EP students among state science fair winners

Two Eden Prairie students were among the award winners at the recent Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair.

Milan Darji received first place and Vick Tan third place in the Medtronic Innovation Award category. The award recognizes students whose projects exemplify excellence through innovative ideas, self-motivated independent work, passion for discovery and science, and the potential to impact their category or the world. All winners receive an invitation to spend a day at Medtronic with a technical fellow.

Darji’s project, which also received a $750 cash award, was titled “Custom Enzymes to Custom Care: Ushering in the Era of Personalized Medicine Using a Novel Approach for Engineering Enzyme Specificity.”

Tan’s project, which received a $250 cash award, was titled “A Reusable Teabag for Bioremediation of Arsenic from Drinking Water.”

A total of 434 middle and high school students from 59 schools across Minnesota, including Eden Prairie High School, competed in the 88th annual  Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair (SSEF) on March 28 at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul. SSEF is organized by the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS). Participating students advanced from regional science fairs throughout Minnesota to compete in the state event. 

“The state science fair highlights Minnesota students who are exploring fascinating questions and applying science and engineering practices to address challenges in their communities,” said Kristen Barry, MAS executive director. “I was truly impressed and inspired by their innovation and expertise, and it’s clear our judges felt the same way!”