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LISEF 2025

South Middle School is proud to announce its extraordinary success at this year’s Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF), where SMS students earned five First Place Awards out of only eight given. This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication, ingenuity, and scientific excellence demonstrated by our young researchers and their incredible teachers/mentors, Mr. Brian Pernice, Mrs. Kathryn Whidden, and Mrs. Elizabeth Ege. 

Among these top honors, Jada Lin earned the distinction of having the top project of the entire fair with her research on The effect of natural inhibitors in preventing the conjugation of antibiotic resistant e. Coli, a testament to her outstanding scientific inquiry and research skills. 

The full results are as follows:

  • Jada Lin- (First Place, First overall) The effect of natural inhibitors in preventing the conjugation of antibiotic resistant  E.coli

  • Isabelle Yang, Caitlin Chan, Victoria Huang (First Place) – Examining the effectiveness of plant-based spray cleaners compared to non-plant-based alternatives.

  • Selena Long, Juno Lee, Sabrina Sang (First Place) – A study on academic integrity and sharing answers.

  • Nathan Li, Ryan Tsai, Kyle Zheng (First Place) – Shining a Light on Ecobottles: Examining the effect of temperature on enclosed ecosystems.

  • Hailey Au, Natalie Wu, Tonya Zhu (First Place) – Turning the Tide: Considering the future of irrigation through desalination.

  • Justin Qu, Everett Zhou, Peyton He (Second Place) – Investigating whether humans can distinguish between real photographs and AI-generated images.

  • Atharv Dhawan, Leeann Lee, Zoe Li (Third Place) – STAHZAI: Examining how AI can be used to accurately predict habitable zone boundaries and basic star characteristics from images

Further cementing their status as rising stars in the field of science, five SMS projects have been invited to compete at the national level this summer, where they will have the opportunity to be recognized among the top 300 middle school scientists in the country.

“We are beyond proud of our students for their hard work, dedication, and passion for scientific discovery,” said Tobias Hatten , Science Chairperson of Great Neck South Middle School. “Their success is a reflection of their perseverance and the strong support from our faculty and science research mentors.”

SMS Principal, Dr. Gina Cartolano said: “We are so incredibly proud of our young scientists. They have worked so hard and dedicated themselves to this process of scientific discovery. I know they will continue to do great things going forward. Congratulations to all our students who participated in this wonderful scientific experience! Go SMS!” 

This year’s achievements highlight SMS’s commitment to fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and innovation in the next generation of scientists. We look forward to cheering on our students as they prepare for the national competition and continue to make our school and community proud. Thank you to the tireless work of their teachers/mentors Mr. Brian Pernice, Mrs. Kathryn Whidden and Mrs. Elizabeth Ege who inspired, motivated and encouraged these students to discover greatness.