66th Annual STS (2006-2007)
Finalists
Sean Matthew Wahl

CALIFORNIA
Sean Matthew Wahl, 17, of Fullerton, theoretically modeled plate tectonic systems in one dimension and on a sphere for his Intel Science Talent Search earth and planetary science project. Convincing evidence for a plate tectonic system controlled mostly by attributes of the lithosphere (platonics), rather than the effects of mantle convection (plutonics), led Sean to investigate how plate tectonic systems might evolve for a world controlled purely by platonics using general rules about how plates and plate boundaries move, grow and die. Applying his probabilistic method to Earth today, he was able to predict how Pangea Ultima, the next single supercontinent, might form 250 million years from now. As passionate about playing soccer as he is about science, Sean has been recognized with the Scholar Athlete Award at Troy High School where he also runs cross country and is active in the music club. He is captain of the school's Science Olympiad team and has earned ten individual national medals, a school record, among myriad other awards. Sean, the son of Kurt Wahl and Mari Beth Migliore, hopes to attend CalTech or MIT to study planetary geology and conduct research.