61st Annual STS (2001–2002)
Finalists
Jennifer Sayaka Balakrishnan

GUAM
Jennifer Sayaka Balakrishnan, 17, of Mangilao, submitted a mathematics project to the Intel Science Talent Search. Her work, conducted at the Research Science Institute at MIT, concerns the polynomial ideal, a set of special importance in algebra, and is often best described by finding a set of generators. Jennifer produced an upper bound on the number of generators needed for a family of interest in commutative algebra -- the zero-dimensional homogeneous Gorenstein ideals. Jennifer first fell in love with mathematics during her middle school years. First in a class of 20 at Harvest Christian Academy in Barrigada, Jennifer is principal flautist in the concert band, pianist, math club founder, speech/debate captain and yearbook editor. Conversant in Japanese and Spanish, she has won numerous awards in science, music, Spanish, French poetry and math, including grand prize at the USA Mathematical Talent Search. Jennifer, who has perfect SAT scores, hopes to continue with her math studies, eventually earning a doctorate. She is the daughter of Dr. Narayana and Shizuko Balakrishnan.