Alison Ficek's science project on the cognitive effects of antioxidants has earned her a third trip to the International Science Fair.
She is a senior at Dickinson's Trinity High School.
For her science experiment, she wanted to determine whether or not antioxidants would have a cognitive effect on Mus musculus (or common laboratory mice.)
The idea for the experiment came after reading about the benefits of antioxidants in blueberries.
"Researchers have reported that there is an association between antioxidants in blueberries and cognitive function. The reason I chose to do this study was because blueberries have been said to be ranked No. 1 for being rich in antioxidants properties," she said. "These findings got me wondering if this is a tall-tale and the blueberry industry is just trying to get consumers to buy their berries, or if these berries are truly beneficial to human health and memory."
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"The reason why I used Mus musculus is because they are said to have similar genes, RNA and DNA to that of man," she said.
Her first hypothesis stated if the mice were fed a grain and blueberry diet, they would have higher performances in cognitive tasks than that of the grain-fed mice.
The experiment began with 40 14-week-old mice over a five-week test period. At the end of the project, the mice were put through a maze to see if the cognitive abilities were stronger.
"There was marginal difference between the experimental group and the control group," she said.
"You always hope you come out with the results you wanted, but different results may come about and that's just a part of science."
Ficek also wanted to determine if the male mice would perform the maze tasks more quickly and efficiently than the female mice.
"Throughout the five-week trial period, the female groups performed more efficient times than the males. There was no significant difference between the female and male Mus musculus," she said.
She also observed different behaviors and personalities among the mice.
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"The males tended to be more aggressive than the females. During maze trials some Mus musculus made their way through the maze with confidence while others seemed more uncertain and timid," she said.
"If I were to alter my experiment, I would extend the experiment over a longer length of time," she said. "Extending the time period would possibly make a significant difference between two groups of Mus musculus. An additional berry may also be considered in experimentation, such as a blackberry."
At the end of the study, the Mus muculus were donated back to Dickinson Paw and Claw Pet Palace.
Ficek said she has a greater respect for scientists who work with mice in laboratories.
"They (mice) were appropriate animals to work with, even though they required a lot of care. Laboratory mice show great promise for future findings in medicine," she said.
She gave credit to Dickinson State University science professors who assisted with the statistical data.
"They were great mentors and helped me through it," she said.
Trinity science teacher Casey Kessel appreciated the time and energy Ficek put into the project.
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"Alison has done an outstanding job in the field of science," said Kessel. "All of her paper work, her time, her energy, her reasoning were outstanding."
Kessel said Trinity's seventh and ninth graders are required to participate in the school's science fair.
Ficek is the daughter of Margie and Dale Ficek. She has a younger brother, Aric.
"I've gotten him excited about his upcoming projects in science," she said.
Ficek's mentor and supervisor throughout the project was her mother.
"Alison is a detailed person who digs until she finds the information she is looking for. She doesn't give up," said Margie Ficek. "Alison's goal was to make it to the international level all four years of high school. She's been very dedicated and has put a lot of effort into her projects."
Ficek is enrolling at Dickinson State University this fall and hopes to pursue a career in nursing or psychology.
She looks forward to returning for the international competition.
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"I made lasting friendships from the state of North Dakota and with people all over the world. All the students on North Dakota bus became like a little family," she said. "As a freshman, my parents talked me into going to internationals. It was one of the best weeks of my life."
As an ISEF alumni, Ficek is eligible to judge participants at the state level.
