2 Greenwich HS Students Earn National Science and Engineering 'Breakthrough Awards'

Two Greenwich High School students are among only nine secondary school students from across the country to earn Popular Mechanics Magazine’s “2014 Breakthrough Awards.”

According to the national magazine, the Breakthrough Awards “honor the innovators, engineers, and ornithologists most responsible for changing our world.” Featured in the November issue, the magazine highlights the “Breakthrough Awards” annually, given to the most innovative devices, and those scientists and engineers who have dramatically changed the world for the better.

The Popular Mechanics story includes “The Next Generation: 9 Future Breakthrough Award Winners,” young adults who have created the most significant breakthrough discoveries. The subtitle is ‘Get to know them before they change the world.’

Looking to change the world are GHS students Andrew Ma and Ethan Novek.

Andrew is a junior who developed the project “A Simple Method for Simultaneous Wastewater Treatment and Chemical Recovery Using Temperature and Pressure Changes.” Andrew devised an innovative, two-chamber wastewater treatment reactor that would reverse the natural equilibrium of the Haber Bosch process and remove nearly 100% of ammonia and volatile contaminants, at (inexpensively) low temperature and reduced pressure. Andrew devised his process after visiting China’s highly polluted Lake Taihu, deciding to try and do something about wastewater pollution, according to the magazine.

Ethan is a freshman who developed the project “The Creation of Tidal Power from Ocean Water Infiltrating Coastal Ground via an Innovative Tidal Barrage System.” Ethan created an energy generation system to be installed below the ground and along the shoreline, to generate useable power from the rise and fall of tidal water beneath the surface of the sand. Ethan got the idea when he saw water filling up a hole he’d dug at the beach, according to the magazine.

Andrew and Ethan are students in teacher Andrew Bramante’s Science Research Seminar. The Science Research Seminar provides the opportunity for students to Interact with practicing scientists; select, develop and conduct an independent research project; and develop the skills of reporting and presenting research.

Bramante said in a statement, “Like many of my research students, both Andrew and Ethan are incredibly creative and imaginative students that are able to look at society’s problems with a fresh and unreserved outlook. Both were able to take skills that they have learned, and combine them with a natural inventiveness to create these amazing innovations.”

Greenwich HS Headmaster Chris Winters said in a statement, “GHS is proud of the accomplishments of Andrew and Ethan. These two students, along with hundreds of others, benefit from a science research program that allows them to pursue their passions and curiosities under the expert tutelage of their teacher, Andy Bramante. We believe strongly in providing opportunities for excellence for our students. Students like Andrew and Ethan demonstrate that GHS is a school that challenges students at the highest levels.”

Have a news tip? Email barbara.heins@patch.com. You can also post your own news, events and announcements on Patch by following these directions. Curious about how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.

Photos: from Popular Mechanics.