Katy ISD Students Shine at Science & Engineering Fair of Houston with Groundbreaking Research Projects
Ten student researchers from Katy Independent School District earned top recognition at the 2025 Science & Engineering Fair of Houston (SEFH), showcasing exceptional talent in fields ranging from biochemistry and astronomy to embedded systems and energy innovation. The annual regional science fair, held last month at the Fort Bend Epicenter, draws the most promising middle and high school scientists from across Southeast Texas.
The Science & Engineering Fair of Houston serves as the official regional fair for Harris County and 22 surrounding counties. It highlights the best in student-led STEM research in life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. First and second place winners from SEFH now advance to the Texas State Science and Engineering Fair at Texas A&M University, with top senior division winners eligible for the prestigious Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
Among the standout performers was May Espinola of Tompkins High School, whose project in Systems Software earned a Grand Award in the Senior Physical Sciences category, automatically qualifying her for Regeneron ISEF. Her work, titled "Unobstructing Voice for the Deaf: A Real-Time Centered Signed Language Recognition System," exemplifies cutting-edge application of machine learning to improve communication accessibility.
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Also earning top honors was Arsh Kudariya from Beckendorff Junior High, who placed 1st in the Junior Division Physics and Astronomy category with his project titled "Leveraging Computational Fluid Dynamics for Real-Time Pipe Diagnostics Through Reynolds Number Analysis." Aarush Kudariya of Seven Lakes High School received 2nd place in the Senior Division Biochemistry and Microbiology category for his innovative cancer research project, "Targeting pMHC: A Novel Tripartite In-Silico Approach for Liposome-Aided Ultralong Antibody Therapy in Colorectal Cancer Variants."
Vatsal Sharda of Cinco Ranch High School also earned a 1st place finish in the Senior Division Embedded Systems category. His project, "ImpairiLink: A Novel, Machine-Learning Based Attentiveness and Navigation Aid System for the Blind/Impaired Using Haptic Technology," presented a unique solution for accessibility using wearable technology.
In the Junior Division Chemistry category, Diya Rajkumar from Tays Junior High earned 2nd place for her computational biology project titled "Computational Simulations of Antibody Binding to VAPB Receptors for Targeted Therapy in Medulloblastoma."
Arsh Kudariya, Beckendorff Junior High. (Source: Katy ISD)Three students from Jordan High School—Rishan Hemrajani, Suchay Kommisetty, and Jay Sahni—received 3rd place honors in the Senior Division Energy and Transportation category for their collaborative project, "Optimization of Solar Cells through Simulation of a Quantum Dot Buffer Layer."
Andy Long of Seven Lakes High School placed 3rd in the Senior Division Physics and Astronomy category with his research, "Numerical Transition Radiation Simulations for Electron Beam Structure Analysis and Machine Learning Modeling."
Lastly, Alexander Park of Cinco Ranch High School earned an Honorable Mention in the Senior Division Embedded Systems category for his project, "Developing a Low-Cost Peltier-Element-Based Precision Temperature Controller PCB."
“We are so proud of these students for placing at the regional fair because there are highly-accomplished young researchers across our region,” said Danielle Sanchez, Director of GT and Advanced Academics in Katy ISD. “I’d like to recognize their families and educators for helping these students earn this outstanding achievement.”
Each of these students applied advanced research techniques to real-world problems, demonstrating their potential as future innovators and leaders in science and engineering.
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The Science & Engineering Fair of Houston is affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair and has long served as a launchpad for talented young scientists across Texas. With categories spanning robotics, environmental science, biomedical engineering, and more, the event offers a competitive yet collaborative platform for students passionate about STEM.
As Katy ISD continues to emphasize excellence in science, technology, engineering, and math education, this year’s success at SEFH reinforces the district’s role in nurturing the next generation of problem solvers, engineers, and researchers.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
