Hampton Bays High School senior Parker Molina recently earned recognition for his innovative research at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair.

For his research, Molina received the RICOH Sustainable Development Award, a special honor presented to a student whose project addresses social and environmental challenges while offering meaningful solutions for a more sustainable future. His work also earned an honorable mention at LISEF’s Grand Awards.

Molina competed in the second round of LISEF’s Varsity Fair, where only 130 projects advanced from more than 400 entries across Long Island. In his category alone, 22 projects competed and were evaluated through six rounds of judging.

Molina’s project examined the effects of microplastic pollution on soil microbial communities in agricultural soil. As part of his research, he grew tomato plants in soil containing varying concentrations of microplastics and measured plant growth over a 10-week period. At the conclusion of the experiment, he measured soil respiration levels.

His findings showed that higher concentrations of microplastics resulted in reduced soil respiration and shorter tomato plant growth, highlighting the potential impact of microplastic pollution on soil health and agricultural productivity. Molina conducted his research with guidance from mentor Kate M. Scow of the University of California.

In addition to Molina’s presentation, fellow science students Eman Khalid and Trey Scudder competed in three rounds of judging in LISEF’s Junior Varsity division against 221 student projects from across Long Island.

Khalid’s research focused on surgical techniques used to treat various chronic migraine trigger sites, while Scudder’s project explored differences in white shark ecology between the Eastern and Western coasts of the United States.

The Hampton Bays School District congratulates these science research students for their hard work and dedication.