A smartphone app designed by junior Stephan Kaminsky won the 2014 Congressional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academic Competition, or the “House App Challenge.” Kaminksy created his nucleic converter app specifically for the competition.
The House of Representatives website describes the challenge as “…designed to engage students’ creativity and… allow high school students from across the country to compete by creating and exhibiting their software…on a platform of their choice”.
This is the first year the competition has been in place; there were 26 winners in California. Kaminsky won in California’s 47th district, which spans Long Beach and Orange County. Kaminsky’s app was submitted to the district representative, Alan Lowenthal, and was reviewed prior to a selection by a panel of experts.
“I thought maybe I could make an app to help build strands or help find restriction sites, because that can be a pain,” said Kaminsky.
Kaminsky became interested in programming from videogames like “Minecraft”. He enjoys the problem solving involved in creating and maintaining apps, and he’s even made some for his personal computer. “[Programming] is fun because it’s amazing to see what you can do with just a few words,” said Kaminsky.
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