The Future is NEAR - Nanotechnology Research at North Penn High School

2026 Nanotechnology and Engineering Symposium Banner

The Future is N.E.A.R. (Nanotechnology Education And Research) program is an exciting STEM education opportunity that allows North Penn High School students to perform research in the exciting world of nanotechnology, experimental design, and engineering research.

The program parallels the Engineering Design and Development course (EDD) of the Project Lead the Way engineering academy and offers its students an opportunity to gain 21st century STEM skills that prepares them to become successful leaders in a global society. READ MORE


25-26 EDD Teams	NEWS 2	NEWS 3	NEWS 4	NEWS 5	NEWS 6


Structural Camouflage	Isopod	Pollen	Student Research	Student Research

This year, there are 30 students in 11 research teams in the Engineering Design and Development Capstone Course of the North Penn High School Engineering Academy. The main research endeavors that the students are involved with are listed below. Many of the students within these teams will also be performing various extended and supplementary experiments. A team research section will be added to the website soon to share various images and videos of the students' research. Please check back often!

ArthriTech

Cartilage Research and Development
Tissue Engineering Modlable Scaffolds to Support Chondrocyte Proliferation

MATERIALS SCIENCE
RESEARCH

Shivam Joshi-Awasthi | Sherri Learn | Jayden Padilla | Aurora Pembroke

One of the most common genetic predispositions is osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, which are uncontrollable aspects of aging, and affect more than 53 million U.S. adults. This number is expected to climb to nearly 79 million people by 2040. Despite its prevalence in 1 out of every 5 U.S. adults, current treatment paradigms involving pain management are still expensive and inaccessible, worsening patient outcomes. Current accessible treatment methods, such as hand exercises, have proven to have short-term benefits, but are unable to provide long-lasting relief.

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Carbon Collect

Carbon Capture
Solid Amine Sorbents for CO₂ Capture

ENVIRONMENTAL
RESEARCH

Donald Crump | Elijah Pinckney

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is reaching new highs nearly every year,(4) causing global warming, ocean acidification, and altering weather patterns. Ever since the industrial revolution, the state of the atmosphere has been deteriorating at an exponential rate. Current carbon capture methods are inefficient, expensive, and cumbersome to work with, requiring further research and experimentation to improve the state of the environment.

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Eco-Fuel Logo

Diesel Fuel Alternatives
Bio-Based Hydrocarbon Research and Development

ENERGY
RESEARCH

Taylor Bortnichak | Mia Marsicano

Air pollution is responsible for many negative environmental and health impacts across the world. The World Health Organization states that 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds recommended air pollution limitations. A major contributor to air pollution is the combustion of fossil fuels, which is a fundamental source of energy. Therefore, continued research is essential to develop reliable and efficient alternatives that can effectively improve air quality.

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Hy-Tech Logo

Hydrogen Transportation & Storage
Energy Research and Development

ENERGY
RESEARCH

Joe Ennis | Mel Kleback | Dennis Roginskiy

Current energy production methods are efficient but highly pollutant, causing long term problems that, if not solved now, will greatly harm our future. In 2023, diesel created roughly 31% of all CO2 emissions, which if replaced, could prevent approximately 1.3 million premature deaths. Prior research has been done with the goal of replacing the diesel power sources of consumers, such as heavy machinery, with other sources, however their inefficiency prevents them from becoming widely adopted.

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PFAS Detection & Removal
Environmental Research and Development

ENVIRONMENTAL
RESEARCH

Paige Kawano | Ryan Nevard

A group of synthetic chemicals known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as "forever chemicals", are found in many products such as: non-stick pans, stain resistant carpet and fire fighting foam. Consequently, it has been discovered that measurable levels of PFAS have been detected in approximately 99% of the population's bloodstreams and have been linked to increased risks of cancer, reproductive harm, and weakened immune systems. Moreover, these chemicals often take hundreds or thousands of years to break down in the environment. Further methods need to be developed to remove PFAS from the environment.

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Piezo Powerhouse Logo

Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting
Materials Science and Engineering Research and Development

MATERIALS SCIENCE
RESEARCH

Farhan Rafi | Nathan Seligman | Jawad Shaikh

Recently, researchers have been experimenting with turning mechanical strain into electrical energy. However, the current materials produce low power and only achieve 20-40% efficiency. Additionally, the high cost and difficulties of using materials that are compatible with piezoelectricity prevents widespread implementation and utilization. As a result, the current piezoelectric materials are known to be applicable for only low power electronics. Further research is needed to develop more efficient and affordable materials to make them applicable for high power applications.

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Synthetic Biology
Chemoenzymatic Starch Synthesis from CO₂

BIOENGINEERING

Mingzhun An | SM Salim

Many industries release massive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change as global demand for food and materials continues to rise. Traditional agriculture cannot scale any further without consuming more land, water, and energy which increases environmental pressures. As carbon emissions grow and natural resources become strained, companies face mounting risks across production, supply chains, and sustainability compliance. Without new low-carbon solutions, industries will struggle to meet global needs without worsening the environment. Companies therefore urgently require sustainable methods to reduce emissions while still producing essential resources.

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Heats Inc. Logo

Thermal Energy Harvesting
Materials Science and Engineering Research and Development

MATERIALS SCIENCE
RESEARCH

Max Brodsky | Natalie Dunman | Charlie Hawthorne | Cameron Higgins

Global energy consumption amounts to nearly 634 million terajoules annually, which is utilized to power cars, industrial equipment, and various other technologies. Unfortunately, many devices possess flaws that reduce their efficiency, resulting in the waste of 20-50% of the energy they consume as purposeless heat. Current methods of thermal recycling face issues with conversion efficiency, implementation, and financial practicality. Heat that is not repurposed damages the environment, increases energy costs for consumers and businesses, and accelerates the material degradation of the instruments producing it. Further research towards recycling heat waste is necessary to solve these problems and to make the most of the world�s available energy.

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Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting [UV / IR]
Materials Science and Engineering Research and Development

MATERIALS SCIENCE REARCH

Aidan Behrle | Deblina Kundu | Nolan Lentz

Energy harvesting methods such as solar, wind, and hydropower are known to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution; however, their conversion efficiency and costly materials prompt individuals and entities to rely on fossil fuels for cheaper and more convenient energy. Fossil fuels release greenhouse gases that deteriorate the Earth's climate system. Current alternative energy methodologies, such as solar power, are less productive as its efficiency drops about 0.38 % pee degree C increase. Moreover, their aesthetics and bulky stature make it unappealing to use for energy generation4. Additionally, piezoelectric power from rain and wind generates only small voltage pulses, making sensors unreliable for large-scale energy needs. As a result, existing renewable solutions struggle to compete with fossil fuels despite their clear environmental benefits.

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Sylogreen Team Logo

Biodegradeable Polymers
Bioengineered Polymers From Microorganisms

BIOENGINEERING

Youssef Ghorbal | Logan Krider | Sam Shafer

Single-use plastic packaging makes up about 40% of all plastic produced. This includes bottles, bags, and containers that, at best, will get used for a few hours before becoming trash. Of all discarded plastic, 12% has been incinerated, only 9% has been recycled, and the remainder has either been disposed of in landfills or released into the environment. About 370 million tonnes of non-biodegradable plastics are polluting the earth today. Researchers have tried to make an alternative to common petroleum based plastics, however, current solutions like PLA, PCL, and PBS are brittle, have low melting points, and are hard to manufacture causing them to fall behind common petroleum based plastics.

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Thermal Radiation Detection & Camouflage
Spectral Band Research and Development

MATERIALS SCIENCE
RESEARCH

Shayla Ramic | Nick Sigler

In 2023, the First Person View (F.P.V.) Drones were being introduced. Soldiers and weapons were now being seen by adversaries creating the new threat to thermal imaging. This has led to the creation of anti-thermal materials to prevent detection. However these materials have shown to be ineffective. Anti-thermal gear depends highly on the surrounding area; and when soldiers are constantly moving it is difficult to maintain invisibility. It has been reported that many nations have been using anti-thermal materials but they leave cold spots on thermal cameras rather than blending the temperature gradients into the surrounding area.

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