“It’s a first-ever for an OPRF student,” says Karin Sullivan, the high school’s head of communications. Senior Grace Niewijk has become one of the 14 U.S. students competing for four international championship awards at the BioGENius International Challenge. Winners will be announced on June 24 at the BIO International Convention in San Diego.
Niewijk’s original research project, conducted as part of Allison Henning’s class, created an antimicrobial bandage using the slime of the Pacific hagfish. You heard correctly. For more, see Terry Dean’s article in WJ, April 23 [Highly inventive: From slime to health care product].
We can only wish her luck and hope the hagfish’s loss is Grace’s gain.