Madan Chiang, an eighth-grade student at Larson Middle School, is driven by a passion for research, whether for science‑fair projects or Science Olympiad competitions.
Guided by a questioning mind, he treats every mystery as an invitation to investigate.
Science Olympiad
Grandview Heights Schools
Chiang’s pull into science began in fourth grade and each science teacher since has introduced him to ever‑broader topics, deepening his curiosity.
In sixth grade, Chiang joined Science Olympiad – a school club competing in events about science subjects from biology, chemistry and earth science, to physics, engineering, technology and more leading up to a national STEM tournament – and has stuck with it ever since.
“It’s just a really cool club because I can choose what science events I would get to do and learn a lot more about things I really enjoy doing,” Chiang says.
Chiang prepares for events both independently and with a teammate and coaches, balancing written knowledge tests in his chosen concentrations – Anatomy and Physiology, Metric Mastery and Water Quality – with hands-on challenges such as Experimental Design and Scrambler.
“I wish I could write a book on how great he is,” Trillion Richter, eighth-grade science teacher and Science Olympiad adviser says. “He is a hard worker and always offers practical ways to help when opportunities arise. He’s consistently positive and lifts up the people around him.”
Aside from Science Olympiad, Chiang competes in science fairs and seeks out opportunities to assist his peers in class, inspired by the help he received and determined to pay it forward.
“If everyone helps each other, it makes for a better school and a better community,” Chiang says.
Grandview Heights Schools
Inspired projects
Talking with his parents is Chiang’s wellspring of ideas, where casual conversations turn into the core of his experiments and discoveries.
“Ideas just spark from talking to my parents. I enjoy talking to them and we can find a good experiment together,” he says.
His work spans conducting experiments and collecting data to engineering a car that must stop just short of a barrier without cracking the egg secured to its front.
Chiang recently completed a study on how placement of a healthy food item affects consumption in a school cafeteria and earned a Superior rating at Regional Science Day, qualifying him for State Science Day at The Ohio State University.
“What makes Madan stand out, especially in mathematics, is his real curiosity about how things work; he doesn’t just memorize formulas or follow steps, but asks meaningful questions and explores different ways to solve problems,” Lori Downer, his Honors Geometry and Mathematics teacher, says.
Last year, he also tested how video game habits affect a person’s ability to distinguish AI‑generated images from real ones, a project sparked by his fascination with AI.
He designed the study himself, surveying students in grades 6 through 8 with 10 AI-generated images and 10 real photos to see whether time spent playing video games influenced accuracy.
“It was super fun because I got to survey a bunch of kids and analyze the data,” Chiang says.
Grandview Heights Schools
Beyond the lab
Outside the classroom, he balances his scientific curiosity with music, enjoying the best of both worlds.
He has played the cello for two and a half years, is finishing his second year in the Chamber String Orchestra and has been a member of the school orchestra since fifth grade.
“I love the sound it makes and I like playing to the emotions and for other people,” Chiang says.
He keeps track of his responsibilities by limiting what he takes on and making the most of study hall, where he finishes a large share of his schoolwork.
While science remains his primary passion, alongside playing his cello, Chiang also enjoys reading and playing board and video games with his brother and running track and cross country.
Though he admits he isn’t the fastest, he keeps coming back for the fun.
Rose Whaley is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
