David enjoys reading and playing on the computer. He also plays basketball and baseball and is a member of his school band. David would like to pursue a career in medical research "so that I can help find cures for disease." David's father, a doctor, is his mentor because he always encouraged David to study science.
Last year, David's project demonstrated that lettuce could take up lead from the soil. He reasoned that animals would probably do the same. He wondered if animals close to a local lead smelter would have higher internal lead levels than animals further away.
Using global positioning coordinates, David collected earthworm and woodlice samples at various distances from the smelter. He dried the insects and worms, then processed and analyzed them for lead with a spectroscope. He found that lead levels did increase in specimens collected closer to the smelter.
