Friends School of Minnesota 8th grader Emi Topp-Johnson’s project on corn fungus qualified for the State Science Fair, which took place over spring break.
Emi’s display won a Bronze Star from the Minnesota Academy of Science (the organization that runs the state science fair), for being in the top 20% of all middle school projects.
Emi’s paper also won two awards:
- The Graduate Women in Science Award for Best 8th Grade Paaper
- Award for Best Middle School Paper from the Minnesota Academy of Science.
Emi did her Science Fair project independently, as FSMN only does Science Fair in alternate years and 2013-14 was a History Day year (Emi’s History Day documentary Charles Drew and the Blood Bank is moving on to State). The title of her project, and her paper, is: Behind the Kernels, A Study of 5 Fungal Endophytes and their use in Biocontrol Against the Common Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis.
Emi’s interest in mold and fungus was piqued while working on her 2012-13 Science Fair project. So FSMN science teacher Steve Moe connected her with Dr. Georgiana May at the U of M who studies corn and the effects that different fungus has on corn. Over the summer and throughout the fall, Emi went to the research lab 2-3 days a week. During that time, she learned how to work in a lab, and to conduct her experiment.
Congratulations to Emi for all her phenomenal work!
Behind the Kernels, A Study of 5 Fungal Endophytes and their use in Biocontrol Against the Common Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis