,3-dioxepane Copolymers
Four Senior Division students advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held virtual May 14-19, 2023, in Dallas, Texas.
Moises Hur & Sungwon Hur
Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Understanding the Impact of Various Metabolites on the Motility of Glioblastoma Cancer Cells
Brooke Vansuch
Temescal Canyon High School, Lake Elsinore USD
Battle of the Bacteria Busters
Angelina Yang
Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
Mosquito synthesis and In-Depth Evaluation of Biodegradable 2-methylyne-1,3-dioxepane Copolymers
Grade 4 Gold Medal Winners:
Nile Fells, Winchester Elementary School, Hemet USD
Jay Hakomaki, Tomás Rivera Elementary School, Riverside USD
Aldo Hernandez-Mera, Creekside Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD
Lorenzo Rodriguez, Anna M. Hause Elementary School, Beaumont USD
Grade 5 Gold Medal Winners:
William Chase Berkeley, James Carter Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
Emma Carrillo, Edward Hyatt World Language Academy, San Jacinto USD
Roy Dagrella, Lake Mathews Elementary School, Riverside USD
Victoria Duran, Garretson Elementary School, Corona-Norco USD
Samuel Flores, Harvest Valley Elementary School, Romoland SD
Elijah Holm, Seneca Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD
Kash Lopez, Amelia Earhart Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
Cecilia Munoz, Valley View Elementary School, Nuview Union SD
Amina Qazi, Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, Corona-Norco USD
Arianna Reyes, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
Corbin Richard, Hemmerling Elementary School, Banning USD
Abril Sanchez, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
Atputhan Sivathasan, Corona Ranch Elementary School, Corona-Norco USD
Angelle Sullivan, Sugar Hill Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD
Junior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 6-8)***^
Aubrianna Abayasekara, James Workman Middle School, Palm Springs USD
Lily Abeyta, St. Edward School
Ethan Bhakta, El Cerrito Middle School, Corona-Norco USD
Danni Brasher, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
Megan Burke, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Jordyn Castro, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery, Corona-Norco USD
Caydence Chitwood, Matthew Gage Middle School, Riverside USD
Jennavieve Covington, Vista Heights Middle School, Riverside USD
Alia Duckworth, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Leila Isabella Evangelista, Temecula Preparatory School
Aiden Grover, Riverside STEM Academy, Riverside USD
Jocelyn Harris, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Makayla Hernandez, Temecula Preparatory School
Isabella Koral, Temecula Preparatory School
Kristen Mason, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Eloise Miller, Sacred Heart School
Shivani Talati, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Andrew Waghorn, St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish School
Asha Zachariah, Corona Fundamental Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
Senior Division Gold Medal Winners (Grades 9-12)***
Mia Abonza, Ramona High School, Riverisde USD
Natalie Araujo, Coachella Valley High School, Coachella Valley USD
Jason Asariah, Ramona High School, Riverside USD
Jaden Contreras Polo, Temescal Canyon High School, Lake Elsinore USD
Rylee Coomber, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD
Ryan Drake, Rancho Christian School
Caleb Dyal, Centennial High School, Corona-Norco USD
Shreyash Goli, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Gema Gonzalez, Coachella Valley High School, Coachella Valley USD
Moises Hur, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Sungwon Hur, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Jack Jennings, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Arabella Kats, Polytechnic High School, Riverside USD
Sydney Katzenstein, Polytechnic High School, Riverside USD
Dania Khan, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Aminah Khan, Patriot High School, Jurupa USD
Hala Koreatam, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Arturo Perez, Ramona High School, Riverside USD
Melissa Perez-Rodriguez, Coachella Valley High School, Coachella Valley USD
Anisha Prasad, Centennial High School, Corona-Norco USD
Pranav Radhakrishnan, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Krish Raval, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD
Carson Ruhnke, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD
Hewanam Arachchige Flowery Samaranayake, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Bryan Saucedo Gutierrez, Valley View High School, Moreno Valley USD
Krrishika Saxena, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
Suhani Shah, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Luke To, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Claire VanDerLinden, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Brooke Vansuch, Temescal Canyon High School, Lake Elsinore USD
Angelina Yang, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
Joseph Zenarosa, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
*** Gold medal winners in the Junior and Senior division advance to California State Science and Engineering Fair
^ Gold medal winners in the Junior division also advance to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge
2023 Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair Community Awards
The Air Pollution Research Center (APRC) at University of California Riverside
- $100 gift card – Aniket Bag, Francine Habacon, Eliana Habtamu, Vista Verde Middle School, Val Verde USD
- $100 gift card – Bibinaz Nami, John W. North High School, Riverside USD
HDR, Inc. Sustainability Awards and Award Ribbons
- Kash Lopez, Amelia Earhart Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
- Isabel Villegas, Vista Heights Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
- Carson Ruhnke, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD
Inland Empire Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG)
- $250 – Jay Hakomaki, Tomas Rivera Elementary School, Riverside USD
- $750 – Jocelyn Harris & Shivani Talati, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
- $1,000 – Tenzing Carvalho & Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
National Geographic Award 2023
· $100 – Tenzing Carvalho & Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
The Energy Coalition
· $50 – Natalie Araujo and Melissa Perez-Rodriguez, Coachella Valley High School, Coachella Valley USD
Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP)
- $100 – Elijah Holm, Seneca Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD
- $250 – Aiden Grover, Riverside STEM Academy, Riverside USD
- $500 – Angelina Yang, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
Lemelson Early Inventor Prize
· Sophia Lipata & Blaja Thomas, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
2023 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominees
Aubrianna Abayasekara, James Workman Middle School, Palm Springs USD
Audrey Abeyta, St. Edward Catholic School
Lilly Abeyta, St. Edward Catholic School
Krystal Avila, Mission Middle School, Jurupa USD
Aniket Bag, Vista Verde Middle, Val Verde USD
Ethan Bhakta, El Cerrito Middle School, Corona-Norco USD
Danni Brasher, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
Hudson Buckwalter, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery, Corona-Norco USD
Megan Burke, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Jordyn Castro, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery, Corona-Norco USD
Caydence Chitwood, Matthew Gage Middle School, Riverside USD
Jennavieve Covington, Vista Heights Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Camille Danielson, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Alia Duckworth, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Leila Isabella Evangelista, Temecula Preparatory School
Isabella Flores, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Andrew Garcia, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Ava George, Corona Fundamental Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
Aiden Grover, Riverside STEM Academy, Riverside USD
Francine Habacon, Vista Verde Middle, Val Verde USD
Eliana Habtamu, Vista Verde Middle, Val Verde USD
Jocelyn Harris, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Makayla Hernandez, Temecula Preparatory School
Logan Ibarra, Philistine Rondo School of Discovery, Corona-Norco USD
Isabella Koral, Temecula Preparatory School
Michael Lapid, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Kristen Mason, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
William Meeks, Margaret White Elementary School, Palo Verde USD
Eloise Miller, Sacred Heart School
Urijah Raju, St. Catherine of Alexandria School
Giselle Salazar, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
Hailey Sanchez, Nicolet Middle School, Banning USD
Elizabeth Scott-Magedman, Nicolet Middle School, Banning USD
Claire Shami, Rancho Christian School
Shivani Talati, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, Riverside USD
Tyler Towers, March Middle School, Val Verde USD
Harleen Virk, Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
Andrew Waghorn, St. Catherine of Alexandria School
Matthew Wilson, Matthew Gage Middle School, Riverside USD
Asha Zachariah, Corona Fundamental Intermediate School, Corona-Norco USD
2023 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Affiliated Regional Awards
(awards provided as part of affiliation with Regeneron ISEF)
American Psychological Association
- Caroline Corr, St. Catherine of Alexandria Perish School
Association for Women Geoscientists
- Rachel Lu & Audrey Mai, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Broadcom Foundation
- Roy Dagrella, Lake Mathews Elementary School, Riverside USD
NASA Earth System Science Award
- Natalie Araujo and Melissa Perez, Coachella Valley High School, Coachella Valley USD
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Tenzing Carvalho and Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
Naval Science Awards Program (NSAP)
- Isabel Villegas, Vista Heights Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
- Jennavieve Covington, Vista Heights Middle School, Moreno Valley USD
- Aiden Grover, STEM Academy, Riverside US
- Ryan Drake, Rancho Christian
Regeneron Biomedical Science Award
- Hala Koreatam, Hewanam Arachchige Flowery Samaranayake, Luke To, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Ricoh
- Tenzing Carvalho & Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
Society for In Vitro Biology
· Krish Raval, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD
Stockholm Jr Water Prize
- Ryan Drake, Rancho Christian School
- Tenzing Carvalho & Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
- Crystal Renteria & David Zaragoza-Quezada, Valley View High School and Moreno Valley HS, Moreno Valley USD
United States Air Force
- Eileen Lin, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Corona-Norco USD
- Syed Shaheer Ali, Centennial High School, Corona-Norco USD
- Odera Arene, Martin Luther King HS, Riverside USD
United States Agency for International Development
- Tenzing Carvalho & Zubin Carvalho, Western Center Academy, Hemet USD
United States Metric Association
- Aravella Kats and Sydney Katzenstein, Polytechnic High School, Riverside USD
Yale Science and Engineering Association
- Dania Khan and Claire VanDerLin, Martin Luther King High School, Riverside USD
Participating districts and charter/private schools included:
- Alvord USD
- Banning USD
- Beaumont USD
- Chámmakilawish Pechanga School
- Coachella Valley USD
- Corona-Norco USD
- Desert Center USD
- Desert Sands USD
- Hemet USD
- Jurupa USD
- Lake Elsinore USD
- Moreno Valley USD
- Nuview Union SD
- Palm Springs USD
- Palo Verde USD
- Rancho Christian School
- REACH Leadership STEAM Academy
- Riverside USD
- Romoland SD
- Sacred Heart School
- San Jacinto USD
- St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish School
- St. Edward School
- Temecula Preparatory School
- Val Verde USD
Additional details on this year’s Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair are available at https://www.rcoe.us/student-events/science-engineering-fair/.