Indian American Students Win Major Awards at Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

Arya Tschand (left) of Marlboro, New Jersey, received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation and won a prize of $10,000 at Regeneron ISEF; Neha Mani of the Bronx, New York, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000. (societyforscience.org photos)

By GIOVANNI ALBANESE Jr./India-West Staff Reporter

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Society for Science May 21 announced the winners of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, with several Indian American students among those honored.

The winners received a total of $5 million in what is considered the largest global high school STEM competition. Michelle Hua of Michigan was the grand winner, receiving the $75,000 top prize.

Catherine Kim of New York and Daniel Shen of North Carolina won $50,000 prizes, claiming the other two major awards.

Other winners from the competition included Arya Tschand, 17, of High Technology High School in Marlboro, New Jersey, who received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation. His prize of $10,000 was for his development of an AI model that inter-communicates to collect and analyze environmental data to give each crop its unique ideal irrigation volume.

With accessible, affordable, and efficient technology, Tschand believes that developing nations can leverage this solution to save trillions of gallons of water yearly, the news release said.

Also awarded was Neha Mani, 17, of the Bronx, New York, who received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her quantitative research of microbiology, which uses a diagnostic method to distinguish bacterial motion to diagnose Inflammatory Bowel Disease by mathematically separating swarming from swimming, the release said.

“Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2021 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of Society for Science and Publisher of Science News. “Every single Regeneron ISEF finalist has persevered in their pursuit of science in the face of the myriad challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we could not be prouder to showcase their work on a global stage. We look forward to seeing the contributions these young leaders continue to make to their fields and the world.”

In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.

Some of the First Award winners included Varun Raj Madan of Florida in the Animal Sciences category; Maya Sonal Butani of New Jersey in the Biochemistry category; Ashwika Agrawal of California in the Biomedical and Health Sciences category; Ishaan S. Brar of California in the Biomedical Engineering category; Parisa Aryana Vaziri of Texas in the Cellular and Molecular Biology category; Shrey Joshi and Ishaan Javali of Texas in the Earth and Environmental Sciences category; Arya Tschand in the Engineering Mechanics category; and Neha Mani of New York in the Microbiology category, among others.

Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for future leaders in STEM – bringing together the best and brightest young minds to present their original research ideas to leading scientists and peers.

Founded by the belief that advances in science are key to solving global challenges, Regeneron ISEF works to support and invest in young scientists who are generating ideas and acting as catalysts for the change needed to improve the well-being of all people and the planet, the release said.