jtotheizzoe:

Meet Brittany Wenger, Google Science Fair 2012 Winner and All-Around Awesome Person

Florida teen develops artificial intelligence breast cancer detection tool

If we lived in a just world, 17 year-old Brittany Wenger would have endorsement contracts, too many cars and an assistant. You know, if she wanted them. Because this is what a role model looks like. She’s this year’s winner of the Google Science Fair, and must add that I’m jealous of that Lego trophy.

Far from being an exception, Brittany exemplifies the quality of her fellow finalists. Looking through this year’s list of top projects, I can’t help but notice how stunningly intelligent and confident all the competitors are.

Brittany developed an artificial neural network (a “software brain” of sorts) to help doctors take what used to be a safer but less reliable form of biopsy and turn it into a highly successful tool for detecting breast cancer. You can experience her program here.

Seem out of reach? Brittany explains where she got her inspiration:

In school we were researching the future, and my part of the future that I was researching was future technologies. I grew fascinated by artificial intelligence, which I came across. I went home that night, and I bought a computer programming book and, with no experience, decided that was what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

Congrats to her and all this year’s finalists. And congrats to everyone who was inspired to do projects this year and will be inspired in years to come.

I’m with Neil, I’m not worried about young people. This proves why.

(↬ Budding Scientist)