National American Indian Virtual Science and Engineering Fair

National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair

The National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF) is an annual event for 5th to 12th grade students. The NAISEF is an affiliated fair with the Society for Science and the Public (SSP) affiliated science fair and is part of the larger SSP fair network. The NAISEF differs from other SSP-affiliated fairs in that it is an in-person and virtual fair.

AISES awards prizes to senior and junior division winners. As well as, awards travel and registration stipends for the Senior Division Grand Award winners and their sponsors to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair.

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2022 NAISEF Winners

Senior Division Awards

NAISEF Winner and Regeneron Biotechnology Award Recipient

Desmon Boykin photoDesmon Boykin (Nanticoke) 

The Effects of Casein Biopolymers in Combination with Activated Charcoal on the Filtration of Contaminated Well Water

As a member of the Nanticoke Tribe, I am acutely aware that my tribe, along with many other tribes throughout the continent, face a continuous problem due to contamination of their natural water resources. Much of the contamination comes from nearby industrial plants which often dump waste into the local water sources. The objective of this experiment is to enhance the performance of a charcoal filtration system using casein powder. It is hypothesized that: if powdered casein is used in conjunction with charcoal as a filter for well-water, then the levels of heavy metals and E. coli bacteria will be lower than they are in water only filtered with charcoal. This is presumed because casein contains four different types of coil strands, αs1- Casein, αs2-Casein, β-Casein, and κ-Casein. The properties of these strains include coils containing two non-polar hydrophobic ends with a polar and hydrophilic center, another containing two dipolar ends, a random coil containing positive s-ions, and a final coil strand that surrounds the other forms of casein to create the entire Casein Micelle. The purpose of this experiment is to observe the filtration properties of casein in conjunction with activated charcoal to remove nitrates and E. coli. It is presumed that the tightly woven properties of the κ-Casein may entrap any E. coli bacteria attempting to pass through. It is also presumed that the structural components of β-Casein containing positive ions may bind with the nitrates and other negative ions during filtration. Though the Casein-Activated Charcoal filter did not completely remove E. coli, the E. coli content was reduced by 44% by the end of filtration. In regard to Nitrates, Nitrites, Hydrogen Sulfide, Manganese, and Alkalinity, Casein was able to filter out these aforementioned contaminants with more efficiency than when compared to Activated Charcoal. This was determined through the use of a Well Water Testing Kit in PPM (parts per million).

National Geographic Society, Cultivating Empathy for the Earth Award Recipient

Anabaah Nelson imageAnabaah Nelson (Navajo) - "Mycelium Growth in Martian Soil Simulant"

Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus and is composed of thread-like filaments which web to create a network of roots that absorbs, digests, and decomposes nutrients from its surrounding ecosystem. By using their natural digestive abilities, the enzymes certain mycelia produce can even degrade complex compounds into simpler byproducts, unraveling long chains of molecules into more easily digestible forms for other organisms. Able to grow most anywhere, the immense value of mycelium does not end there. In many ecosystems, it is the foundation, and its natural processes support most surrounding life. More specifically, mycelia releases minerals and other organic molecules found in dead organic matter back into the soil, recycles rare nutrients to be later redistributed, provides plants with which it has mycorrhizal relationships nutrients that are normally inaccessible to them, and allows for new entities/bodies to take the place of dead matter. In other words, remove mycelia from an environment and the ecosystem is no longer able to function. But what can be said about the inverse? If there is a previously uninhabitable environment where you successfully integrate mycelium, can life now be sustained? In order to answer this question, this experiment is aimed at attempting to sustain mycelium growth in a Martian dirt simulant with high CO2 air content. Not only would this shed light on the true potential of mycelium, but also scratch the surface of Martian colonization and hint at solutions to successful human habitation.