March 8, 2016
(Dallas, TX) – Over 1,000 prize-winning students from across the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex competed in the 2016 Beal Bank Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair (DRSEF) on Saturday, February 28, in Fair Park. Co-sponsored by SMU, participants — who have won their school or district science fairs — were awarded top honors for their innovations.
Steven Elliot, a high school student with The Home Educators Outsourcing High School was one of the top prize-winners. He presented his work titled, “Use the force Lyapunov! A novel force controller for quadcopter applications,” and won first place in Senior Division, Physical Sciences: Robotics and Intelligent Machines. He was a runner up for the grand prize in the Senior Division, Physical Sciences.
Elliot has a unique connection with SMU as he enrolled and took several math classes in Fall 2015 and Spring 2016. Steven works with Dr. Thomas Carr, Associate Professor in Department of Mathematics on problems related to the stability and control of quadcopters.
“Steven is highly motivated, independent and particularly competent,” says Dr. Carr. “I provide some mathematical guidance but for the most part I am learning from him, and that is a lot of fun.”
Steven has one research manuscript accepted for publication in the American Journal of Undergraduate Research (http://www.ajuronline.org/) titled, “Robust Nonlinear Control of BLDC Motor in Quadcopter Applications.” A second research paper is currently being submitted.
He will now go to the International Science Fair competition in Phoenix, AZ, in May, which will host students from throughout the world.
About the DRSEF:
SMU faculty members coordinate the fair, recruit judges and help select the grand prize winners. SMU also hosts a March banquet honoring the top fair winners, their parents and science teachers.
The Fair is affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s largest pre-college science competition. Students in grades 6-12 at public and private schools within the boundaries of TEA Region 10, who placed in their school science fairs, are eligible to participate in the DRSEF.
Board of Directors: Prof. Simon Dalley, SMU Physics Department, Prof. Randall J. Scalise, SMU Physics Department, Prof. Fredrick I. Olness, SMU Physics Department, Prof. Nicolay V. Tsarevsky, SMU Chemistry Department, Lacey Porter, SMU Physics Department
Executive Council: President: Simon Dalley, SMU Physics Department , Vice President: Randall J. Scalise, SMU Physics Department , Vice President: Fredrick I. Olness, SMU Physics Department, Secretary: Lacey Porter, SMU Physics Department, Treasurer: Andrew Milburn, Texas Capital Bank
For more information: dallassciencefair.org