LITAS Alumna Chosen as Intel STS Semifinalist

Akshata Rudrapatna (grade 12), a LITAS for Girls Program Alumna, has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search, sponsored by the Society for Science and the Public!

The Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) is the nation’s most prestigious science competition for high school seniors and has been in operation since 1942. In order to enter, according to the Society’s website, “Students complete independent science and engineering research projects and submit a written research report, essay questions, transcripts, and test scores to Intel STS.” Out of thousands of applicants, only 300 students are announced as semifinalists each year.

Akshata’s project, which she also presented at the LITAS Technology Showcase, researched how to improve nanoparticle design for Alzheimer’s drug delivery. Through bioinformatics and molecular simulations, she was able to determine that a type of virus can be a promising tool to deliver medications to the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Congratulations to Akshata for her wonderful accomplishment!