[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E138-E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   WESTINGHOUSE SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 1998

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the People's House to pay 
tribute to four young scholars from Ward Melville High School, in 
Setauket, Long Island whose talents and hard work have earned them the 
coveted distinction as finalists in the 1998 Westinghouse Science 
Talent Search contest. Continuing a remarkable legacy of scientific 
achievement at Ward Melville, Christopher Michael Gerson, Grace Ann 
Lau, Clyde Law and Thomas Peterson have been invited to Washington, DC 
to compete for the top honor in America's oldest and most prestigious 
high school scholarship competition.
  Inspired by their own ingenuity and thirst for knowledge, and 
supported by the dedicated teaching staff at Ward Melville, 
Christopher, Grace, Clyde and Thomas have all created impressive 
research projects that met the competition's rigorous standards and 
earned them the recognition of the Westinghouse judges. These hard-
working scholars have produced brilliant experiments in scientific 
research.
  Christopher Gerson studied the effects of colliding continental 
plates by producing a laboratory model that accurately simulates 
geological movements. Using a sandbox with a movable wall to simulate 
plate motion, and precise marking and photography techniques, Chris 
devised a method for studying plate science using innovative 
quantitative studies. A sports columnist for the school magazine and a 
member of the school marching band, Chris hopes to study computer 
science and mathematics at Princeton University.
  For her project, Grace An Lau researched the effects that extracts 
from green tea have on an enzyme involved in inflammatory tissue 
injuries. Her study demonstrated that green tea can significantly 
inhibit the enzyme Neutrophil, which is implicated in a variety of 
diseases, including arthritis and cystic fibrosis. A violinist in the 
school orchestra and a Science Olympiad participant, Grace will study 
biology in college and hopes to become a veterinarian or a field 
scientist.
  Clyde Law's physics experiment examined the compressibility of 
nuclear matter substances by studying the flow of protons, providing 
important insight into nuclear and astrophysics. Clyde is a participant 
in Science Olympiad and was a finalist in the ThinkQuest Internet 
Contest. He is also active in the Asian Culture Club and tutors 
Chinese. He hopes to attend MIT to study engineering and computer 
science and plans to become a computer systems analyst.
  Thomas Petersen's breakthrough project produced what is believed to 
be the first experimental verification that thermally induced

[[Page E139]]

capillary waves will cause spontaneous holes in certain polymer thin 
films. Thomas has been playing the cello since he was four and was a 
soloist and principal cellist in the Long Island Youth Orchestra. Tom 
also participates in various math and science clubs, won the gold medal 
in Science Olympiad and plans on pursuing a career in engineering.
  The achievements of Chris, Grace, Clyde and Thomas are due in no 
small part to the outstanding high school science program at Ward 
Melville High School that, for the second year in a row, produced the 
most Westinghouse Science Talent Search finalists in the Nation. In 
fact, the four were among the 11 contest finalists chosen from Long 
Island high schools, comprising more than one-quarter of the finalists 
chosen from all 50 states. The schools in my home area of Eastern Long 
Island produced fourteen semi-finalists in the Westinghouse Contest, 
including the four finalists and: Meredith Suzanne Croke of Miller 
Place, Jonathan Aaron Arbreit, James Joseph Cascione, Adam Brett 
Gottlieb, Joleen Okun, Alice Takhatajan, and Shellen Wu who are all 
from Setauket, Christine Anne Champey and Michael Teitelbaum of 
Smithtown and Robert Nalewajk from Stony Brook. All of these students 
deserve congratulations for their hard work and achievements.
  Mr. Speaker, as America focuses on improving student achievement and 
preparing them for the high-tech, computer driven future of the 21st 
Century, the accomplishments of Christopher Michael Gerson, Grace Ann 
Lau, Clyde Law and Thomas Peterson show us that America's future is in 
trusted hands. Their classmates can take inspiration from their success 
and adults have seen what great things our children will achieve when 
we provide them the skills and support. And so, Mr. Speaker, I ask my 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in saluting 
Chris, Grace, Clyde and Thomas and all of the other talented students 
across the United States who have been named finalists in the 1998 
Westinghouse Science Talent Search Contest.

                          ____________________