Hamza Sheikh 15, a student of Head Start School, Rawalpindi has won the second prize in the category of chemistry in the world's largest event for high school science students.
The award, accompanied with $1,500 in prize money, was given to him at a grand ceremony recently held at the culmination of the five-day Intel International Science and Engineering Fair at Indianapolis. The award came his way when he displayed his project on the effectiveness of pea flower as an effective bio-insecticide.
Judges (all PhDs in chemistry) were impressed by his work, which was based on an experiment that covered an important environmental issue, which is the use of chemical pesticides.
He has proved that the flour made of pea is effective against Red Flour Beetle in atta and Weevil in rice. "It's cost effective, easily available and adds nutritional value to food, not to speak of the safety factory," said Sheikh, adding, "Chemical pesticides have caused detrimental effects to our surroundings".
Hamza Sheikh also won a certificate of recognition at the fair.