Fifty SVGS research students participated in the 2018 Shenandoah Valley Regional Science Fair sponsored by James Madison University on March 6. The Shenandoah Valley Regional Science Fair is affiliated with the ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair). Participating localities included: Highland County Bath County Rockbridge County Staunton City Winchester City Page County Harrisonburg City Warren County Shenandoah County Augusta County Rockingham County Frederick County
Each student was required to create an exhibit documenting their research project and participate in a question and answer session. University professors and practicing scientists served as volunteer judges evaluating entries in eighteen categories.
The following Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School students were recognized among this year’s regional science fair winners:
| Category | Students | Award | Title |
| Animal Science | Jessica Milo and Noah Vanhoy | 2nd | Associative Learning in Chemotactic Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to Non-Food Stimuli |
| Animal Science | Annabelle Mastrandea and Shamir Ibar | 3rd | The chemotactic response of C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegant) to sucrose and vinegar |
| Behavioral and Social Sciences | Isaiah Knopp | 2nd | What factors affect opioid deaths? |
| Biochemistry | Alison Keister and Nathan Harris | 1st | Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on the Production of Carbon Dioxide in Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yeast) |
| Chemistry | Paige Pettry | 1st | Luminol: How Temperature Affects its Glow |
| Chemistry | Spencer Tuttle | The Effects of Different Impurities on Freshwater’s Melting Rate | |
| Chemistry | Lamaya Campbell | How do substances affect the conductivity of a liquid? | |
| Computer and Mathematical Sciences | Heidi Arenas | 2nd | Do Microwaves affect the Speed of Wifi? |
| Computer and Mathematical Sciences | Patrick Maneval | How GPS affects the recording of steps in fitness devices? | |
| Computer and Mathematical Sciences | Reed Jones | 3rd | Which metric in the NBA is the best to predict the result of a game? |
| Engineering | Mason Reno | The Effect of Sloped Armor on Mitigating Damage Caused by Projectiles | |
| Energy and Transportation | Kristin Rhodenizer | 1st | What is the better insulation material? |
| Energy and Transportation | Madison Kidd | 2nd | How Wind Speed Affects Energy Production of a Wind Turbine |
| Energy and Transportation | Greyden Wimer | How sound level changes with distance. | |
| Environmental Management and Science | Emily McComas | Air Force Certificate of Achievement | Specific Heat Capacities of Different Solutions |
| Environmental Management and Science | Sean Fridley and Kerry Showalter | 3rd | The Effects of Automotive Substances on Brassica rapa |
| Environmental Management and Science | Anna Brule and Hannah Jane Upson | American Water Works Association Certificate of Merit | The effect of yeast mannan on the removal rate of nitrate and phosphate from spring water by duckweed (Lemna minor). |
| Environmental Management and Science | Tate Snyder and Nikki Pettry | Effect of Duckweed (Lemna minor) on the Phytoremediation of Copper and Iron | |
| Environmental Management and Science | Kordelia Hunsberger and Tay Burress | Effect of pH on Phytoremediation of Copper by Duckweed (Lemna minor) | |
| Environmental Management and Science | Faith Christian and Elexis Bradley | 2nd | Effects of Different Control Systems on Soil Erosion |
| Medicine, Health, and Nutrition Science | Bryce Landram | Denaturing Proteins | |
| Medicine, Health, and Nutrition Science | Giselle Figueroa and Cameron Murie | 2nd | Effectiveness of Anti-fungal Oils on Growth of Aspergillus niger |
| Medicine, Health, and Nutrition Science | Addison Gilligan and Matthew Wallace | 1st | The Effectiveness of Mineral-Based Sunscreens Against UVB Radiation |
| Microbiology | Emma Evans and Lauren Highfield | 1st | The Effectiveness of Chlorhexidine and Povidone Iodine and Their Impact on Caenorhabditis elegans |
| Microbiology | McCarron Kincheloe and Cooper Yurish | Antibacterial Resistance of Tea Tree Oil and Lactic Acid on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. | |
| Microbiology | Tracy Le and Kenya Balser | The Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate on Bacteriophage T4 Infectivity of Escherichia coli B | |
| Microbiology | Victor Gaines | Effectiveness of Household Antibacterials on Staphylococcus epidermidis | |
| Microbiology | Jonathan Henriques and Seth Walter | Effects of Combining Antibiotics on Gram-Positive(Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-Negative(Escherichia coli) Bacteria | |
| Microbiology | Courtney Muncy and Olivia Quickel | 2nd | Effect of Ampicillin on the Growth of a Biofilm Composed of Escherichia coli |
| Physics and Astronomy | Leyton Pullin | 3rd | Sandpaper and Wood |
| Plant Science | Ramona Shelton and Sara Moore | 1st | The Effect of Different Fertilizer Techniques on the Growth of Lima Bean Plants (Phaseolus lunatus) |
| Plant Science | Joshua Weaver and Helen Ni | 2nd | Effect of Wisconsin Fast Plants (Brassica rapa) on Lima Beans (Phaseolus lunatus) |
| Plant Science | Luke Scrogham and Lillian Pingel | Genetically Modified Sequences in Organic and Non-Organic Cornmeal |
Shenandoah Valley Governor's School 