Rachel Seevers

As a young child in Kentucky, Rachel Seevers was always exploring, whether it was emptying every single item out of the kitchen cabinets or inspecting her toys to see how they worked. She loved exploring and having outdoor adventures. She began dance lessons at age 3 and later participated in choir, theater, and the Girl Scouts of America. Science Fairs became her passion in elementary school, and she won many awards, including the Mayor’s Urban Environmental Award in 7th grade.

Inspired by the International Science and Engineering Fair she attended as a student observer in 8th grade, Rachel began conducting high-level research as a high school freshman -- and invented her own aircraft wing. The design was fully realized, prototyped, and tested in multiple arenas for her Capstone Research Project “The Virtual Winglet: A Novel Aircraft Wing Design.” The Virtual Winglet provides an average 21.6 percent improvement in efficiency for the lift-to-drag ratio of aircraft, which could ultimately save lives. To date she has spent over 7,000 hours devoted to aeronautical engineering and has been awarded numerous Science Fair awards. She took Overall High School Winner in 2017, 2018, and 2019 at the district level; First Place Best of Fair in 2015 for middle school and 2017, 2018, and 2019 for high school at the regional level; and Third Place Overall Best of Fair, as well as First Place in her category at the state level. Rachel has also received multiple Air Force and Navy awards.

Rachel represented Kentucky at national competitions or conferences for the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and the American Junior Academy of Science. At the International Science and Engineering Fair, she won Third Place in her category of Engineering Mechanics, as well as awards from NASA, the Air Force, and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Last summer she was invited to attend the Center for Excellence in Education’s Research Science Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Most recently, Rachel was a Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist where she earned Eighth Place and the Glenn T. Seaborg Award, selected by the forty finalists as the individual who best exemplifies the ability to inspire others with the zeal for science.

Rachel’s greatest passion is inspiring young females to become more involved in STEM fields. She cofounded a girls STEM club at her school, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. And as Director of Community Outreach for the club, she developed a program called STEMfems, offering workshops at local underprivileged elementary schools.

Rachel is also a member of her school’s Chamber Choir, French Club, and National Beta Club. She plans to continue her scientific research, and hopes to become the Secretary of Defense.