BIG PINEY – Seventeen Big Piney Middle School students competed at the Wyoming State Science Fair facilitated through the University of Wyoming on Monday, March 8. Students were interviewed virtually through a secure portal system from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. that day.

All students were interviewed by at least three different judges, with a few students being interviewed by as many as eight judges if being considered for special awards. The university conducted virtual field trips and activities during the afternoon session, including building penny batteries, touring the campus, talking with current UW students and visiting the Natural History Museum.

Results

• Animal Science Category: Second place to Emma York and Chelsea Wright for “The Effect of Drinking Liquids on Brine Shrimp.” Third place to Kamia Runyan for “The Effect of the Full Moon Phases on the Night Time Activity in Dogs, Cats and Horse Behavior.”
• Biochemistry/cellular and molecular biology category: First place to Addalee Cunningham, Natylie Evans and Kaydence Guest for “Genetic Effects on Fingerprints.”
• Chemistry category: Third place to Magdalena Jones and Catie Langlois for “The Purpose of Eggs in Cookies.”
• Engineering category: Second place to William Hibbert for “Engineering a Wind Splitter for Semi-truck Cargo Trailers to Reduce Sail Effects of High Crosswinds.” Hibbert also received the U.S. Metric Association Award, the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Special Award and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, second-place, Junior Division Award.
• Microbiology category: Second place to Sakiusa Meador for “The Effect of T4r Bacteriophages on Colonies of Escherichia coli B.” Third place to Tryzmen Green for “The Effect of UV Sterilization on Cloth Mask Bacteria.” University of Wyoming Mathematics and Statistics, third place, Junior Division Award to Hays Espenscheid and Zeferino Zuniga for “The Effect of Marinades on Bacteria Growth on Steak.”
• Plant science category: Cael Espenscheid and Cole Walton received the Lesair Environmental, Inc. Award, the Laramie Rivers Conservation District Award and the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association, second place, Junior Division Award for “How Much Does Water Quality Account for Grass Growth: Creek Water versus Return Flow Water.”