United Technologies Corporation Encourages Students to Help Solve the World’s Problems

At the Intel ISEF 2011, United Technologies Corporation (UTC) once again gave Special Awards to recognize students’ hard work. Eight projects received $2,000 in shares of UTC common stock as well as plaques, digital cameras, pens, backpacks, and the UTC Annual Report.

“United Technologies has been a long-time sponsor of the Intel ISEF special awards program because we see great value in encouraging high-potential students to be creative in solving the world’s tough problems. The UTC Special Awards gives UTC the opportunity to recognize outstanding students for their challenging work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Intel ISEF is the world’s premier competition for high school-aged scientists, and the experience they gain through participation is invaluable,” says Michael McQuade, Senior Vice President, Science and Technology, United Technologies Corporation. “The 2011 UTC Special Award winners encompass the fields of math, engineering, computer science, and physics –addressing real world concerns such as renewable technologies, control algorithms, parallel computing, advanced mathematics, human interface design, and flow evaluations.  UTC is proud to recognize these students for their efforts, as their growth in the fields of STEM will further encourage the growth of innovative technologies for the future.”

This year’s winning projects included,

• A Novel Framework for Quasi-Dynamic Task Scheduling on Parallel Computers, Jonathan Abraham Goldman
• Stability Analysis of Control Algorithms, Keegan Robert Mann
• Water for the World: Developing a Portable, Solar Powered Desalination Unit, Ryan Christopher Erickson
• An Adsorption Chiller Prototype for Obtaining Green Refrigeration from Solar Heating, Robert Huntington Verkuil
• PAWT (Polygonal Airfoil Wind Turbine), the Greener Future: An Innovative Approach to Engineering a Bladeless Wind Turbine, Shawnalyn Wing Chun Sunagawa and Sara Elisabeth Middendorf
• Linearly Many Faults in (n,k)-star Graphs, Allen Yuan
• The Flow Feature around Insects and Bionic Wing Based on Wind Tunnel Test, Yimeng Shi
• Testing a Nonlinear-Oscillator Neuron Model with Optical Illusions, Sara Kornfeld Simpson

Other recent notable winners of the Intel ISEF UTC Special Award, which UTC has given every year since 1989, include Amy Chyao, Intel ISEF 2010 Gordon E. More Winner; Jacob Fox, winner of the Konig Prize; Erkia DeBenedictis, Intel STS 2010 top award winner; and Philip Streich, founder of Streich Solar Industries.

UTC Special Awards Judge Bob Wisner (ISEF 1958 and 1959) worked for UTC for many years before retiring in 1999 and has been involved with science fairs for decades. “I think the most wonderful part of the experience really is interviewing and meeting the students on the floor,” he says. “As we all know, we are dealing with the best and brightest, and their ideas and aspirations are wonderful to hear first hand.”