Carroll ISD Students Advance to State, Earn International Recognition at Regional Science Fair

Carroll ISD students delivered an exceptional performance at the Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Monday, February 23, at the University of Texas at Arlington, with four projects advancing to the upcoming state competition and one earning a coveted “Best of Fair” honor.

The Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair brings together top middle and high school researchers from across North Texas to present original scientific investigations to panels of industry professionals, university faculty, and STEM experts. Projects are judged on scientific rigor, innovation, clarity of presentation, and real-world application. Only the highest-ranking projects advance to the Texas Science and Engineering Fair, making this achievement especially significant.

This year, Carroll ISD stood out among the region’s most competitive entries.

Cody Li (Carroll High School) earned 1st place and was named Best of Fair for his Computer Science project, “ATC-Copilot.” Being selected as one of the top six projects across the entire competition automatically qualifies him to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), to be held May 9-15 in Phoenix, Arizona. He also received a 1st place special award from the United States Air Force - Air Force Research Laboratory.

ISEF is considered the world’s largest and most prestigious research competition for high school students, bringing together finalists from around the globe to compete for scholarships, grants, and international recognition.

Additional Carroll ISD regional champions include:

Aditi Srikanth (Carroll High School) - 1st place in Microbiology for her project, “Combating Drug Resistance: Development of a Natural Cocktail Therapy to Inhibit Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus Epidermidis.” She also received the 1st place special award from the Citadel Securities Innovation Prize.

Ethan Pan, Lukas Carroll, and Anirv Vallabhaneni (Carroll Middle School) - 1st place in Earth Sciences for “Designing A Hybrid Separation System for Microplastic Removal in Aquatic Environments.” The team also earned a 2nd place special award from the Water Environment Association of Texas.

Jeffrey Liu (Carroll Senior High School) - 2nd place in Chemistry for “Water from Air: Effects of Magnetic Field on Water Phase Change,” along with a 1st place special award from the Office of Naval Research - U.S. Navy & Marine Corps.

Youwei Lin, Zhian Li, and Aidan Jian (Carroll Senior High School) also advanced to state after earning 1st place for their project, “Natural Antioxidants for Protecting Auditory Hair Cells Against ROS-Induced Damage.” Their research explored innovative approaches to protecting delicate inner ear cells from oxidative stress, contributing to ongoing conversations in the biomedical field about hearing preservation and treatment.

All advancing projects will now compete at the Texas Science and Engineering Fair on March 27-28 at Texas A&M University in College Station. The state competition features top regional winners from across Texas and includes additional judging rounds, formal presentations, and opportunities to earn scholarships and industry-sponsored awards. Students advancing from state may qualify for additional national and international competitions.

Participation in science and engineering fairs requires months of independent research, data analysis, experimentation, and refinement. Students work closely with teachers and mentors to develop projects that address real-world challenges in fields ranging from environmental sustainability to biomedical innovation and aerospace technology.

Carroll ISD’s strong showing at the regional level reflects not only the talent and dedication of its students, but also the district’s continued commitment to fostering inquiry, creativity, and advanced STEM learning opportunities at every campus.

As these Dragons prepare to compete at state - and on the international stage - they continue to represent Carroll ISD with excellence, innovation, and Dragon pride.