WILLISTON — From a young age, Jaxson Cowan dreamed about pursuing a career in science.
Last week, he received confirmation that he was moving in the right direction.
At the North Dakota State Science and Engineering Fair, held at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks on March 25-27, Cowan placed first for the region, qualifying the Williston sophomore for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix in May.
“Winning this just kind of felt like validation of ‘I may be able to do this as a career in the future,'” Cowan said. “It was definitely a fulfilling moment.”
For as long as he can remember, Cowan has had an interest in science — and a goal to be a scientist. “That’s what I said when I was a little kid,” he added.
As he got older, the Williston High School sophomore noted, he narrowed down his focus to physics, the study of how matter and energy behave and interact with the universe.
“At the end of the day, as long as it’s in science, I’ll still be happy,” Cowan noted.
Physics has played a part in his science projects for the past two years; last year, he created a model of a particle accelerator, a machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles — like electrons and protons — to extreme, near light speeds and focus them into beams.
This year, after finding a library book about quantum computers, Cowan began brainstorming his project in mid-September. He then began coding in early December.
“I knew some basic level stuff about quantum mechanics,” he said.
However, when he found the book, Cowan had what he called “a light bulb moment” about what he could do for a project.
His project this year, which he created for the Northwest Regional Science Fair and later improved for the state fair, is a model of a quantum battery.
“Really, what it’s doing is using different principles and aspects of quantum mechanics to make energy storage and sharing more efficient. It’s what a quantum battery does,” Cowan explained.
He added that he plans to make some minor improvements to his project. “As well as making a website, I also want to make a circuit,” he said. “I have made a circuit, but it’s transferring energy physically. I want to model it using conductors — conductors basically share and store energy using electromagnetic fields.”
Reflecting on his progress so far, Cowan said he enjoyed making his project and he learned a lot doing it.
He added that he is also learning through trial and error, especially considering that “incorporating conductors is very hard.”
Cowan has about a month to plan and prepare for the Regeneron International Science Fair, which will be held in Phoenix from May 9-15.
There, Cowan said, he is looking forward to being in an environment where he can not only share his ideas and hear those of his peers, but also “connect with other people who have the same interests — the passion for science — as me.”
James C. Falcon is the editor for the Williston Herald and Sidney Herald. James can be reached by calling 701-291-3567 or emailing james.falcon@willistonherald.com.