A Gainesville Great: Sidhika Balachandar

I wanted to feature more than just great places in Gainesville, but also great people. 

I recently met a Buchholz High School senior who competed as a top 40 finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Sidhika Balachandar, 18, did not place in the top 10, however to herself, her family and her peers, she is a winner. 

Balachandar created a project during her time spent at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology this past summer. She was one of 80 students selected to participate in MIT’s Research Science Institute. The project is called Picoscale Mechanics of Atomically Engineered Materials and focuses on superconductors.

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with no resistance, Balachandar said. In very simplistic terms, she is studying the properties of superconductors, including the way they respond to temperature extremes and other strains.

Her goal is to save energy by reducing any waste of electricity as it moves through the superconductors. Balachandar said she is honored to advance in the renowned competition.

Talking to this student really inspired me, too. Balachandar said she hopes she can open doors for other females who love science.

Here's a video of Balachandar explaining how her project reduces energy. She also told me what the best part of the competition was.