Jericho Seniors Intel Finalists

Crystal Zheng and Ien Li, both seniors at Jericho High School, are two of only 40 students from across the U.S. that were named finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search.

Finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. from March 5-11, where they will undergo final judging, display their work to the public, meet with notable scientists, and compete for $1,012,500 in awards, including the three top awards of $150,000 each. As previously reported by the Tribune, these finalists were chosen from the select pool of 300 high school seniors named semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2015 on Jan. 7.

Crystal Zheng’s project was entitled BDNF VAL66MET induces endocytosis-dependent dendritic spine collapse via proNGF-like collapse mechanism.

Ien Li’s project was entitled Statistical Modeling of Major Depression: Bridging the Gap between Brain and Behavior.

“The 40 finalists of the Intel Science Talent Search are some of the best and brightest young scientists in the nation,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and publisher of Science News. “As an alumna of the Science Talent Search, I am especially proud to join with Intel in congratulating the finalists on their successes and look forward to learning more about them and their research, both at the finals in March and as their careers progress.”