Detroit Country Day School Student Wins Top Prize at 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., June 3, 2013 – Detroit Country Day School (DCDS), an independent, non-denominational, college preparatory school, announced today that sophomore Michael Shao was named the winner of the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the Animal Sciences category. DCDS Headmaster Glen Shilling proudly made the announcement.

Shao’s project, titled “Toward Understanding the Neural Circuitry Regulating Cold Sensitivity in C. elegans,” was selected from approximately 1,600 other young scientists’ projects competing in the fair from more than 70 countries. Shao analyzed a worm’s simple nervous system and its response to cold temperatures. His research may help develop future medicines or treatments that will help humans better tolerate cold conditions. Shao is one of 17 distinct category winners worldwide, making him one of the top young scientists in the world.

“Michael’s keen dedication and tremendous understanding in this particular area of science positions his research as a benchmark for future exploration,” said Shilling. “To be named one of the top 17 students in the world is an incredible achievement, and we are proud of Michael and what he has accomplished through his academic pursuits.”

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, presented by the Society for Science & the Public, is the world’s largest high school science research competition. Finalists for the competition are selected annually from hundreds of affiliated fairs. For their achievement, each category winner will receive a $5,000 prize, and each winner’s school and the affiliated fair they represent will also receive a $1,000 grant. More than 1,200 judges, each with a Ph.D. or the equivalent of six years of related professional experience in one of the scientific disciplines, evaluate the projects to choose more than 500 finalists. This year, more than $4 million in prizes were awarded to students around the world.

To download a photo of Michael Shao, please click the picture below.

Detroit Country Day School offers students from preschool through high school an exemplary education rooted in academic vigor and a commitment to the full development of each student’s potential. The school is an independent, coeducational, non-denominational, college preparatory school nationally recognized for excellence in academics, athletics and the fine and performing arts. Founded in 1914 by F. Alden Shaw, Detroit Country Day School today enrolls more than 1,500 students on four campuses located in Beverly Hills and Bloomfield Township, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.dcds.edu.

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