The 2025 Delbarton Science Fair highlighted our students' exceptional creativity, intellectual curiosity, and scientific talent, with projects spanning a wide range of disciplines from neuroscience and chemistry to environmental studies and psychology. This year's winners demonstrated both rigorous research and a passion for discovery.

Best in Biology Award
Michael Simunovich – The 5 Second Rule: Fact or Fiction?
Michael tackled a classic question with a scientific lens, testing surface contamination to explore whether the 5-second rule is under scrutiny.

Best in Engineering: The “Bob the Builder” Award
Lucas Lacz – How Variables Affect Turbines
Lucas engineered a study to determine how blade design and environmental factors impact turbine performance, bringing energy efficiency into focus.

Best in Chemistry Award
John Matter – Temperature’s Effect on Chemical Reactions
John’s meticulous experimentation shed light on how different temperatures influence reaction rates in chemical processes.

Best in Environmental Studies
Maxwell Lin – Can Regression AI Predict Weather?
Maxwell blended computer science and meteorology, testing AI’s ability to predict future weather patterns using regression models.

The Da Vinci Award – For creativity and interdisciplinary innovation
Aiden Paul – How Shape Affects Heat Retention
Aiden explored how geometric design influences thermal efficiency, merging physics, engineering, and design.

The No Bell Prize – For most original project
Owen McLane – Does Cooking Remove Ascorbic Acid from Oranges?
Owen’s hands-on kitchen experiment combined nutrition, chemistry, and health science in an unexpected way.

Best in Physics Award
Nikhil Sheth – Do Shock Absorbers Impact Tennis Ball Bounce?
Nikhil brought together mechanics and sports science to study how different surfaces affect kinetic energy and bounce.

Best in Psychology: The “Mad Scientist” Award
Ronan Kamilla – Effect of Music on Memory
Ronan tested how auditory stimuli impact short-term recall, offering insights into cognition and learning styles.

The “Thoreau” Award – For the biggest humanitarian or social impact
Gavin Pasic – Investigating Stereotypes in AI-Generated Images
Gavin conducted a timely and thoughtful analysis of bias in AI image generators, addressing a pressing issue in ethics and technology.

The “Uber Presenter” Award – For outstanding oral and visual presentation
Brandon Brucato – Wind Warriors: The Battle for the Best Blade
Brandon’s compelling presentation and sharp visuals captured the aerodynamic power struggle among turbine blade designs.

The Will Li Award – For excellence in science research at Delbarton
Kevin Jin – Unlocking Neuroprotection: How Chebulinic Acid Targets Protein Biomarkers and Lipid Imbalance in Alzheimer’s Disease
Kevin conducted advanced research into neurodegenerative disease, exploring potential therapeutic compounds with real-world clinical implications.

Congratulations to all our student scientists for their hard work, passion, and bold inquiry. We are proud of your achievements and can’t wait to see where your curiosity leads next!