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Science News, Jan 26, 1985

Consider the computer: It can be used to develop a new method of personal identification based on dental bitemarks that may aid efforts in law enforcement and forensic dentistry; it can be designed so that it runs multiple interacting programs simultaneously almost three times faster than a single microprocessor-based system; and when combined with theoretical number formulas, it can show that an odd perfect number -- in which the sum of its factors is twice the original number -- must be at least 10.sup.79. In fact, the computer has been used in these ways by three high school seniors who are among the 40 winners of the 44th Annual Science Talent Search.

The scope of scientific research by the winners, aged 16 to 18, does not stop with computers, however. It includes archaeology, astrophysics, chemistry, cognitive psychology, environmental genetics and molecular biology.

The winning projects, submitted by 30 boys and 10 girls, were selected from 1,069 completed entries. The winners are invited to Washington, D.C., to attend a five-day, all-expenses-paid session of the Science Talent Institute, beginning Feb. 28. They will compete for $89,500 in Westinghouse science scholarships and awards. The competition is conducted by Science Service, Inc.

This year's winners are:

CALIFORNIA: Joseph William Bencze, St. Francis H.S., Mountain View; Alan John Hu, La Jolla H.S., La Jolla; Bill Li-Chien Tsai, Van Nuys H.S., Van Nuys.

FLORIDA: Sheryl Lynn Ames, Ft. Lauderdale Christian School, Ft. Lauderdale; Laura Joan Ricci, Rockledge H.S., Rockledge; John Michael Rose, Coral Gables Sr. H.S., Coral Gables.

ILLINOIS: Rachel Lee Amdur, Lincoln Park H.S., Chicago; Anna Asher Penn, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools H.S., Chicago; Anne Marie Wilkinson, Evanston Township H.S., Evanston.

MASSACHUSETTS: Michael William Gesner, Cardinal Spellman H.S., Brockton; Mark Kantrowitz, Maimonides School, Brookline; David Pollen, Lexington H.S., Lexington.

MICHIGAN: Katharine Anne Duderstadt, Pioneer H.S., Ann Arbor; Victor Achilles McCastle, Cass Technical H.S., Detroit.

MISSOURI: Marilyn Sue Thompson Central H.S., St. Joseph.

MONTANA: David William Hyndman, Hellgate H.S., Missoula.

NEW JERSEY: Bram Seth Boroson, Glen Rock Jr.-Sr. H.S., Glen Rock; Jonathan Michael Passner, Jewish Educational Center, Elizabeth.

NEW YORK: Paul Chan, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Kristi Ann Dell, Bellport H.S., Brookhaven; Michael Friedman, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Boris Y. Gelfand, Bronx H.S. of Science, New York; Michael Steven Graziano, City Honors H.S., Buffalo; Junjiro Horiuchi, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Pasi Antero Janne, United Nations International School, New York; John Shu-Shin Kuo, Bronx H.S. of Science, New York; Leonard Tze-Yung Lee, Liverpool H.S., Liverpool; Huw Michael Nash, Webster H.S., Webster; Louis Craig Paul, Baldwin Sr. H.S., Baldwin; Audrey Zelicof, Stuyvesant H.S., New York.

OREGON: Eric James Gaidos, Beaverton H.S., Beaverton.

PENNSYLVANIA: Anthony Mario Ciabarra, Cheltenham H.S., Wyncote; Allan Moises Goldstein, Cheltenham H.S., Wyncote; Kimberley Anne Jacobs, Northeastern Sr. H.S., Manchester.

VIRGINIA: Jeffrey Russell Ambroziak, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke; Thomas Patrick Heavner, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke; Kent Christopher New, T.C. Williams H.S., Alexandria; Mark Raboin Swain, Stonewall Jackson H.S., Manassas.

WISCONSIN: Todd Michael Minter, Madison East H.S., Madison.

PUERTO RICO: Edwin Alfonso Sosa, San Antonio H.S., Isabela.