63rd Annual STS (2003-2004)
Finalists
Ann Chi

INDIANA
Ann Chi, 17, of Terre Haute, used computational chemistry methods to examine the fundamental but complex reactions of the yttrium metal atom (Y) with ethane (C2H6) for her Intel Science Talent Search project in chemistry. Ann's computational study projects the intermediate transition state structures and potential energy surface involved in the Y+ C2H6 reactions. Her research is the theoretical counterpart to experimental studies performed elsewhere and suggests an alternative mechanism to the one proposed by laboratory experimentalists. First in her class of 388 at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Ann is on the golf team and serves as president of the math and Latin clubs. Winner of numerous awards in music and math, she was a national finalist in the Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee and an Indiana Academic All-State golfer. An accomplished musician, she is second violinist of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra and concertmaster for the Crossroads of America Youth Symphony. Ann, who has perfect SAT scores, is the daughter of Dr. Henjin Chi and Yuli Lo Chi and hopes to attend Harvard, eventually earning her doctorate in aerospace engineering.