59th Annual STS (1999–2000)
Finalists
Steven Alexander Hickman

WASHINGTON
Steven Alexander Hickman, 18, of Bellingham, submitted a chemistry project on liquid crystals to the Intel Science Talent Search, focusing on the surface memory effect (SME). To measure the memory retained in a liquid crystal after heating, Steven conducted a series of experiments at Western Washington University intended not only to develop a better understanding of the molecular origins of the SME, but also to provide a new approach for controlling molecular order. His experiments, using a smectic type of crystal known as LC 4'-octyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (8CB), indicated that portions of an 8CB monolayer can be selectively melted and that, when melted in a magnetic field, portion order can be controlled. He intends to use this technology to create a new type of optical re-writable data storage device. First in a class of 390 at Sehome High School, he is on the award-winning math team, a competitor in track and field, and yearbook editor. Steven plans a career as a research chemist-an interest spurred by an early fascination with fireworks design and choreography. The son of J.C. and Mary Hickman, he hopes to continue his studies at Caltech.