Little Rock teen’s diesel fuel project wins 2025 Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge
May 12, 2025
By the U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Annual competition encourages scientific research
- Open to students across Arkansas
(1,227 words)
(Newsrooms: Download photos of state and regional winners)
LITTLE ROCK — A teen’s project testing soy-derived fuel in what he hopes will be a go-kart diesel engine, took first place at the 2025 Soybean Science Challenge at the Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair.
Vishak Meenachi, 14, is a freshman at Little Rock Central High. His project, “Environmental Sustainability of Soybean Derived Biodiesel compared to Standard Diesel,” was not only a Soybean Science Challenge winner, but it also took second place in the Energy and Transportation Division at the Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair, first place in the chemistry division and won the U.S. Naval Science Excellence Award at the Arkansas State Science Fair as well.
Meenachi said he was excited that his project took the top prize in the state-level competition.
“I am extremely honored to be the 2025 Soybean Science Challenge first place winner,” Meenachi said. “The opportunity to showcase my project on a state level is a thrilling experience and I am honored to be a part of it.”
This year’s Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair was held April 4 at the University of Central Arkansas. The state-level competition and awards are the culmination of several regional-level competitions throughout Arkansas.
Meenachi tested soybean-derived fuel in a 196 cubic centimeter, 3.5 horsepower diesel engine, which he said he hopes to later place in a go-kart of his own design. Meenachi received a $1,000 cash award for the first-place finish. His teacher and mentor, April Owen, won the $300 first place Soybean Science Challenge Teacher-Mentor Award.
Contest for scientific inquiry
The Soybean Science Challenge, launched in 2014, aims to reward high school students interested in science for inquiry and ingenuity in understanding how various aspects of soybean cultivation can improve life around the globe. The program requires participating students to complete an online educational course, which makes them eligible to have their original soybean-related research projects judged at competitions affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair in their respective states. The ISEF is owned and operated by the Society for Science, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization.
Since its inception, the program has attracted the participation of thousands of students and teachers across the state. In eight years, the Challenge has reached thousands of students and teachers across the nation through real-time and online education, in-service training, virtual field trips, classroom lab instruction, Arkansas-based educational publications, mentoring and awards for independent student research.
Bennet Chen, 16, a sophomore at Little Rock Central High School, won the 2025 Soybean Science Challenge Second Place Award. He received a $500 cash prize for his project, titled “SoyCast: A Climate-Driven Deep Neural Network to Forecast County-Level Soybean Yields and Identify Environmentally Optimal Planting Regions.” The project also won the Arkansas Energy and Environmental Quest Award and is an ISEF Finalist.
Lee Conrad, Chen’s teacher, won the $200 State Soybean Science Challenge Second Place Teacher-Mentor Award.
Winners of the eight regional contests preceding the state-level contest include:
ASMSA-West Central Arkansas Science Fair:
Bianca Navarro and Nora Medlock, 17, juniors at Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in Hot Springs won the Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 West Central Science Fair held at the school on February 27.
Navarro and Medlock split the $400 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board at the awards ceremony. Their science fair project, titled “Using Glutathione to increase salt tolerance in soybeans,” also received first place in plant science.
Lindsey Waddell, Ph.D. — Navarro and Medlock’s teacher — won the $200 Soybean Science Challenge Teacher-Mentor Award.
Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
Chen, who placed second in the state competition, won the 2025 Soybean Science Challenge Regional Award at the Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair held at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on March 7. Chen received a $400 cash award at the regional fair. Lee Conrad, Chen’s teacher, won the $200 Soybean Science Challenge Teacher-Mentor Award.
Richard Hu, 12, a sixth grader at Pinnacle View Middle School, won the Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division award. His project was titled "How does the number of soybeans harvested affect its price?”
Kristi Ward, Hu’s teacher, won the $100 Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division Teacher-Mentor Award.
Northeast Arkansas Regional Science Fair:
Quentin Gantt, 18, a senior at The Academies at Jonesboro High School won the 2025 Senior Division award at Northeast Arkansas Regional Science Fair at Arkansas State University Jonesboro on March 7.
Gantt received a $400 cash award for his regional win. Awards were provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His science project, titled “The effects of high pH solution on the growth of soybeans,” placed second in plant science.
Allyson Goodin, Gantt’s teacher, won the $200 regional teacher-mentor award.
Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
Alexander Pagliani, 16, a junior at Fayetteville Christian Academy in Fayetteville, won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville on March 7.
Pagliani received a $400 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His science project was titled “Wood treatment with soy oil.”
Alicia Deavens, Pagliani’s teacher, won the $200 Soybean Science Challenge Teacher-Mentor Award.
Keira Passantino, 13, and Sophie O’Donohoe, 14, eighth graders at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School in Rogers, won the Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division award.
Keira and Sophie will split the $200 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Their science project, titled “Galactic growth, soybean space,” also placed second in plant sciences.
Sean Grom, Keira and Sophie’s teacher, won the $100 Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division Teacher-Mentor Award.
Ouachita Mountain Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
Thomas Gilliland 15, a freshman at Benton Junior High School, won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Ouachita Mountain Regional Science and Engineering Fair held in Hot Springs, Feb. 28.
Gilliland received a $400 cash award, provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His science project titled “Does continuous fertilizer on soybeans affect soybean growth rate?” also placed first in Plant Sciences.
Greg Wertenberger, Gilliland’s teacher, won the $200 Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge Teacher-Mentor Award.
Bentley Dawson, age 13, an eighth grader at Genoa Central Junior High School in Texarkana, Arkansas, won the Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division award.
Dawson received a $200 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His science project, titled “Charcoal and Soybeans,” also placed first in Plant Sciences.
Rita Martin, Bentley’s teacher, won the $100 Soybean Science Challenge Junior Division Teacher-Mentor Award.
Julie Robinson, extension professor of community, professional and economic development for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and director of the Soybean Science Challenge, said the program provides an opportunity for Arkansas high school students to participate in scientific research that can impact the state as well as the world.
“Soybean Science Challenge student researchers learn about this important commodity crop and its many uses, including feeding the world, development of biofuels and sustainable products,” Robinson said. “It helps students develop an understanding of the challenges and complexities of modern farming.”
Gary Sitzer, a former member of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, said the goal of the Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge is “to engage students in ‘real world’ education to support soybean production and agricultural sustainability.
“The program also rewards scientific inquiry and discovery that supports the Arkansas Soybean Industry,” he said.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment)
without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital
or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other
legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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