Student Projects recognized at LCPS Regional Science & Engineering Fair

Three board members of the Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains served as judges at the 2026 Loudoun County Public Schools Regional Science & Engineering Fair.

This year’s fair once again highlighted the remarkable talent and innovation of Loudoun County high school students. A defining feature of many projects was their interdisciplinary nature. Students skillfully combined concepts across fields—integrating photography with statistical analysis, applying mathematical modeling alongside biological techniques, and blending chemical analysis with physics to develop new approaches for observing natural processes.

Equally notable was the strong focus on real-world challenges. Many projects addressed critical issues that will shape the future for today’s students, including climate change, environmental pollution, and increasing energy demands.

The Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains judges identified four projects of particular merit due to their relevance to the Blue Ridge Mountain:

• Ayush Bhansali and Yogesh Parameshwaran developed a project utilizing computer vision and geotagged images to monitor trail conditions and improve the allocation of limited trail maintenance resources (Project #901-T-11).
• Siva Venkatachalam and Omar Behiri created a model to predict wildfire location and spread using Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) and the Lotka-Volterra Ordinary Differential Equation system. Their work has the potential to significantly enhance wildfire response and management strategies (Project #915-T-11).
• Rahul Kalaga designed a methodology to predict the locations of illegal mining activities in Appalachia by analyzing historical data along with factors such as proximity to roads, protected areas, terrain slope, and land cover classifications (Project #907-X-11).
• Clara Hoffman analyzed water quality along seven points of Tuscarora Creek, from headwaters to downstream locations. Her findings showed consistently high dissolved oxygen levels, indicating strong support for aquatic life, while also identifying elevated phosphate concentrations at multiple sites, particularly in midstream areas (Project #906-X-11).

Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains commend all participating students for their creativity, rigor, and commitment to addressing pressing environmental challenges.