Sophie D’Halleweyn
Bronx High School of Science
Bronx, NY
Alleviating the Energy Crisis: A Novel Multi-Task Machine Learning Algorithm for Designing Efficient Nanocatalysts To Reduce Industrial Energy Impact
Sophie D’Halleweyn developed a machine-learning algorithm and demonstrated that it could be used to provide detailed information on the structure of nanometer-sized catalyst particles. This approach could one day be used to enable real-time adaptable production and smart manufacturing of these nanocatalysts, which are used to produce microchips, batteries, and fuel cells.
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Sophie D’Halleweyn, 17, of New York, developed a machine-learning algorithm to optimize the design and production of catalysts for her Regeneron Science Talent Search materials science project. The algorithm uses data from X-ray spectral analysis to provide detailed information on the structure of nanometer-sized catalyst particles. Sophie demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach by applying it to palladium-based nanoparticles, which are used in batteries, fuel cells, the production of microchips, and other green energy applications. She was able to obtain the fraction of hydrogen atoms in the nanoparticles, their interatomic distances, and the coordination numbers; these are factors that can be modified to improve catalytic performance.
Sophie believes her algorithm will allow manufacturers to make real-time adjustments to the manufacturing process and thereby help the U.S. become less dependent on other nations for such catalysts.
Sophie, the daughter of Peiyu Hsu and Rafael D’Halleweyn, is on the math team at the Bronx High School of Science. She also volunteers as an assistant educator at the New York Botanical Garden, performs classical ballet, and is a published writer of poetry and prose.
Beyond the Project
Sophie, an award-winning poet, composed a piece that appeared in the City College Poetry Awards Anthology.
FUN FACTS: Sophie is a classically trained ballerina in the Vaganova method. For two original dance productions, she co-wrote, choreographed, directed, and starred. A dancer for 13 years, she says it has given her discipline and grace that have proved to be very valuable.
