Cameron Akker, a senior from Redmond High School (RHS), has been selected as a national semifinalist in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) Competition.

The Intel STS Competition, which began in 1942, is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors. Alumni of Intel STS have made contributions to science and several of them have won Nobel Prizes.

Akker’s research was entitled, “Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Coated Nafion Membranes For Enhanced Performance In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells.” It involved the development of a procedure to coat emerging, carbon-based catalysts such as graphene oxide on the membrane inside hydrogen fuel cells to optimize fuel cell efficiencies.

Akker is one of just two students from Washington state to be recognized as a semifinalist this year. RHS will also receive an award of $1,000 in recognition of its excellence in science education.