28 Jul 2021
Lyneham High School student Hadia Bizhan was one of seven students to represent Australia at the 2021 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a prestigious event showcasing the work of over 1,800 young scientists from 64 countries.
Hadia won a grand award in the Chemistry section for her research project, Thrown, but Will It Break Down? – A Study of the Correlation of the pH of Soil and Its Effect on the Rate at which Biodegradable Materials Decompose and the Application of the Findings of this Experiment in Landfills.
Her project was inspired by her early experiences in life, born and raised in Afghanistan and her subsequent visits and travels to other developing nations.
On these visits, Hadia was struck by the disparity in the number of resources available for waste management in other countries versus that used by Australia.
“I became really dedicated to finding a solution that was simple, affordable and effective so developing countries wouldn't have to dedicate significant portions of funding to waste management and therefore could focus more funding on other necessities like hospital care while still ensuring that biodegradable materials would decompose and provide nutrient rich soil for gardening and agriculture,” Hadia said.
Hadia was introduced to research early on in her life through familial influences and decided to take on a project-based science class at Lyneham High School.
The unit covers all aspects of the Australian curriculum for science, in addition to giving students the opportunity to produce a self-directed research project on a topic that interests them.
It was through this class that Hadia developed the method for her revolutionary research project, which won awards at the ACT Science and Engineering Fair and the National BHP Foundation Science and Engineering Awards, making her eligible to take the international stage and showcase her research for the Regeneron ISEF.
“I’m just super happy knowing that I've given back to my parents who sacrificed so much for me. The school was also really supportive during this time. They accommodated my learning at school in addition to ISEF and always acknowledged my achievements and shared them with other students to inspire them,” Hadia said.
Participating in ISEF has been an invaluable experience for Hadia, providing her with connections with members of the international science community and the opportunity to attend a virtual engineering camp run by the North Carolina State University to learn more about sustainability and engineering.
Hadia has plans to undertake further research, applying her experiment to other types of biodegradable materials and extending it to non-biodegradable materials to investigate why they’re not affected.
After that, she says, she might explore another branch of science that interests her, such as medicine or neuroscience.
“What I love about science is the fact that I can incorporate it and integrate it with social sciences and humanities and apply it to people in the real world. So, in the future I'd love to do a double degree law and science,” Hadia said.
You can find Hadia’s project at the Regeneron ISEF 
.