Stories by Laura Vanderkam

For Patricia DeCoursey, When It Comes to Biology, Timing Is Everything

Simon DeDeo: For a Lifetime of Scientific Curiosity, the Sky's the Limit

David Fleishhacker: From Paleontology to the Humanities to Afghanistan

Michael First: Computing Chemistry, Then Psychiatry

Writing a computer program made him a 1974 Westinghouse finalist. Now he practices psychiatry, using data to drive diagnoses--including that of an accused September 11, 2001, attack planner...

Helen Wiersma: Fighting Weeds--And Mental Illness

A 2000 Intel Science Talent Search finalist's interest in science was sparked on her family's cattle ranch. Now she's studying for a PhD in biochemistry while managing bipolar disorder

Katharine Duderstadt: From the Peace Corps to a PhD

A 1985 Westinghouse finalist studied climate change, and now teaches high school physics

Robert Duncan: From Scrubbing Smokestacks to Superfluids in Space

A 1978 Westinghouse finalist studied physics, and now administers research at his home state's university

Kraig Derstler: Digging Up Dinosaurs Is in His Bones

A Westinghouse finalist's childhood fascination with fossils turns into a career in paleontology

Carmela Amato-Wierda: So Long, Solar

A 1984 Westinghouse finalist went from studying materials science to watching how others learn about matter

Tamir Druz: From Risking Check in Chess to Checking Risk in Energy Futures

A 1989 Westinghouse finalist studied how elite players choose moves, now he advises companies on how to think about the price of power

Joseph Demer: In Plane Sight

A 1973 Westinghouse finalist built a moon launcher, but today he operates closer to the ground as an eye surgeon--and he flies his own plane

Haig Donabedian: Finding a Medical Niche

A 1967 Westinghouse finalist's project focused on ecology and crayfish, but his career aspirations led him to treat HIV/AIDS

Richard Gott: From Crystal Structures to Time Travel

A 1965 Westinghouse finalist used geometry to figure out how metals act at a molecular level, and now studies clusters of galaxies

An Intel finalist finds a way to build better bridges

A high schooler who studied stem cells meets Pres. Obama the day he loosens stem cell regs

Regrowth after wildfires, and space elevators: More from the Intel STS

Intel finalist tackles the cellulosic ethanol problem

Jessica Boklan: A Last-Minute Math Project, Then Back to Medicine

A 1986 Westinghouse finalist works to come up with better treatments for devastating childhood cancers

That Splenda you're drinking will be in our water supply for awhile

Parents, don't tell your kids about your wild drinking days, says Intel finalist