SECTION NEWS Colorado Section News Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF)


from The Colorado Professional Geologist Summer 2021 Stephanie Ashley


In April, AIPG again participated in the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF). AIPG presents special awards to outstanding middle and high school students completing projects related to geology.


The fair was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and this year looked a little different than normal. Instead of meeting at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, the fair was held remotely and students met with judges through a virtual platform. This year’s judges were Stephanie Ashley, Joe Brinton, and Celine Gill. The competition was stiff! In past years, judges were able to wander around the conference hall and peruse the projects before selecting students to interview. This year, judges were able to view the project displays online before scheduling virtual interviews with individual students over the course of two days. Awards are based on the projects’ value to science and society, complexity, relation to geology, and the ability of students to present their work and answer questions.


After much deliberation, AIPG’s top award for the high school division was awarded to Maria Alder and Riley Carpenter for their project titled “Water Desalination: Crystallization of


CaCO3 out of Saline Solution onto Plastic Polymers.” These two students are working to improve the process of water desali- nation by studying new materials to use in filtration systems that will maximize crystallization of salts while minimizing scaling. Alder and Carpenter demonstrated an impressive knack for explaining intricate topics and answering difficult questions. Their clear communication imparted their vision of why this project is so important. They tested a variety of plastic polymers with different surface textures and performed a complex statistical analysis to determine which showed the most promise for desalination systems. They have plans to expand upon their research and hopefully develop more cost- effective, efficient water purification systems that will benefit people all over the world.


The runner up in the high school division was Alden Kruse with his project titled “Something In The Water: Creating an Origami Microfluidic Device for Developing Communities.” Kruse’s passion for his project was contagious. He is trying to create a low-cost, efficient way to test for arsenic in the water,


Florida Section News End of Session Report from FAPG Lobbyist Natalie Kato


from the Florida Association of Professional Geologists (FAPG) /Florida AIPG Section June 2021 Newsletter


The 2021 Florida Legislative Session adjourned at approxi- mately 2:40 pm on Friday, April 30th. This was one of the earliest Sine Die times in recent memory, in a session that was in some ways, the least productive: of the 3,140 bills filed this session, only 275 passed both chambers. The $101.5 billion


www.aipg.org


state budget, given a boost with almost $10.2 billion in federal stimulus money, included a pay bump and $1,000 bonus for public school teachers, $36 million to overhaul the state online unemployment portal, major environmental and water quality projects, and a cross section of local projects.


Continued on p. 11 Oct.Nov.Dec 2021 • TPG 7


particularly for developing countries. He used folded papers imprinted with chemicals to test for arsenic.


The folding of the paper creates microfluidic channels as liquids wick though by capillary action. He evaluated a number shapes for the paper device as well different waxes, papers, and fabrication processes to imprint the chemicals into the paper. Kruse also developed a method of using a cell phone camera to map RBG values onto an XYZ graph to remove some of the subjectivity in reading results.


Kruse is working on creating a similar device to test for other chemicals in the water as well. He hopes to work with a manufacturer to produce these low-cost, sensitive, and accu- rate water testing devices.


In the middle school division, Keane Hammond took the top spot with his project “The Drowning Machine: The Danger of Low Head Dams.” Low head dams can sometimes draw objects toward them and pull them under the water. Hammond built a model dam to help estimate the ratio between head height and flow rate that can create dangerous conditions around low head dams so that modifications can be made to improve safety. Whitewater parks might also be able to use this information to detect when whitewater features might present danger. Hammond’s model dam took a lot of ingenuity and this was a unique project. He is also a very polished presenter who wasn’t stymied by difficult questions.


Eva Norton and her project, “Sediment Movement” took the runner-up position for the middle school division. Norton also put her construction skills to use with her project. She wanted to evaluate how the slope of a river affects the amount of ero- sion in the streambed. Norton constructed a model riverbed and filled it with sand. Then she tested the amount of erosion that occurred at differing slopes.


She based the slope values that she tested on the slope of the Colorado River at various points. Norton was interested in this project because as a whitewater rafter, she wants to understand how we can maintain and improve the health of our rivers. She discussed other aspects of river morphology that need to be tested going forward.


All of these students were exceptional. The students who didn’t win the special award were outstanding as well. Seeing what these young people are capable of is inspiring. Our future will be in good handswith them.


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