Livingston student wins 2nd place in Engineering at premier STEM Comp

Sophia Hou, a 15-year-old student from Livington, New Jersey, won second place in the Engineering Award category, as part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation's leading middle school STEM competition, hosted by the nonprofit organization, Society for Science. Sophia won a $2500 scholarship to a STEM summer camp.

Virtual Project Showcase:https://www.societyforscience.org/jic/2024-student-finalists/sophia-hou/

Project Background: Sophia wanted to see if methylcobalamin, an activated form of B12, could change how quickly seeds germinate when they are at high temperatures. She tested 120 mung bean (Vigna radiata) seeds. “My grandmother and I grew Vigna radiata sprouts together when I was younger, and they are a staple in Asia,” Sophia says. She separated her seeds into six groups. Three groups were germinated at 80 degrees, and three at 98 degrees. Each of the three groups received either zero, three percent or eight percent methycobalamin in their water.

Sophia is a competitive swimmer who has swum at the state championships and practices six days a week. She has a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She also loves cooking, drawing and painting. “My most recent painting was of a groundhog,” she recalls. She’d like to be a biologist. “I haven’t decided on a field within biology that I would like to pursue, but I am interested in cancer biology, immunology and cell biology,” she says. “There’s so much to be discovered that can help people.”

The competition judges found that Sophia Hou demonstrated acumen and promise in the engineering category. The 30 finalists were selected from a highly competitive applicant pool of nearly 2,000 students representing 48 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. The winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of scientists, engineers, and educators.

Please use this link for more information on the event and the rest of the winners!