Student Nominated to Compete in
2007 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

A Pine-Richland Middle School (PRMS) student has been nominated to compete in the 2007 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, which will be held in October of 2007.

Maggie Burris, a sixth grader, took third place in the junior consumer science division at the 68th Annual Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair (PRSEF) held at Heinz Field March 30 and 31. In addition, Burris received a medal from the Office of Naval Research as a United States Naval Science Award Recipient as well.

Her project investigated the effect of radio frequency on materials and the best fabric materials and coatings for deflection.  This is a project that has not been done before, as Burris could best determine through her research. Her project found that the best deflection came from a blend of 50 percent cotton and 50 percent polyester coated with liquid graphite, which deflected 60 percent of all radio frequencies.

More than 920 students from over 100 schools competed for $550,000 in cash prizes and scholarships, a record number for the competition.  The PRSEF is a program of the Carnegie Science Center’s SciTech Spectacular. It’s the third oldest science fair in the United States under the Science Service, Inc.

If Burris moves forward in the 2007 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, she will travel to Washington, DC in October. She is one of only 7,000 middle school youth competing nationally for one of the 40 slots available in Washington.  Burris’s certificate of recognition as well as prize money will be sent to sponsoring GATE Teacher Kathy Deal.  Burris plans to continue her research of radio frequency over the next year.

Burris is an officer in the PRMS Ecology Club and a 2006 Student Ambassador with the People to People Organization. She is listed in the Who’s Who Among American Students directory and holds a 4.0 GPA. Her sponsoring mentor is Donald P. Archiable, principal of Archteck Inc.; lead technical architecture of WPXI’s newest broadcast building in Pittsburgh. Other projects, Archteck is involved with include the construction of the FOX building in Chicago and the new Weather Channel stations in Atlanta. Archiable is also a holder of two US Patents with two patents pending. 

Presenting sponsors of the PRSEF include the Bayer Corporation, FedEx Ground, the Heinz Endowments, the Buhl Corporation, United States Steel Corporation and a myriad of other foundations and companies

Burris would like to publicly thank the United States Office of Naval Research, the PRSEF judges and her PRMS teachers for their support and enthusiasm of learning and her mentor Donald P. Archiable for his time and guidance.