Five Students from Smithtown are named Scholars in the nation’s most prestigious pre-college science competition, the Regeneron Science Talent Search
Three hundred of the best and brightest budding scientists were hand picked in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, yesterday morning. Four Students from Smithtown High School East and One Kings Park native, at St. Anthony’s Catholic High School, were selected in the national competition. The Regeneron Science Talent Search had 1,749 applicants, from 527 high schools in 46 states, seven American and international high schools overseas. Out of those 1,749 applicants, 300 scholars were hand picked based on exceptional scientific talent academic achievements and recommendations. Forty of the scholars will move on to the finals later this month.
The Four seniors from Smithtown High School East named scholars (semifinalists) in the Regeneron Science Talent Search program are Vishrath Kumar, Erika Nemeth, Emily Ann Peterson and Ruisi Zhong. Smithtown High School East research coordinator Maria Zeitlin, worked with 8 students in total, who submitted research for the competition. Out of the Eight students from Smithtown H.S. East, the four were selected to proceed to the semifinal round of the competition.
Smithtown High School East Regeneron Science Scholars Projects:
- Vishrath Kumar: Tune Jump Quadrupole Strength Optimization for AGS Polarization Preservation
- Erika Nemeth: Cell-Based Delivery of Gene-Silencing Products via Gap Junction *Erika was also named as a Siemens Regional Finalist
- Emily Ann Peterson: Lecithin-Retinol Acyltransferase in Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Relationship Between Oncology and Wound Repair
- Ruisi Zhong: Activation of Ventral Subiculum Neurons by Cued Emotional Learning
Saint Anthony’s H.S. Regeneron Science Scholar:
Kings Park native and Saint Anthony’s High School Senior, Christopher Koch is the sole parochial student chosen in New York State to be named Regeneron Science Scholar. Koch has been a member of St. Anthony’s A.P. Science Scholar program for close to four years. The unique college-level program involves in depth laboratory and theoretical research, in addition to participating in various national S.T.E.M. competitions.
Christopher Koch’s project is titled, The Development of an AC Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect Magnetometer to Study Yttrium Iron Garnet Thin Films
The Regeneron Science Talent Search Finals
The 300 Regeneron scholars will be awarded $2,000 with an additional $2,000 going to their high schools STEM education programs. On January 24th, 2017, 40 of the 300 scholars will be selected as finalists. Each finalist will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., in March where they will participate in final judging, display their work to the public, meet with notable scientists, and compete for awards, including the top award of $250,000.