Three hundred outstanding young scientists were named semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS), earning $600,000 in total awards for themselves and their schools. Included in that 300 are three students from Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School. Heather Casper, Marissa Goldblatt and Matthew Schlossberger were announced as semi-finalists last week.

Often considered the junior Nobel Prize, the Intel Science Talent Search is America's oldest, most highly regarded pre-college science competition and heir to six decades of science excellence.

"As a U.S. citizen, I am troubled by the performance of typical American students in science and mathematics when compared to their peers around the world," said Craig Barrett, Intel CEO. "But each year at the Intel STS, we have the opportunity to discover and celebrate the accomplishments of 300 bright young students from across the country. These students have developed a deeper understanding of science through the process of research and discovery. They demonstrate the critical skills necessary to drive innovation and competitiveness in America."

Over the past 64 years, STS alumni have been the recipients of more than 100 of the world's most coveted science and math honors including Nobel Prizes, National Medals of Science, MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, and Fields Medals. And they continue to build on this impressive legacy: Frank Wilczek, who placed fourth in the 1967 Science Talent Search, won the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics and is currently a professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Heather Casper, a senior at POBJFK, submitted her project entitled "Carbon Anhydrase: Expression Dioscorea and Molecular Evolution in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Dioscorea Species."

"Carbon Anhydrase is a protein in almost everything," said Casper. "It helps with the reaction changing carbon dioxide so it can be carried in the blood. It also helps in respiration in plants and it also serves as a storage protein in the tubers."

Casper studied five different species of Dioscorea, the scientific name for yams and was able to make an evolution tree through the research.

Casper, who worked with Dr. R. Getta at SUNY Stony Brook, plans to major in biomedical engineering when she attends college in the fall.

Matthew Schlossberger's project was entitled "Electrospinning of Polystyrene and POSS Nanofibers."

Schlossberger used a process called electrospinning in order to create these very thin fibers that could be used as a filter. "It can serve as detection for toxins or bacteria in the area," he said.

Schlossberger plans to continue the research next summer. He worked with mentor Dr. Miriam Rafailovich at SUNY Stony Brook and graduate student Yuan Ji. Although he is unsure of his college major, he is interested in biology at this time.

Marissa Goldblatt's project was entitled "The Evolution of Male Courtship Behavior in Oriental Drosophila Species with Wing Spots."

Goldblatt worked with behavioral evolution and worked with about five different species of fruit flies. "I watched their behavior because they do this complicated courtship behavior. I studied how the behavioral part evolved differently from the physical part," said Goldblatt.

Goldblatt worked with Dr. John True at SUNY Stony Brook and they came up with the idea together. "There were not many studies done on behavior so I thought this would be interesting," said Goldblatt.

Although it is too early to know where she is attending college, Goldblatt plans to major in engineering, either chemical or mechanical.

This year's semifinalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their achievement. In addition, each of their schools receives $1,000 per semifinalist to enhance math and science programs. Since beginning this school award in 2000, Intel has contributed more than $1.8 million to improve math and science programs in U.S. high schools.

This year's semifinalists were selected from 1,600 entrants in 47 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Their research projects cover all disciplines of science including chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, social science and biology. The students range in age from 15 to 18 with females representing 50 percent of the total entries. Finalists will be announced on Jan. 26.