Young computer scientists, microbiologists, and chemists went before the judges this week at the New York City Science and Engineering Fair at the Natural History Museum.
City students submitted more than 700 projects, including Niloy Iqbal's research into chemotherapies for breast cancer.
"My goal is to create an alternative chemotherapy so I'll be able to help patients as well as stop the growth of tumors," said Iqbal, a student at Stuyvesant High School.
Iqbal is one of 19 finalists selected to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Nevada this May.
Projects ranged from sophisticated to practical.
These students from Benajamin Banneker High School said they designed the perfect baseball bat.
"Momentum is mass times velocity so if I decrease the mass and increase the velocity I'll lose a lot of momentum," said Chris Crawford, who helped design the bat. "But if I increase the velocity and keep somewhat the same mass, I'll increase the momentum."
The judges said they were impressed with the student's ideas.
"It's terrific to see what the students can produce," a judge, Don Stitzenberg, said. "And it's especially interesting to interview the students and hear them talk about their ideas."
Stuyvesant High School is leading the way to the international competition with eight students headed to Nevada this Spring.
For more information on the competition and the finalists, visit
http://collegenow.cuny.edu/sciencefair/finals/.