Harleysville Student Named a Winner in Broadcom MASTERS Competition

Jonathan Okasinski, of Harleysville, Pa., received a second place win in mathematics at the 2014 Broadcom MASTERS® national STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) competition for sixth, seventh and eighth graders in Washington, DC.

Okasinski’s project focused on quantum entanglement. This project brought the Pennfield Middle School student the top prize at the Delaware Valley Science Fair for the second year in a row this past April and to DC this week for the Broadcom MASTERS competition. Thirty middle-school students from across the country are selected for the science, engineering and math competition. Okasinski and two students from the Pittsburgh area were chosen from Pennsylvania.

“At only 12 years of age, Jonathan has already made a mark in the science arena,” said DVSF Executive Director Henry Disston. “We are not only proud of his win at the Delaware Valley Science Fairs, but his recognition at a national, prestigious event. These competitions for our young scientists pave the way for great scientific careers and future innovations. These students hold the key to tomorrow’s new technologies.”

Now in its 67th year, the Delaware Valley Science Fairs (DVSF)- (www.dvsf.org) will host its annual competition on April 1, 2015 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, 1601 Egypt Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460. An estimated 1,000 students from Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware will compete for scholarships and prizes at the fair. DVSF features independent research in 15 scientific categories by students in grades 6-12 who have completed Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research projects and have advanced after competing in their local fairs.

Making the competition more demanding is the scholarship money on the line. Student scientists and engineers competing are vying for $3 million in scholarship money and prizes. Past winning projects include cancer research, rocket engineering, green buildings, and seismic faults. A total of 15 winners from DVSF will receive an expense paid trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh May 10-15, where 1,500 students from all over the United States and 65 countries and territories will showcase their research as they compete for more than $4 million in scholarships and prizes.