ST. LOUIS — Two St. Louis area high school students are heading to the 2020 Regeneron International Science and Engineering fair in May.
It’s the world’s largest precollege international science fair. First-place Prateek Gautam of Marquette High School and second-place Rincon Jagarlamudi will complete against top students from across the world.
Gautam and Jagarlamudi were selected by a panel of more than 40 St. Louis area professional scientists, engineers and medical professionals.
The two will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the fair.
Gautam and Jagarlamudi competed against top St. Louis area high school students at the Academy of St. Louis Science Fair - Honors Division hosted by the Webster University College of Arts and Sciences on Feb. 29.
Gautam received a $3,000 scholarship from the Academy of Science St. Louis and a trip to Regeneron ISEF for his project, ‘a machine learning approach to identify socio-economic factors responsible for patients dropping out of substance abuse treatment.’
Jagarlamudi received a $2,000 scholarship and a trip to Regeneron ISEF for his project, ‘utilization of a novel method of RNA interference in the model organism C. Elegans to conduct a genetic analysis of aging.'
Students discussed their research projects in front of two or three judges during three different 20-minute sessions. And then the top 10 finalists were chosen to present their research findings orally to a committee of judges with the top two students being selected to attend Regeneron ISEF.
"At the Academy of Science - St. Louis, we want to encourage the next generation of thinkers and doers to help solve the world's most pressing questions and challenges. The St. Louis Science Fair is one of our best opportunities to encourage science exploration and process," said Peggy Nacke, Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair Director.
