Meet Brittany Wenger, Google Science Fair 2012 Winner and All-Around Awesome Person Florida teen develops artificial intelligence breast cancer detection tool If we lived in a just world, 17 year-old Brittany Wenger would have endorsement contracts, too many cars and an assistant. You know, if she wanted them. Because this is what a role model looks like. She’s this year’s winner of the Google Science Fair, and must add that I’m jealous of that Lego trophy. Far from being an exception, Brittany exemplifies the quality of her fellow finalists. Looking through this year’s list of top projects, I can’t help but notice how stunningly intelligent and confident all the competitors are. Brittany developed an artificial neural network (a “software brain” of sorts) to help doctors take what used to be a safer but less reliable form of biopsy and turn it into a highly successful tool for detecting breast cancer. You can experience her program here. Seem out of reach? Brittany explains where she got her inspiration: In school we were researching the future, and my part of the future that I was researching was future technologies. I grew fascinated by artificial intelligence, which I came across. I went home that night, and I bought a computer programming book and, with no experience, decided that was what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Congrats to her and all this year’s finalists. And congrats to everyone who was inspired to do projects this year and will be inspired in years to come. I’m with Neil, I’m not worried about young people. This proves why. (↬ Budding Scientist)
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Meet Brittany Wenger, Google Science Fair 2012 Winner and All-Around Awesome Person

Florida teen develops artificial intelligence breast cancer detection tool

If we lived in a just world, 17 year-old Brittany Wenger would have endorsement contracts, too many cars and an assistant. You know, if she wanted them. Because this is what a role model looks like. She’s this year’s winner of the Google Science Fair, and must add that I’m jealous of that Lego trophy.

Far from being an exception, Brittany exemplifies the quality of her fellow finalists. Looking through this year’s list of top projects, I can’t help but notice how stunningly intelligent and confident all the competitors are.

Brittany developed an artificial neural network (a “software brain” of sorts) to help doctors take what used to be a safer but less reliable form of biopsy and turn it into a highly successful tool for detecting breast cancer. You can experience her program here.

Seem out of reach? Brittany explains where she got her inspiration:

In school we were researching the future, and my part of the future that I was researching was future technologies. I grew fascinated by artificial intelligence, which I came across. I went home that night, and I bought a computer programming book and, with no experience, decided that was what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

Congrats to her and all this year’s finalists. And congrats to everyone who was inspired to do projects this year and will be inspired in years to come.

I’m with Neil, I’m not worried about young people. This proves why.

(↬ Budding Scientist)

Source: blogs.scientificamerican.com

“Science in Action”: The Google Science Fair touches down in Swaziland

Sakhiwe Shongwe and Bonkhe Mahlalela, two 14 year-olds from Swaziland, are this year’s Scientific American/Google Science Fair “Science In Action” award winners.

Inspired by their teachers and a desire to serve their subsistence farming community, they developed a way to increase the yield of vegetable crops using a gardening soil made from recycled chicken manure. What started as a question of how to help their neighbors get off food aid could one day blossom into an affordable way to feed a drought-ravaged region.

But more than that, it reminds us that young people, so full of questions, have unlimited potential. And when their curiosity, confidence and problem-solving abilities are nurtured in classrooms that let them explore those questions, anyone can partake in scientific discovery.

As Sakhiwe says: “I see the Google Science Fair as a step to prove to the community that even someone as young as me can make a difference.” Bonkhe adds: “I never believed in myself but today Google Science Fair has built a very high self-esteem within me.”

Check out more coverage from yesterday’s Google Science Fair awards ceremony, including all the amazing winners, at Scientific American.

(↬ PsiVid)

Source: blogs.scientificamerican.com