Science Superstars – HSC students achieve outstanding results at BASEF

For over 50 years, the Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair (BASEF) has provided a forum for students in the Hamilton/Halton area to develop their scientific skills and prepare for national and international competition. BASEF draws students in Grades 7 through 12 from the City of Hamilton (including Ancaster, Dundas and Stoney Creek), the Regional Municipality of Halton (including Burlington, Oakville and Milton) in Southern Ontario as well as students from Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant Counties.

At this year’s fair held from March 23 to March 26 at Mohawk College, Grade 9 student Janelle van Leeuwen won the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Pinnacle Best-in-Fair Award for her project “Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?” Fellow Grade 9 student Yiquan Lok placed in the top three at the competition for his project “Plants Purify Pee”. Both van Leeuwen and Lok were awarded gold medals for their projects and an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May.

Senior School student Ishaan Kapur and Middle School students Adam Chen, Nick Dobrovolskis and Lauren Smith were all chosen to compete at the Canada Wide Science Fair for placing in the top sixteen. The competition will take place in May at Seneca College in Toronto.

Grand Awards

Dofasco Pinnacle Award – 1st-Best-in-Fair
– Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Drs. Ranjan and Monalisa Sur Award – Best High School Project
– Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Susan Joyce Memorial Award – Health Sciences
– Lauren Smith (Playground Prescription)

Trips to the National or International Science Fairs

Intel International Science & Engineering Fair Trip Award
Yiquan Lok (Plants Purify Pee)
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Canada Wide Science Fair Trip Award
Adam Chen and Nick Dobrovolskis (What’s In Your Salt Shaker?)
Lauren Smith (Playground Prescription)
Canada Wide Science Fair Trip Award Alternate Trip Award
Ishaan Kapur (Green Valley Homes)

Merit Awards

Gold Merit Award
Adam Chen and Nick Dobrovolskis (What’s In Your Salt Shaker?)
Lauren Smith (Playground Prescription)
Yiquan Lok (Plants Purify Pee)
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Silver Merit Award
Holly Dunne and Whitney Way (Keeping It Cool – The Effect Insulation Type Has on the Resistance of Heat)
Peter-George Vastis (Miracle Gro – Is it Really a Miracle?)
Ishaan Kapur (Green Valley Homes)

Bronze Merit Award
Camille Intson and Alannah Hewitt (Music To My Ears?)
Georgie Beeden (Waste Power)
Acquired Brain Injury Awards - First
William Kelly (Hockey Is Your Head Worth It? A Study of Head Injuries and Concussions in Hockey)

Canadian Nuclear Society (Golden Horseshoe Branch) Awards – Intermediate/Senior
Ishaan Kapur (Green Valley Homes)

Horizon Utilities Corporation Award
Georgie Beeden (Waste Power)

ISEF Association for Women GeoScientists
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Laurentian SETAC
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Ontario Association of Medical Laboratories (OAML) Award
Adam Chen and Nick Dobrovolskis (What’s In Your Salt Shaker?)

Primary Fluid Systems Earth and Environment Awards – First (A)
Adam Chen and Nick Dobrovolskis (What’s In Your Salt Shaker?)
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)

Primary Fluid Systems Earth and Environment Awards – Third (A)
Ishaan Kapur (Green Valley Homes)

Royal Botanical Gardens Award
Janelle van Leeuwen (Will EMF Stunt Your Growth?)