Shazam!

Another lightning storm during ISEF 2007

Lightning has blazed in the skies over Albuquerque almost every night here at Intel ISEF 2007, providing a dazzing and dramatic backdrop to the Fair's events as they unfold. But the real electricity today wasn't in the wild blue yonder; it was inside Tingley Coliseum, where the finalists gathered to learn who earned this year's top honors.

Here, fresh from the ceremony, are some highlights from the Grand Awards. The full listing is available here. Look out for more extensive coverage of the winners and their projects in the coming weeks!

Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards:

Dayan Li, 17, from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland.
"Thrombospondin-1 Switches Nitric Oxide Function from Inhibitory to Stimulatory
for Gene Expression of Human Tumor Endothelial Cell Markers"

Philip Vidal Streich, 16, homeschooled in Platteville, Wisconsin.
"Determining Carbon Nanotubes' Thermodynamic Solubility: The Missing Link
to a Practical Supermaterial?"

Dmitry Vaintrob, 18, from South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon.
"The String Topology BV Algebra, Hochschild Cohomology and the Goldman
Bracket on Surfaces"

Dayan, Philip and Dmitry will all receive $50,000 scholarships to the college or university of their choice.

Seaborg SIYSS Award:

George Francis Hotz, 17, from Bergen County Academies in Glen Rock, New Jersey
"I Want a Holodeck"

Dmitry Vaintrob, 18, from South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon
"The String Topology BV Algebra, Hochschild Cohomology and the Goldman
Bracket on Surfaces"

Temple Mu He, 18, from Troy High School in Troy, Michigan
"Period Analysis of Cataclysmic Variable X10 and Its Implications on the Origin
of Low States"

George, Dmitry, and Temple are each awarded an all expense-paid trip in December to the Stockholm International Youth in Science Seminar in Sweden, where they will also attend the Nobel Prize ceremonies.

European Union Contest for Young Scientists:

Natnaree Siriwon, 17, Korawich Niyomsatian, 18, and Nathaphon Supokaivanich, 18, from Trium Udom Suksa School in Bangkok, Thailand.
"The Secret in Mimosa's Leaf Folding Pattern"

Natnaree, Korawich, and Nathaphon have won an all expense-paid trip to the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, held in Valencia, Spain this September.

MILSET:

Jacob Charles Loewenstein, 17, from Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns & Rockaway in
Cedarhurst, New York, and Brienne Ashley Kugler, 18, from Jericho Senior High School in Jericho, New York.
"Controlling Metal/Polymer Adhesion: The Enhancement of Microlithography and
the Formation of Nanowires"

Jacob and Brienne have earned a free trip this July to Durban, South Africa, to attend the Expo Science International 2007. There, during ESI 2007, the International Movement for Leisure in Science and Technology (MILSET) will celebrate its 20th anniversary.