Zane Trace H.S. Student Named To International Science Fair

Article Presented By Pickaway Ross CTC…

(Ross County) – Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth has partnered with Ohio University to send a local high school student to an international science and engineering competition. Once a year, a student from the southeastern Ohio region is selected for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). In May, Macy Long will fly to Dallas, Texas, to demonstrate her “Human Ultrasonic Echolocation Device” that she designed to assist individuals who are visually impaired.

Long was initially inspired to create a device for a dog that was blind, but decided to think bigger and design a tool to assist people. She is a senior at Zane Trace High School and has competed in multiple science competitions.

“My device mimics bat behavior in the form of echolocation, so it sends sound waves and bounces off obstacles in the path of the user to signal what is in their path so they can maneuver around them,” Long said. “This device will assist the blind and visually impaired in navigating their external world.”

FBP and other sponsors will be covering trip expenses for Long to attend the competition. FBP President and CEO Greg Wilkett offered his encouragement.

“We are very excited for Macy,” Wilkett said. “She has developed an innovative and inexpensive solution for those who are visually impaired. We are thrilled to be able to help her achieve her goals and wish her the very best in this competition and her future endeavors. Her invention has the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of others.”

Dr. Natalie Kruse Daniels is the director of Environmental Studies at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service in Athens. She also leads the Southeast Ohio Regional Science and Engineering Fair and District 12 Science Day for students in Ross, Jackson, Vinton, Meigs, Athens, Hocking, and Morgan counties for Ohio University.

“This is a really, really incredible opportunity because not only do you compete and present your science project, but you make friends from around the world,” Dr. Kruse Daniels said, “It’s fun and it’s science.”

“This is going to be an amazing experience; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sure,” Long said.

She plans to attend The Ohio State University and wants to become a film producer or a visual effects artist and work on movies.

ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. Each year, ISEF brings approximately 1,800 high school students from 75 countries together to exhibit and demonstrate ingenuity and innovation through science projects of their own design.