Filipino sophomore student John Benedict Estrada from Fresno, California, U.S.A., has won the grand prize at the 2021 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF) for his computer program that can accurately predict drought stress in plants.
The 16-year-old Clovis North High School student received the Gordon E. Moore Award of $50,000 for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations, as well as a $5,000 award in the Plant Sciences category in the global competition on May 21, 2021.
Estrada developed a new scientific model for his winning project called the Artificial Intelligence Drought Assessment (AIDA) model, which uses an innovative computer program to help detect drought-related stress in plants using infrared and visible light images captured by his custom-built robotic camera.
The Filipino teen developer said that he couldn’t believe he won one of the world’s largest high school science competitions, which was held virtually this year.
“I was so happy and excited to be admitted into ISEF. At first, I could not even believe that I made it in, and it only really sunk in later that I would be competing in the biggest science and engineering competition in the world,” John Benedict Estrada said.
“Witnessing the damage brought about by drought in my agricultural community inspired me to help our farmers find the solution to this devastating problem. Using my AIDA model to predict drought stress in plants will not only help farmers conserve our precious water but also allow them to maximize their yield.” Estrada explains.
The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair organized by the Society for Science, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. in the United States.
Filipino students from three Philippine schools won science awards at the ASEAN Innovative Science Environmental and Entrepreneur Fair (AISEEF) 2021 while Mapúa University student Carvey Ehren Maigue was chosen as the first-ever James Dyson Sustainability Award winner in 2020 for his AuREUS invention which generates renewable solar energy and up-cycles crop wastes in the process.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Filipino student John Benedict Estrada who the grand prize at the 2021 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF) for his computer program that can accurately predict drought stress in plants.
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