64th Annual STS (2004-2005)
Finalists
Yingqiuqi Lei

NEW YORK
Yingqiuqi Lei, 18, of Flushing, researched trace element geochemistry in fossil teeth from 57 archaeological sites for her earth and planetary science entry in the Intel Science Talent Search. Chelsea developed and manipulated a database with 48 different variables and analyzed 14 elements in 1,560 fossil teeth and sediment samples. Her neutron activation analyses (NAA), revealing fossil paleoenvironmental conditions, have broad application in both geoarchaeology and paleontology. A paper based on her work is being prepared for publication in a peer review journal. Chelsea is first in her class of 111 at Robert F. Kennedy Community High School, and hopes to continue her studies at Harvard. Her many honors include a Third Place Grand Prize Award in the 2003 Intel ISEF. Chelsea is a pianist, tennis player, reporter for the school paper and special overseas correspondent for China's Youth Daily. The daughter of Xiaoming Lei and Jie Liu, she is a recent emigrant from her native China, where an Eightfold Maze she designed - consisting of massive circular concentric walls programmed to open and close at random - will be a future installation in Kumming, the City of Spring.