This is not your typical 17 year old.
So while most 17 year-old girls worry about what color their prom dress will be Sarah Volz worried about the levels of pesticide sethoxydim she was adding to her DIY algae biofuel lab.
Volz created her very own lab underneath her loft bed so she could see which algae produced the highest amount of oil. Why? She wants to help curb climate change by developing ways to produce oil that do not contribute to global warming. Through a process she invented using artificial selection using pesticides, Volz kills off the types of algae that produce lower levels of lipids in order to attain the higher producers. This is an efficient way to jump start a viable, sustainable way to produce petroleum commercially using algae. Did I mention she is seventeen?
Sarah Volz was selected out of 1,712 high school seniors and beat out seven finalists to win the $100,000 grand prize. “Society for Science & the Public is proud to join Intel in congratulating Sara Volz for her scientific accomplishments,” said Elizabeth Marincola, president of the organization. “Sara’s work demonstrates how a young person who is fascinated by science, which she has been since a kindergarten science fair, can work with few sophisticated resources and have real impact on society.”
Did I mention she is seventeen?
Sarah Volz and her algae biofuel lab. Photo: Unknown
Volz created her very own lab underneath her loft bed so she could see which algae produced the highest amount of oil. Why? She wants to help curb climate change by developing ways to produce oil that do not contribute to global warming. Through a process she invented using artificial selection using pesticides, Volz kills off the types of algae that produce lower levels of lipids in order to attain the higher producers. This is an efficient way to jump start a viable, sustainable way to produce petroleum commercially using algae. Did I mention she is seventeen?
Sarah Volz and the other winners of the Intel Science Talent Search. Photo:Unknown
Sarah Volz was selected out of 1,712 high school seniors and beat out seven finalists to win the $100,000 grand prize. “Society for Science & the Public is proud to join Intel in congratulating Sara Volz for her scientific accomplishments,” said Elizabeth Marincola, president of the organization. “Sara’s work demonstrates how a young person who is fascinated by science, which she has been since a kindergarten science fair, can work with few sophisticated resources and have real impact on society.”
Did I mention she is seventeen?
