RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — A freshman from Richland High School is competing this week in a national science fair in Phoenix.
The 15-year-old, Swetha Shutthanandan, won regional and Washington state science fairs by creating her own alternative solar power cells in her garage.
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The Tri-City Herald reports (http://bit.ly/YFampn ) they use zinc oxide structures instead of the more costly silicone used in many solar cells.
Of course, it helps that her father, Shutta Shutthanandan, is a scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory who advised her and helped her work out the methodology.
She says it’s been a lot of work but a great experience.
The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair has attracted more than 1,500 high school students from 70 countries.
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Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com
