
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 25, 1994                   TAG: 9405250097
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MELISSA DEVAUGHN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WINNER PUT A LOT OF ENERGY INTO SCIENCE PROJECT

Setul Patel likes science and has an interest in solar power. So, when he was asked to enter a regional science fair in Wytheville, he decided to do it, not knowing he was on his way to an international award.

The Narrows High School junior worked for weeks to prepare a workable demonstration of the concept he studied: "The Most Efficient Energy Storage in a Solar Powered Chemical Heat Pump Using Methanol and Several Salts."

In layman's terms, that means "how to store energy in a chemical battery." Patel, 16, won first place for that project, as well as the United States Department of Energy Award, the Junior Engineering Technical Society Award and the Yale Science and Engineering Association Award. At the state fair, he won third place in the engineering category.

"This is the first time I've done a big science fair," Patel said. "I really didn't expect to go past regionals."

The International Fair included 929 students from the United States and 30 other countries, competing for the grand prize. Although Patel was originally an alternate and had replaced Sarah Simpkins of Pulaski County High School who was sick, he proved to be equitable competition for the other entrants. He placed fourth in the engineering category in a field of 101 competitors.

Patel said he thinks he did well at the competition because he had a chance between the state and international fairs to improve some problems with his display. His project included a 22-page paper, a project and a display of the solar energy concept.

"I learned a lot after the state fair," he said. "It helped me make the project better."

Jamie Clark, a junior at Giles High School, was the other grand award winner. He won first place at the regional fair, as well as the United States Navy and Marine Corps Science Award. He placed second at the state fair in the math category. Although he didn't place at the International Fair, Donald Linzey, director of the Blue Ridge Highlands Regional Science Fair, said the two "made many new friendships" and were able to visit much of the Birmingham area.

"I'm very pleased with the results," Linzey said. "This is only the third year we've held the [Wytheville] fair, and each year we've taken a grand award winner, one of them has come back with a fourth place award."

by CNB