Nokia Bell Labs North Jersey Regional Science Fair

2022 Virtual Nokia Bell Labs North Jersey Regional Science Fair

Jeffrey Ho is a current high school senior at Millburn High School in New Jersey. He has explored various research topics over the course of his high school career, including natural treatments to mitigate the effects of Alzheimer’s and vape fluid toxicology. He acts as a community representative for the Alzheimer’s Association and is an intern at Rutgers Ernesto Mario School of Pharmacy where he currently researches vape chemicals and lung biology. In his spare time, Jeffrey enjoys playing piano, writing bad poetry, and volunteering at local blood drives.

Career Goals: I am planning to attend Cornell University with a major in human development in the fall. I will be on the pre-med track and currently plan to attend medical school as well. My goals for the future involve continuing my research in analyzing the chemical constituents of addictive substances and comparing disparities in health accessibility within communities.

Subin Pyo is a sophomore at Tenafly High School in Tenafly, New Jersey. She is currently interested in cell and tissue engineering particularly in intestinal stem cell. Member of Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Subin has been conducting research on a nutrigenomic program of intestinal stem cell in pediatric development and IBD. She finds inspiration in her findings and the potential implications of stem cells in various medical fields. Her passion for STEM translated into various recognitions, such as the North Jersey Regional Science Fair (NJRSF) and the New Jersey Academy of Science (NJAS). She also plays violin and loves being part of orchestras and ensembles. Subin is involved in her school clubs, including Chemistry Club, Chamber Music Club, and To the Other Side of the World (TOSOW), a club she founded last year. Knowing that communication has become ever more essential and challenging due to the pandemic, Subin founded a public speaking club, or TOSOW, to help her peers overcome public speaking fears. Subin seeks to improve people’s lives with her involvement in activities in school and her findings in research.

Career Goals: For the past year, I have been conducting research that focuses on a nutrigenomic program of intestinal stem cells in pediatric development and IBD. My research findings have shown that stem cell is an area that is yet to be investigated and has full potential. Learning about IBD, a disease without a known cure or cause diagnosed in young children of my age has empowered me to continue my path as a researcher. In the near future, I see myself as a biomedical researcher pursuing an investigation on IBD to find a potential cure in hopes of creating a safer and better world for young children.

Mihir Rao is a senior at Chatham High School in Chatham, New Jersey. He conducts research in the fields of computational biology and applied computer science. His work includes AI-enabled diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, novel methods for accurate in-silico B-cell epitope prediction, and identifying biomarkers associated with MGMT methylation and glioblastoma. Mihir’s research has won him awards in various regional and national competitions and enabled him to be the lead author of published research papers. Mihir also attended the New Jersey Governor’s School in the Sciences (NJGSS) at Drew University. Currently, Mihir conducts applied computer science research at Montclair State University. At his school, Mihir is the president of various STEM clubs, on his school’s competitive robotics team, and a runner on cross-country and track teams. Outside of school, he is a jazz drummer in the New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra, an Eagle Scout, an EMT on his town’s emergency squad, and the founder and CEO of a computer science education non-profit called Coding Cougars that provides free coding instruction to hundreds of students across New Jersey. Mihir aspires to be a physician-scientist in the future and hopes to improve healthcare through medical practice, research, and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Career Goals: I will be attending Princeton University in the fall where I will be concentrating in Computer Science and will pursue certificates in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Global Health and Health Policy, and Entrepreneurship. After my undergraduate education, I hope to enroll in a combined M.D./Ph.D program. I also am interested in contributing to the betterment of healthcare through entrepreneurial efforts.