Raman Venkat Nelakanti
California
Raman Venkat Nelakanti, 17, of Sunnyvale, investigated the green algae
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a potential source of hydrogen, a renewable biofuel,
for his Intel Science Talent Search plant sciences project. These algae require
an oxygen-free environment to produce hydrogen. Depriving the algae of sulfur
prevents oxygen generated by photosynthesis from reaching levels that inhibit
hydrogen production, but also inhibits algae growth. Raman tested different
sulfur concentrations and found that C. reinhardtii consume oxygen, grow,
reproduce and generate enough hydrogen to power a fuel cell when grown in media
with a 60.7 uM sulfur concentration. He believes his work will help make C.
reinhardtii hydrogen production more efficient. Raman attends Lynbrook High
School in San Jose where he is president of a community service club, and
co-founder and co-president of the cricket team. An expert in the chemistry and
biology of composting, he volunteers at a community garden that serves the
needy. The son of Bhava and Tara Nelakanti, Raman performs Indian Carnatic vocal
music. He hopes to attend Stanford or MIT, study bioengineering or biochemistry
and conduct research.
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