K2M Group congratulates Harry Paul, 17, of Port Washington, USA, on receiving Best of Category honours in Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), May 16 in Los Angeles, USA.
Paul worked with K2M engineers on his winning model, a potential future way to straighten the spines of paediatric scoliosis patients with fewer surgeries by allowing the spinal implant to expand as the spine grows. Paul hopes to eventually develop a marketable product allowing adolescent patients to live more productive and normal lives by enjoying school and making friends.
Winners are ninth through twelfth graders who earned the right to compete at the Intel ISEF, the world’s largest international pre-college science competition, by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state or national science fair. This year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair featured more than 1,700 young scientists selected from 435 affiliate fairs in more than 70 countries, regions and territories.
“We are truly honoured to have worked with Harry, and congratulate him on his notable recognition and success at ISEF,” says Eric Major, president and chief executive officer of K2M. “We are very proud of his accomplishment, as well as of the K2M employees who provided their resources and guidance – senior CAD designer Larry McClintock, project engineer Brandon Moore, project engineer Megan Carnes, and the many others who volunteered their involvement – for their ongoing commitment to innovation and supporting the next generation of engineers.”
In addition to the Best of Category prize, Harry also earned an Innovation Exploration Award and two ISEF special awards for his work, as well as a Fourth Award from the charity foundation Open Hearts of Ukraine. Harry also received the Chief of Naval Research Scholarship Award of US$10,000 from the Office of Naval Research on behalf of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
A member of The Young Friends of FOCOS (The Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine), part of the non-profit organisation whose mission is to provide optimum orthopaedic care and improve quality of life in Ghana and other countries, Paul will apply his scholarship winnings and experience with FOCOS and at K2M when he begins engineering school at Tufts this fall.
