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The Manhasset Times, Friday, January 15, 2016
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Game plan for Intel science success Herricks teacher guides three semifinalists, one finalist in national talent competition
By N o a h M a n s k a r In the past several months, the whiteboard in Renee Barcia’s Herricks High School classroom has served as an elaborate checklist. With a large grid, Barcia, coordinator of the school’s Science Research Program, had her students track the many steps to submitting their research projects to prestigious Intel Science Talent Search, a national high school science contest she called “the junior Nobel Prize.” While all students in the four-year program are expected to enter the Intel contest in their senior year, it’s not the only national high school research prize they successfully pursue. Herricks seniors Sabreen Bhuiya, Ayesha Chhugani and Vikram Krishnamoorthy were named Intel semifinalists this year; and Naseem Dabiran is one of 12 finalists for a national neuroscience award. “The students really should be commended for their diligence, their effort, their ability to multitask through the fall college application process, as
Bhuiya’s project, one of about 300 picked for Intel’s semifinals, studied the relationship between magnesium deficiency and oxidative stress, a condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough antioxidants, among pregnant women. She did her research under Dr. Christine Metz in a lab at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Working with Stony Brook physics professor Abhay Deshpande, Chhugani examined how “magnetic field traps” can be used to more easily transport ions used for MRIs to potentially increase access to medical imaging technology. Krishnamoorthy studied Photo courtesy of Renee Barcia how the fenugreek plant could Pictured, from left: Herricks High School seniors Sabreen Bhuiya, Vikram Krishnamoorthy and Ayebe genetically altered to more sha Chhugani were selected as semifinalists for the national Intel Science Talent Search. effectively fight diabetes. He Dabiran’s study of how early he grandmother was diagnosed worked under scientists Fredwell as through the Intel filing erico Casares and Kirk Mantione process,” Barcia said. “It really the degradation of the brain’s with Alzheimer’s disease. SUNY Stony Brook professor at SUNY Old Wesbury. shows a level of maturity that dopamine receptors happens All three Intel semifinalists is at the college, undergraduate among schizophrenia patients is Annette Biegone, her research being considered for the Ameri- adviser, eventually encouraged said the potential human impact level.” The Albertson residents, can Academy of Neurologists’ her to investigate schizophrenia. of their research keeps them “After I started studying passionate about science. That’s all age 17, were recognized for high school Neuroscience Remore about schizophrenia, I kind something that also carries year-long laboratory research search Prize. Dabiran said she became of grew to be as passionate as I weight for Intel when it selects projects they conducted under Continued on Page 55 interested in neuroscience after am about Alzheimer’s,” she said. professional researchers.