Emily planted 200 beans in soil with varying microplastic concentrations and tracked how each plant grew, comparing germination, growth, and root development.
Inside the Root Microbiome
Using 16S rRNA sequencing with a Johns Hopkins mentor, Emily analyzed the bacteria around the roots and found that nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium multiplied over fivefold around stressed pinto bean roots. The study was accepted for publication in the Journal of Emerging Investigators.
Year 1: Food Crisis in Polluted Soil? (2024-2025)
Year 2: Inside the Rhizosphere (2025-2026)
ISEF-Affiliated Fairfax County Regional Science & Engineering Fair, 2024–2025 · 1st Place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
ISEF-Affiliated Fairfax County Regional Science & Engineering Fair, 2025–2026 · 16S rRNA sequencing study, accepted for publication in the Journal of Emerging Investigators
