65th Annual STS (2005-2006)
Finalists
Sukrit Ranjan

ILLINOIS
Sukrit Ranjan, 18, of Northbrook, examined polar cloud formation on Mars in his earth and planetary science project for the Intel Science Talent Search. His computer analysis of surface topography data collected by the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA), launched aboard the 1996 Mars Global Surveyor, was contrary to prevailing thought. Although it had been theorized that most clouds form only over the planet's eastern slopes, Sukrit found that while this was true in the northern hemisphere, it was not true in the southern hemisphere where clouds form on the western slopes. He believes that understanding cloud formation and past water distribution on Mars may provide insight to future climate changes that could occur on Earth. The two-year president of the space science club GADGET at Glenbrook North High School, Sukrit helped increase membership through outreach workshops. He has a passion for math competitions and mentors fellow forensics competitors. Born in India, Sukrit is fluent in Hindi. Also fluent in Spanish, he has been honored by the governor as an adult literacy tutor. The son of Rajiv Ranjan and Sangeeta Prasad, he hopes to study physics at MIT or Caltech.