Siemens Competition winners are announced

A U.S. high school senior has won the grand prize scholarship in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology for his research in mathematics.

Dmitry Vaintrob of South Eugene High School in Eugene, Ore., was named Monday the winner of the $100,000 top math prize scholarship for his research in an abstract new area of mathematics called string topology.

Seniors Scott Molony, Steven Arcangeli and Scott Horton from Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tenn., will share the $100,000 prize in the team category for developing a technique that might help scientists engineer biofuel from plants.

The awards were presented Monday by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings at New York University, host of the 2006-07 national finals.

The national finals were judged by a panel of renowned scientists and mathematicians headed by lead judge Professor Kathryn Thornton, a former astronaut and now associate dean of the school of engineering and applied science at the University of Virginia.

Twenty students competed in the national finals, including six individuals and six teams.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International