Juliana Coraor: Huntington High School
Huntington High School senior Juliana Coraor, 17, is a finalist in this year's Intel science competition. Her project focused on materials with special electrical properties. | Read her story (Jan. 19, 2012) Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Juliana Coraor enjoys the thrill of white water slalom racing in a canoe or kayak. She holds a similar passion for research, whether in the classroom or a college laboratory.
"I have a lot of fun in what I do," said Coraor, 17.
"I find research fascinating because it is the process of learning something new."
Coraor studied at Stony Brook University as part of the Simons program, a summer research stint for high school students. Under the guidance of professor Matthew Dawber, she focused on materials with special electrical properties. She found that those materials' properties could be altered by applying strain, creating a possibility for greater efficiency in their applications.
Her mother, Hanna Nekvasil, is a professor at Stony Brook and director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Geosciences.
Lori Kenny, Coraor's research teacher at Huntington, said: "I've never seen her unhappy or tired. I don't know how she does it."
Too many rainy weekends? ... LI Works: Making Countertops ... LEGO at Old Westbury Gardens ... Previewing the Knicks in the NBA Finals ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV
Too many rainy weekends? ... LI Works: Making Countertops ... LEGO at Old Westbury Gardens ... Previewing the Knicks in the NBA Finals ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV
