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The Pelham Public Schools is thrilled to announce that PMHS senior Aadita Roy was one of just 300 students across the U.S. and 10 other countries to be named a scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search competition – the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. This marks the fifth time in the past seven years and third in a row that PMHS has had at least one student named to the Regeneron Talent Search Competition. 

This year’s talent search, which is owned and produced by Society for Science, had the highest number of entrants – 2,162 – since 1969. 

Aadita’s project is titled “Pro-Inflammatory Macrophages Induce Pyroptotic Death of в-Cell; Modeling Macrophage-Mediated Pancreatic Endocrine в-Cell Damage Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Vascularized Macrophage-Islet Organoids.”

“Being recognized as a Regeneron STS scholar is a tremendous honor that I hold with great pride,” Aadita said. “The journey leading up to this has been filled with countless late nights in the lab and at school, dedicated to conducting research, writing my paper, and finally gaining the courage to hit submit on my application. I am very proud of the hard work that has brought me to this point, and I am grateful for the support of my mentors, teachers, and peers who have been instrumental in my journey. From current students actively pursuing excellence in science research to alumni feedback and support, this achievement reflects the continuous dedication from the Pelham science research community that fuels our program’s success.”

PMHS Science Research Teacher Steve Beltecas thanked PMHS Principal Mark Berkowitz for his support of the program and Dr. Tom Callahan, the District’s Director of Math & Science, who spearheaded an initiative to bolster writing skills for PMHS science students. He also acknowledged  fellow science research teachers Joe DiBello and Dr. Lori Tortorella, who joined the program this school year and Middle School Science Teacher Maria Buckley, who advises the school’s STEAM Research Club.  

“Receiving recognition from such a distinguished organization and participating in this esteemed competition is a validation of the strides we have made in improving our writing skills,” Mr. Beltecas said. “This honor speaks volumes about the commitment and excellence that define our Science writing initiative. We take immense pride in the progress we have achieved, and this award serves as a motivating force to continue our pursuit of excellence in the field of writing.  We are so proud of all of our students in our program as a win for one is a win for all!”

Scholars in the Regeneron Talent Search were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and demonstration of exceptional promise as leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through original, independent research projects, essays, and recommendations. The 300 scholars hail from 196 American and international high schools in 36 states and China. 

The Regeneron Science Talent Search recognizes and empowers our nation’s most promising young scientists who are generating innovative solutions to solve significant global  challenges through rigorous research and discoveries. The competition provides students with a national stage to present new ideas and challenge conventional ways of thinking. 

Now in its 102nd year, the Society has played a significant role in educating the public about scientific discoveries and identifying future leaders in STEM. Regeneron has sponsored the Science Talent Search since 2017 as part of its deep commitment to supporting young scientists and future scientific innovation.

This year, research projects cover topics from artificial intelligence/machine learning  assistance and detection to climate change prevention for wildfires, floods to drug discovery and more. Other students chose to focus on ways to tackle other pressing societal issues like teen mental health, anxiety, and suicide. With a total of 19 research categories, the top 5 categories among scholars’ projects this year include: Environmental Science, Medicine & Health, Cellular & Molecular Biology, Computational Biology and Behavioral and Social Sciences.  

For over eight decades the Science Talent Search has rewarded talented high school seniors who dedicate countless hours to original research projects and present their results in rigorous reports that resemble graduate school theses. Collectively, Science Talent Search alumni have received millions of dollars in scholarships and won Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals, MacArthur Fellowships, and many other accolades. 

The PMHS Science Research program is taught by Steven Beltecas and Joe DiBello. Students work with professional mentors in a variety of fields ranging from environmental and behavioral sciences to cancer research, among others. The students are able to work together and often review each other’s work, providing feedback and honing their presentation and public speaking skills. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive program and look to encourage any student willing to work hard and pursue their passions!