$250,000 top
award goes to Christine Ye in the
nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition
for high school seniors
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, March 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for
Science (the Society) announced the top ten winners headed by
Christine Ye, 17, of Sammamish, Wash., who won the top award in the
2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation's oldest and most
prestigious science and math competition for high school
seniors.
For the first time since 2019, the competition was held
in person under strict COVID-19 protocols in Washington, D.C., after virtual competitions
in 2020 and 2021. Forty finalists, including Christine, were
honored during a livestreamed award ceremony emceed by Saturday
Night Live's Melissa Villaseñor. More than $1.8 million was awarded to the finalists, who
were evaluated based on their projects' scientific rigor, their
exceptional problem-solving abilities and their potential to
become scientific leaders.
Christine Ye won first
place and $250,000 for her
project, which analyzed the gravitational waves emitted from huge
collisions between neutron stars (collapsed super-dense stars) and
black holes. By analyzing data gathered at the Laser Interferometer
Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), where scientists use data
from these waves to measure astronomical objects, she set a novel
precedent for modeling rapidly-rotating neutron stars; showing that
a quickly spinning neutron star could be extra massive, but still
smaller than a black hole.
Second place and $175,000
went to Victor Cai, 18, of
Orefield, Pa., who created
a short-range, narrow-bandwidth radar that calculates distance by
transmitting two signals at different frequencies and then
measuring the phase difference between them. By combining a
multiple frequency continuous wave radar algorithm with software
that replaces specialized hardware and then writing additional
algorithms to correct inaccurate readings, he created a radar
accurate to within 12 cm. Victor's research could help pave
the way for more self-driving vehicles on the road with less
concern over bandwidth.
Third place and $150,000
went to Amber Luo, 18, of
Stony Brook, N.Y., for
developing a software, RiboBayes, that identifies key regions known
as "ribosome pause sites" along a cell's mRNA transcripts that
regulate protein synthesis. Her tool reveals critical insights into
how ribosome pause site expression is altered by diseases. By
providing greater ability to locate and evaluate the key components
of protein synthesis that occur at these ribosome pause sites,
RiboBayes enables researchers to gain a more complete view of the
mechanisms underlying a wide range of diseases, such as Alzheimer's
disease and cancers.
"The Regeneron Science Talent Search winners give me hope for
the future, and I congratulate them on their tremendous success,"
said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO
of Society for Science, Publisher of Science News and 1985
Science Talent Search alumna. "For the first time in two years, we
have been able to gather in person to celebrate the next generation
of scientific leaders who are motivated by curiosity and inspired
to solve the world's most intractable problems. I am impressed by
their scientific research and strength of character."
The Regeneron Science Talent Search provides a national stage
for future leaders in STEM – bringing together the best and
brightest young minds to present their original research ideas to
world-class scientists. The competition celebrates the hard work,
innovative thinking, and creativity of students who are bringing a
fresh perspective to solving significant global challenges through
rigorous research and cutting-edge discoveries. The judging panel
also considers how these research efforts, innovative thinking and
leadership qualities demonstrate the students' ability to drive
forward critical STEM fields in the future.
"Congratulations to the winners of the Regeneron Science Talent
Search 2022, and to all our impressive finalists. Each of the
students are brilliant scientists and mathematicians, and each has
the power to bring real, positive change to society and help
address future existential challenges, whether it be climate
change, genetic-based diseases or understanding the universe," said
George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D.,
Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron,
and a winner of the 1976 Science Talent Search. "Having been a
winner of the STS back in 1976, I can say from first-hand
experience that this is only the beginning of a great path forward
for our winners, finalists and scholars. Never stop being curious,
never stop exploring and never stop looking for answers."
Other top honors from the competition include:
Fourth Place: Daniel Larsen, 18, of Bloomington, Ind. received a $100,000 award for answering an important math
question about the abundance of Carmichael numbers, which resemble
prime numbers even though they are not true primes. He showed that
for any sufficiently large number, there is always a Carmichael
number hidden between it and its double. Daniel hopes his work will
lead to a better understanding of these intriguing pseudoprimes.
Prime numbers are crucial for cryptography, which uses large primes
to help keep communications secure.
Fifth Place: Neil Chowdhury, 18, of Bellevue, Wash. received a $90,000 award for creating a computer model to
study the role of a histone protein implicated in colon cancer and
found that the histone caused changes to two key processes
regulating the way DNA folds itself to fit into the nucleus of
cells. His simulations of polymers, using data from a colon cancer
cell line, accurately reproduced recent experimental results and
showed that the histone modification caused changes in the DNA's
physical formation, specifically compartmentalization and loop
extrusion.
Sixth Place: Aseel Rawashdeh, 17, Austin, Texas received a $80,000 award for developing an inexpensive way
to kill the larvae of mosquitos that spread viral illnesses. By
incorporating an essential oil (such as cinnamon, garlic or orange)
into baker's yeast microcapsules, she made a cost-effective bait
that kills the larvae of mosquitos that spread malaria. Equally
important, in early tests, her larvicide's encapsulated oils appear
to be harmless to nearby algae and non-targeted insect
larvae.
Seventh Place: Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu, 17, of
Centreville, Va. received a
$70,000 award for designing a
video-assisted workflow recognition program to monitor laparoscopic
gall bladder surgeries in real time, verify the surgeons' actions,
and flag errors so immediate corrective action can be taken. Her
work was inspired after a close cousin died from a preventable
surgical mistake by a "tired, overworked, underpaid surgeon in
India." Her new system is five
times faster than similar systems used currently.
Eighth Place: Neil Rathi, 17, of Palo Alto, Calif. received a $60,000 award for identifying common linguistic
patterns in four languages that support the theory that human
language evolved for greater efficiency in communication. Using a
machine learning model, Neil studied how our minds optimize
language by fusing multiple informational elements into the
smallest meaningful unit of a word such as "ed" in "talked," which
conveys both past tense and word completion, and he found patterns
of "informational fusion" in all four languages.
Ninth Place: Amara Orth, 18, of Glenwood, Iowa received a $50,000 award for eavesdropping on her family's
honeybees so she could identify the changes in vibroacoustic
patterns in each hive. She measured the sounds and vibrations from
bees in 25 hives and developed an AI model to analyze the colony's
health with an accuracy of 92%. If the data is gathered and decoded
in time, her system may give beekeepers time to prevent colony
collapse.
Tenth Place: Luke Robitaille, 18, of Euless, Texas received a $40,000 award for using the mathematical concept
of topological entropy to study simple braids, a formal way to
describe the complicated patterns that arise from intertwining
multiple lengths of string. Luke proved that most simple braids are
orderly for low numbers of strands, but as the number of strands
grows large, nearly all simple braids are chaotic. His work could
help researchers better understand the chaotic mixing of
fluids.
Hailee Han Byur Youn, 17, of Roslyn,
N.Y. was named the Seaborg Award winner and given the
opportunity to speak on behalf of the Regeneron Science Talent
Search Class of 2022. The 40 finalists chose Hailee as the student
who most exemplifies their class and the extraordinary attributes
of nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg, who won the Nobel Prize for
Chemistry in 1951 and served on the Society's Board of Trustees for
30 years.
All other finalists received $25,000, and each finalist will join the ranks of
other Science Talent Search alumni, many of whom have gone on to
have world-changing careers in STEM fields, and some of whom have
earned the most esteemed honors in science and math, including the
Nobel Prize, National Medal of Science and MacArthur Foundation
Fellowships. In total, Regeneron awarded $3.1 million in prizes through the Regeneron
Science Talent Search 2022, including $2,000 to each of the top scholars and their
schools.
About the Regeneron Science Talent Search
The Regeneron Science Talent Search, a program of Society for
Science since 1942, is the nation's oldest and most prestigious
science and math competition for high school seniors. Each year,
nearly 2,000 student entrants submit original research in
critically important scientific fields of study and are judged by
leading experts in their fields. Unique among high school
competitions in the U.S. and around the world, the Regeneron
Science Talent Search focuses on identifying, inspiring and
engaging the nation's most promising young scientists who are
creating the ideas that could solve society's most urgent
challenges.
In 2017, Regeneron became only the third sponsor of
the Science Talent Search in order to help reward and celebrate the
best and brightest young minds and encourage them to pursue careers
in STEM that positively impact the world. Through its 10-year,
$100 million commitment, Regeneron
nearly doubled the overall award distribution to $3.1 million annually, increasing the top award
to $250,000 and doubling the awards
for the top 300 scholars and their schools to $2,000 each to inspire more young people to
engage in science.
Program alumni include recipients of the world's most coveted
science and math honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes, 11 National
Medals of Science, six Breakthrough Prizes, 22 MacArthur Foundation
Fellowships and two Fields Medals, as well as the founders of many
important science-based companies, including Regeneron.
Learn more
at https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/.
More information about the top 10 winners, Seaborg winner, and
visual assets can be found at
https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-science-talent-search-2022-media-kit
About Society for Science
Society for Science is
dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent
research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921,
the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the
understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it
plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions,
including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron
International Science and Engineering Fair, the Broadcom MASTERS,
and its award-winning magazine, Science
News and Science News for
Students, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate,
and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and
follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and
Snapchat (Society4Science).
About Regeneron
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading
biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for
people with serious diseases. Founded and led for nearly 35 years
by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and
consistently translate science into medicine has led to nine
FDA-approved treatments and numerous product candidates in
development, nearly all of which were homegrown in our
laboratories. Regeneron's two most senior leaders, Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., and
George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D.,
credit their experiences at the Science Talent Search for putting
them on a path to start the company and ultimately, along with
their team, invent important, life-changing medicines. Our
medicines and pipeline are designed to help people with eye
diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer,
cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, pain, hematologic
conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is
crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate
responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of
people with serious disease, to foster a culture of
integrity and excellence and to build
sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the
Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the
most "community-minded" companies in the U.S. Throughout the year,
Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our
volunteering, pro-bono and matching gift programs. Our most
significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of science
education, including the Regeneron Science Talent
Search and Regeneron International Science and Engineering
Fair.
For additional information about the company, please visit
www.regeneron.com or follow @Regeneron on Twitter.
Media Contacts
Ella
Campbell, Regeneron
914-572-4003,
ella.campbell@regeneron.com
Gayle Kansagor, Society for
Science
703-489-1131,
gkansagor@societyforscience.org
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SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Society for Science