Society for Science (the Society) announced the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023 (STS), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Five of the 300 scholars are students in Fairfax County public schools: one from McLean High School and four from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The scholars will be awarded $2,000 each and their schools will be awarded $2,000 for each enrolled scholar.   

2023 Regeneron STS Scholars from FCPS

• Alvan Caleb Arulandu, Age: 16
  Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA
  Project Title: Physics-Informed Neural Networks for Informed Infectious Disease Policy
   
• Tanish Jain, Age: 17
  Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA
  Project Title: In silico Prediction of Drug Permeability Through an Inflamed Blood-Brain Barrier Using Molecular Feature Modelin
   
• Lynn R. Tao, Age: 18
  Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA
  Project Title: D-SCRIPT+C: Incorporating Protein Contact Maps in a Multiphase Deep Learning Model for Structurally Accurate Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Prediction
   
• Suraj Vaddi, Age: 18
  Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA
  Project Title: Tar Print: Convolutional Remote Sensing Techniques To Quantify Urbanization and Study Water Quality Through Macroinvertebrate Assemblages
   
• Ethan Zhou, Age: 17
  McLean High School, VA
  Project Title: Online Learning of Smooth Functions

The Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars were selected from 1,949 applications from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and four other countries. Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays, and recommendations. 

View the full list of scholars.

“The enthusiasm and quality of projects from this year's participants were just outstanding,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of the Society for Science and publisher of Science News. “Each year, I am tremendously impressed by the ingenuity that the students bring to the competition. Their hard work, creativity and perseverance should be applauded.” 

On January 24, 40 of the 300 scholars will be named Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists. The finalists will then compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a week-long competition in Washington, D.C., taking place March 9-15. 

Collectively, STS alumni have received millions of dollars in scholarships and gone on to be awarded Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals, MacArthur Fellowships and numerous other accolades.