Serena Thornburg recognized for science fair project

Serena Thornburg, a sixth-grade student at Jacobsen Middle School, recently competed at the California State Science & Engineering Fair, the final science fair of the academic year for students throughout California in grades 6-12.

The fair is hosted by the California Science and Engineering Foundation, held entirely online this year on April 16.

Thornburg competed with more than 900 of the state's top science students and received an honorable mention for her science project titled, "Goo Be Gone — Can Ferromagnetic Nanotechnology Help Clean Ocean Oil Spills?"

She is nominated to compete in the national Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge in June.

Thornburg qualified and earned first place at the Kern County Science Fair on March 11, received the Naval Science Award from U.S. Naval Research and was recognized by the American Petroleum Institute with a $100 award. She went on to present her project April 1 at the Spectacular World of Science sponsored by the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History & Science in Bakersfield.

This is Thornburg’s second time competing at the state science fair. In addition to working on science fair projects, she has been in Girl Scouts since kindergarten, competes with teams in First Lego Robotics Programs and enjoys playing the piano, writing and art, said her mother, Nena Thornburg.