By Khalida Sarwari
Most high school seniors don’t catch the attention and interest of Boeing. But then, few high school seniors get a planet named after them, either. At the age of 18, David Zarrin can say he’s done both.
The Saratoga High School senior competed in the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Ariz., for the third time in his high school career. For his second-place award, Intel gave him money and a planet they named “Minor Planet Zarrin.”
“It’s really cool,” Zarrin said. “Even though you can’t see it, it’s cool to have your mark somewhere in the world even after you die.”
Even a cursory glance at Zarrin’s career track thus far leaves little doubt that that isn’t the only mark he’ll leave behind. Arguably his biggest accomplishment this year was a design for a hybrid jet engine that could potentially improve the safety of commercial flight.
His system, called the Turbopulse, can operate with failed turbines and tolerates flameout due to the ingestion of birds, ice, precipitation and volcanic ash.
Zarrin said he drew some inspiration from the famous crash landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on the Hudson River in 2009.
“I wanted to solve the problem of a jet plane losing all thrust from a simple ingestion of birds or heavy precipitation,” he said. “I started learning about jet engines by going on YouTube and watching animations of how they work. That’s how I ran into the design of the pulse jet.”
The pulse jet, he learned, was used by the Germans in World War II. To create a safer jet engine, Zarrin said he took a pulse jet and integrated it with a modern jet engine.
“Basically, it’s a modern jet engine. However it has the ability to continue to provide thrust for a jet plane even after a compressor failure,” he said. “So now when a bird runs into the propellers, the air pressure drops. Upon that, the pulse jets automatically kick in and begin to provide thrust for the plane.”
Zarrin spent 150 hours building and designing the project and “a long time thinking of it.” He did much of the work in his garage and the most advanced aspects at the TechShop in San Jose before entering it in the Synopsys Fair earlier this year, where he won the grand prize.
Among the three contests, he garnered more than $4,000 in prize money. He also took home $1,250 that he presented to his school and won first place in the applied mechanics and structures category.
Winning Synopsys helped him get into the ISEF for the third year. The first time was in his freshman year, when he won first place, and the second time was last year, where he came in second again.
“It was one of those experiences where you meet a ton of kids and it was a super fun week,” Zarrin said.
It was at the ISEF that Zarrin attracted the attention and interest of Boeing. A representative told Zarrin not to be surprised if he hears from the company in the near future. Zarrin said before he sells the idea to them, he wants to develop the design further–that is, if he doesn’t decide to work on developing a car engine design that he entered in the contest last year.
If intricate science projects weren’t enough, Zarrin has kept busy with other school activities this year. He’s an Eagle Scout, two-year captain of the school’s cross country team, vice president of the Associated Student Body and a volunteer at Good Samaritan Hospital.
“I’m at the school quite a bit,” he said.
He also made time for a Powder Puff rally–where he dressed like a cheerleader–and for Halo, a video game that allows Zarrin to indulge in his competitive side.
Overall, the last semester was relaxed, Zarrin said, and he had time to spend with friends and do all the things most high school students do.
Next up for Zarrin is college. He plans to attend UC-Berkeley, where he will be simultaneously pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and pre-med studies.
“Mechanical engineering is related to surgery more than most people realize,” he said. “Basically, it’s putting things together and taking it apart.”
David Zarrin’s accomplishments are out of this world–literally!
