Three Shaker High School students had the opportunity to compete at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Science Fair on March 24. The students displayed their research, along with many other students from around the Capital Region. All three students walked away with awards that day.

Shaker High School senior, Arun Puttachi, won first place in the entire competition for his groundbreaking projects focusing on cancer cell research and cell senescence. This win makes Puttachi an automatic Intel International Science and Engineering Fair finalist. Puttachi will be traveling to New Mexico in May to compete against approximately 1,400 of the most talented science students from around the world.

Madhuvanthi Jayakumar, a junior at Shaker High School, won a $20,000 scholarship to RPI, should she chose to attend. Jayakumar displayed her findings on carbon fiber nanotubes.

Sophomore, Anjali Puttachi, won second place honorable mention for her project on Atherosclerosis, and is invited to the Science Congress Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS) Convention. Puttachi was also awarded with a certificate, a ribbon and $75.

In addition to the Senior Division winners, seventh-grade Shaker Junior High School student Alexander Bush won third place in the Junior Division on March 24. His project title was, "How do air pressure and water volume affect water bottle rockets?"

Congratulations to all four students!