Srinath Seshadri, a sophomore at Village Academy in Powell, Ohio, won his school's science fair grand champion award for his project, "Ethanol production through biological pretreatment of Miscanthus sinensis using Pleurotus ostreatus." Seshadri was mentored by Thomas K. Mitchell, associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology.
He presented his project at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), where he received a 4th place Grand Award in the Biochemistry category. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. There were 1,787 finalists this year, selected from among the winners at science fairs in more than 70 countries, regions and territories.
Seshadri was selected for the Intel fair after competing in the Marion Area Science and Engineering Fair at The Ohio State University’s Marion campus, where he also received the Governor's Award for Environmental Sciences, the Governor's Award for Advanced or Alternative Energy, and the Ohio Water Environment Association Grand Prize. He is currently at student at Case Western University.