STUDENTS SHOW SCIENCE SKILLS AT REGIONAL FAIR

Cape Girardeau Central High School student Robert Felker "nuked bacteria" in a microwave oven as part of his Regional Science Fair experiment on "Catheter Sterilization at Home."

Tuesday Felker explained his three-year study of microwave sterilization for catheters to judges in the first round of competition

Felker is among 313 junior and senior high school students from Southeast Missouri showing off their prowess with protractors, polygons, PCs, plastics and plants.

Students presented their testing methods and conclusions for professional scientists Tuesday. The judges selected the top three student exhibits in categories like medicine, physics, zoology and mathematics.

The displays are open to the public at the Cape Girardeau Holiday Inn Convention Center today from 9 to 9 and Thursday from 9 to 8. Visitors are invited to select their favorite science experiment. A "People's Choice" award will be given at the banquet honoring students Thursday night.

Top students will be eligible to compete at the International Science Fair.

Felker, a junior, explained to judges he started his project three years ago wondering if the microwave would sterilize red rubber catheters. People who use catheters at home usually sterilize them with soap and water, he said. The microwave worked better for one type of bacteria.

The second year he looked at five types of bacteria. The microwave worked.

This year, he looked at the effectiveness of microwaves on different types of catheters and if microwaving the red rubber catheters caused damage to the catheter.

While Felker was telling about his work, hundreds of other youngsters were doing the same, talking about the effects of pH on bacterial growth, the effects of different toothpastes on dentures, and how bacteria can be reduced in kitchen sponges, dishrags and dustmops.

Susan Ellis from South Pemiscot High School in Steele explained her project, "The Effect of UVB light on the mutant strand." Ellis studied the growth rate of a mutant form of yeast to determine if sunscreen or sunglasses protected the yeast better from ultraviolet light. Sunglasses were more effective. She used spectrophotometer connected to a computer to conduct her tests and carefully charted her results.

After talking with judges, Ellis took a deep breath and then smiled. She said talking with judges was the hardest part of her project by far.

Felker said the presentation to judges is also the most important part of the project.

"The judges make the decisions," he said.