Six Upper School Students Attend ISEF

Congratulations to the six students who attended the 2023 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). This global, pre-college science and engineering fair was founded by the Society for Science in 1921. The OES students who attended as finalists with their projects were:

• Diego F. ’25 : “Engineering a Component-Based Programming Language”
• Yuankai G. ’24: “Mush-room for Improvement”
• Yasmin I. ’24: “Future of Work: The Effect of Social Isolation on Cognition of Blaptica dubia”
• Nina K. ’25: “Urea Concentration on Microbial Fuel Cell Power Output for Applications in Waste Management”
• Lauren T. ’25: “The Effect of Circulating ACTH and Insulin Hormones on Equine Temperament”
• Jiaming Z. ’25: “Investigating the Influence of Rainwater Origin on Heavy Metal Content, pH, Ion Percentage, and Organic Matter: Development of an Effective Rain Filtration System for EPA-compliant Drinking Water”

Upper School science teachers Bettina Gregg ’92 and Taposhi Biswas accompanied the students to the fair, held May 15-19 in Dallas, Texas.

Gregg said, “Being my final trip to ISEF before I leave the program here at OES, this visit was bittersweet. But what the week has shown me once again is that ISEF isn’t just about competition—it is a group of almost 1700 teenagers from over 60 countries thinking about how to collectively make a difference through STEM. The research presented was mind-blowing, the atmosphere was filled with energy and joy, and I truly hope that OES will continue to provide our students with the opportunity to take part in this incredible experience!”

Several of the students who attended shared their reflections on being at ISEF:

Lauren T. ’25 said:
“Going into ISEF, I was only focused on having to compete with science projects from around the world. But the minute we walked into the opening ceremony with colorful lights sweeping across the 1,500 students from around the world, I realized that ISEF was more than a science fair. I am so grateful to have met friends from Germany, Egypt, Florida, Colorado, Hawaii, and more; we instantly connected over our passion for science but stayed connected as we shared more about our lives. ISEF was such a unique experience for me. The students were not only insanely smart people, but genuinely fun, kind, and alive. Yes, we could wear suits and present our projects to judges, but we could also sing to Blank Space during the evening social.”

Yuankai G. ’24 shared:
“I've always wanted to dive into a STEM career, particularly medicine, and ISEF really made me feel at home. I got to be in my element, surrounded by like-minded, incredibly interesting and diverse groups of people, where I felt the experience allowed me to grow immeasurably and certainly helped me further my own future in science.”

Jiaming Z. ’25 said:
“Attending ISEF this year was an incredible experience that allowed me to interact with young scientists from around the world. I had the opportunity to learn about some of the most cutting-edge science projects that students like us can pursue at a young age. These projects possess immense potential to make a positive impact on numerous lives in the future. This experience not only inspired me but also solidified my passion to further explore my chosen category (Earth and Environmental Science). I was also able to establish meaningful connections with other students who I hope to continue learning from and collaborating with in the future.”