62nd Annual STS (2002-2003)
Finalists
Hilary Caren Fleischer

NEW YORK
Hilary Caren Fleischer, 17, of Rockville Centre, designed and built a new type of inexpensive soap film apparatus equipped with light-wave detection optics and image analysis processing capabilities for her Intel Science Talent Search project in physics. Although contemporary applications using flowing soap films include studying airplane wake turbulence, weather patterns and atmospheric flows, Hilary hopes that her apparatus will be used to teach fluid dynamics and light optics in high school physics laboratories. She was inspired to construct her initial device, made from commonly found materials, after reading the "Amateur Scientist" column in Scientific American. At South Side High School, Hilary serves as editor-in-chief of the school yearbook and plays varsity tennis, winning best doubles team. She has received numerous honors including the Harvard University Book Award, Herbert Hoover Young Engineer Award, and a volunteer service award from Mercy Medical Center. Her ambitions are to attend the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing systems engineering and business management. Her parents are Stuart and Carole Fleischer.