Sound of science
Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Daily News/DANIELLE RAPPAPORT
Celine Saucier, 14, takes notes during her biology class at H.H. Dow High School Wednesday afternoon. Saucier is one of 40 high school students who will travel to Washington D.C. to compete in the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge. Her project, which started as a school science fair entry last year, is "More Than Meets the Ear."
A parental lecture received while mowing the lawn inspired a project that guarantees an H.H. Dow High School student at minimum a $500 scholarship. It also could lead to her earning the title of "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year."
"When I was mowing the lawn, my parents told me I should wear ear plugs," said Celine Saucier, 14, a ninth grade student at Dow High. "After investigation I learned ear plugs are really important."
Ear plugs are used to block sound, such as that caused by a lawn mower, and can prevent loss of hearing. They also can be the basis for science fair projects.
Saucier, then an eighth grade student at Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, researched different types of ear plugs and measured their effectiveness blocking sound for her science project. She found that plugs work best when they both reflect and absorb sound.
So she created plug models that did both - for instance foam ear plugs with a metal cap. She even submitted a provisional patent application for her creations. A provisional patent allows someone to wait a year before filing a patent application. It gives additional time to produce a safe invention.
In the meantime, Saucier is preparing for a trip to Washington, D.C. at the end of October to compete in the sixth annual Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. Forty middle school students from around the country were selected as finalists to compete this year. Saucier is one of two students selected from Michigan.
"I think my whole school knows. My teachers should know because I'll be leaving," she said, recalling the time and effort she put into the science fair project from Thanksgiving to the end of March this year. "I spent every weekend on this. I never went anywhere."
Saucier's mother, Wendy Saucier, said she made sure her daughter stayed on track while working on the school project.
"I buy poster board and make sure she has all the supplies. And I cut and tape for her," Wendy said. "Sciencewise I can't help. I'm not a science person."
Wendy will accompany her daughter on the trip, scheduled Oct. 23-27.
Saucier will present her project, "More than Meets the Ear," and compete in team-based interactive challenges celebrating 100 years of Albert Einstein's physics. This year marks the centennial of Einstein's relativity theories.
The first place winner in the competition earns a $15,000 scholarship, second place a $7,500 scholarship, third place a $3,750 scholarship and fourth through 40th place earn $500 scholarships.