Science Students Advance in Competition

Laguna Beach High School students Nicolai Doreng-Stearns and Samantha Piszkiewicz will advance this weekend to the regional finals in the Siemens Competition, where high school students compete in math, science, and technology for college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 in individual and team categories.

This year, a record 1,348 projects were received for the competition, and a record 2,151 students registered to enter. Out of the competitors, 318 students were named semifinalists, along with 96 students who were honored as regional finalists.

Piszkiewicz and Doreng- Stearns are currently enrolled in Advanced Chemical Research 2

ACR2), taught by LBHS chemistry teacher, Steve Sogo. “Samantha and Nicolai have developed a way of making polymers that bind to cobra toxins,” said Sogo, who explained what a big honor is for the students to have their project among the 10 projects to be showcased at the regional finals. The event will take place Nov. 20 and 21 at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, where Caltech scientists will quiz the students during a question and answer session. The winner of the regional finals will go on to the national competition in New York.

Both students are enthusiastic about their scientific endeavors. “I enjoy the logic of science, how things work in the universe,” said Doreng-Stearns. “Being on the frontier of human understanding is a pretty attractive thing. It is a valuable use of my time.” Piszkiewicz, who began work on the project last December, agreed. “It’s exciting to discover what no one else has thought of,” she said. “Success did not come easily, but the journey made our accomplishments more rewarding.”

“With high-level guidance from Mr. Sogo, these two have conducted real research that may have paved the way for years of follow-up studies. Their work deserves all of the accolades that are coming their way,” said Laguna Beach High School principal Don Austin.