Two Students From New England Advance To Finals Of Regeneron Competition

This year, approximately 1,800 students entered the Regeneron STS, where they “submit original research in critically important scientific fields of study.”

The organization said that the search is “unique among high school competitions in the U.S. and globally, Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the nation's most promising young scientists.”

Judges narrowed the field to just 300 semifinalists, based on their research skills, commitment to education, innovative thinking, and prospects as a scientist. Now they are down to 40 finalists, including two from Westchester.

More than a dozen students in the region had been named semifinalists by Regeneron.

Officials noted that program alumni include "recipients of the world's most coveted science and math honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 22 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, as well as the founders of many important science-based companies, including Regeneron."

This year's local Regeneron scholar finalists and their research projects include:

• Zoe Xi, Boston University Academy in Massachusetts: "Approximation Algorithms for Dynamic Time Warping on Run-Length Encoded Strings;" 
• Neil Chowdhury, Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire: "Modeling the Effect of Histone Methylation on Chromosomal Organization in Colon Cancer Cells." 

There were no finalists selected from Connecticut.The finalists already received $2,000 for their schools by being named semifinalists. The finalists will head to Washington, D.C. in March for their final judgment. The finalists will be awarded at least $25,000 and the top 10 will earn between $40,000 and $250,000.

According to the judges, in 2017, Regeneron became only the third sponsor of the Science Talent Search, increasing the overall awards distribution to better reward the best and brightest young minds.

Students typically spend weeks or months working closely with adult faculty members independently.

Finalists' projects span a diversity of STEM-related topics including targeting cancer via signaling pathways, developing a mobile application for stroke diagnosis using deep learning and computer vision, and identifying an improved method for trace level arsenic quantification in water.

“We are excited to welcome an exceptional group of Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022 finalists and continue our tradition of supporting the next generation of scientific leaders," George D. Yancopoulos, co-founder, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron, and a 1976 Science Talent Search finalist and winner said. "Competing in the Science Talent Search was life-changing for me, and helped give me the inspiration and confidence to devote myself to a life of using science to help fight disease.

"We look forward to seeing how this year's finalists, with their demonstrated perseverance and creativity, continue to harness the power of science to address the many challenges facing society, and improve the lives of people around the world."

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