Athens County Students Win Prizes at International Science Fair

Athens, Ohio (May 19, 2000) -- Two Athens County high school students won prizes at the 2000 INTEL-International Science and Engineering Fair in Detroit May 7-13.

Natalie Kruze, a junior from Athens High School, won three prizes, a $100 third-place award from the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., a $250 award of merit from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and a $100 second-place award from the Patent and Trademark Office/U.S. Department of Commerce/Patent Trademark Office Society. She is the daughter of Barbara Singer and Hans Kruse of Athens.

Benjamin Lachman, a junior home-schooled by his parents, Bob and Trisha Lachman, won a $500 fourth grand award in computer science.

Kruse's project, "Acid Mine Drainage Remediation Methods and Effectiveness," is based on her work on the Monday Creek watershed. At the Southeastern Ohio Regional Science and Engineering Fair, she won first prize of $100 in environmental and geological science, the Ohio Water Environmental Award of a $100 Savings Bond, the U.S. Navy and Marine Award of a graphing calculator and certificates of recognition from the Association of Women Geoscientists, Water Environmental Federation and the U.S. Army.

Lachman's project, "Modeling a Dynamic Transportation Network," is based on the use of a highly fuel efficient public car system for a metropolitan area. Lachman was the first home-schooled student to participate in the Ohio University District Science Day and the Southeastern Ohio Regional Science and Engineering Fair. At the Southeastern Ohio Regional Science and Engineering Science Fair, he won the Best Engineering/Computer Science Project Trophy, the Intel Computer Prize of $200, a U.S. Navy-Marine Award of a graphing calculator and a U.S. Army certificate of recognition.

"These two young people should be very proud of their accomplishments," said James Tong, professor of chemistry at Ohio University and director of the Southeastern Ohio Regional Science and Engineering Fair. "This is the first year that both students from the region won prizes at ISEE. Considering the high quality of the competition, that is an outstanding accomplishment."