Nassau County students are making waves on the national stage, with dozens of high school seniors earning spots among the top 300 scholars in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the country’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition.
From cancer research to social science studies on cancel culture, Long Island students are tackling complex problems and earning national recognition along the way.
Some 33 Long Island high school seniors were selected from more than 2,600 applicants representing 826 high schools across the United States and abroad, according to the Society for Science, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that administers the competition.
While the total marks a historic low for Long Island, the region still produced more scholars than any other in the country.
The number of Long Island scholars fell from 49 in 2025. Long Island’s presence in the competition has fluctuated widely, peaking at 89 scholars in 2003 and dropping to a low of 36 in 2020, according to Society for Science data.
Each of the 300 scholars receives a $2,000 award, and each student’s school receives an additional $2,000 to support science education.
Jericho Senior High School led Nassau County with 10 scholars, placing it among a small number of schools nationwide with double-digit honorees.
The Jericho students are Aryana Adur, Anchita Agrawal, Vedant Balani, Franklin Lee, Kevin Liu, Cynthia Qian, Ashka Shah, Tommy Yuan, Justin Zhao and Liran Zhou. Their research spans medicine and health, cellular and molecular biology, computational biology, climate science, engineering and artificial intelligence.
“It is amazing how the Jericho Schools are performing in comparison to other schools in the United States,” Superintendent Robert Kravitz said. “We are a public nonselective school and we are competing at a level with selective, regional, magnet schools throughout the country.”
Roslyn High School had four scholars.
Tessla Chan was recognized for “Investigating PELO as a Novel Synthetic Lethal Target Across Multiple Molecular Subtypes of Gastrointestinal Cancers,” which examined potential targets for cancer therapies.
Olivia Emma Jacobson earned recognition for “Parties in the USA,” a study analyzing how the strength and alignment of political party affiliation influence voter perceptions of bipartisan candidates.
Serin Jo conducted “Design of a Lightweight Algorithm for Robust Mass Spectrometry Peak Detection,” focused on improving scientific data analysis.
Matthew Lin completed “Bayesian Optimization of Conductive PEO-Based Mixed-Graft Block Copolymers,” applying computational techniques to materials science.
“We are incredibly proud of Tessla, Olivia, Serin and Matthew for being named Regeneron STS Scholars,” Roslyn Superintendent Allison Brown said. “Their dedication, creativity and rigor in pursuing independent research reflect the exceptional talent nurtured at Roslyn High School.”
Roslyn High School principal Dave Lazarus said the students’ work demonstrated “exceptional talent and perseverance” and reflected a strong commitment to research.
Herricks High School also produced four scholars.
Eli Jacob was recognized for “Misinformation in Shaping Ethical Attitudes Toward AI-Centered Academic Misconduct via Social Media.”
Aarthi Palaniappan earned honors for “Elucidating the Protective Role of Wnt4 Signaling and Gene Suppression in Modulating Fibrotic and Calcific Pathways in Calcific Aortic Valve Disease.”
Emma Su completed “Developing a Novel Adaptive Tuning Module for Real-Time Frequency Correction in Radiofrequency Coils During Concurrent TMS-fMRI.”
Abigail Thomas was selected for “Examining the Pathway of Rab8-Mediated Trafficking of GluA1-AMPARs in Response to In Vitro Chemical LTP Induction in Wildtype and Lrrk2G2019S Neurons.”
Syosset High School produced three scholars: Elaine Liu, Grace C. Liu and Nikhil Shah.
Elaine Liu completed “The Effects of Apology Strategies on the Spread and Intensity of Cancel Culture Incidents,” examining how different social media apologies affect public backlash.
Grace C. Liu was recognized for “Evaluating Gender Differences in the Effects of Ambiguity and Misperception on Entrepreneurship in Three Business Development Stages: A Panel Data Analysis,” which analyzed barriers faced by women entrepreneurs.
Shah earned recognition for “Examining the Impact of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines on Racial Disparities in Federal Sentencing,” a quantitative study of more than 26,000 federal court cases.
Science Talent Search Scholars Emma Su, Abigail Thomas, Eli Jacob and Aarthi
Palaniappan (L. to R.).Photo provided by Herricks Public Schools
“Our entire research team is thrilled to see Elaine, Grace and Nikhil recognized as scholars,” said Heather Miller, Syosset High School’s lead research facilitator. “Their work highlights a deep commitment to understanding the world around them.”
Great Neck Public Schools produced three scholars this year.
John L. Miller, Great Neck North High School, produced two scholars. Sophia Li was recognized for her project, “Closing the Shade Gap: Advancing Environmental Equity Through Understanding Tree Canopy Disparities in Redlined Communities With i-Tree.” Kian Daniel Soleymani earned recognition for “AI-Powered Conversational Tool for Early Stage Cognitive Decline.”
William A. Shine Great Neck South High School also produced a scholar. Arnav Pemmaraju was honored for his project, “CRE-LogicSim: A Surrogate Modeling Framework for Interpreting Cis-Regulatory Element Function in Deep Sequence Models.”
“We are incredibly proud of our three Regeneron Scholars and their science research advisors,” Superintendent Kenneth R. Bossert said. “Congratulations to our students for their passion and perseverance, and heartfelt thanks to the mentors, families and teachers who supported them every step of the way throughout the discovery process.”
Manhasset Secondary School senior Lucienne Keyoung was named a scholar for “Tunable Morphology of Zero-Waste Cellulose Nanofiber Hydrogels via a Novel Gelatin-Mediated Ice Inhibition Mechanism for Sustainable Agriculture and Water Remediation.”
“Being named a Regeneron Scholar is an extraordinary accomplishment,” Manhasset Secondary School principal Richard Roder said. “It reflects Lucienne’s intellectual curiosity, perseverance and commitment to meaningful scientific research.”
Paul D. Schreiber High School senior Benjamin Moses represented the Port Washington School District.
His project, “Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Among Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer,” examined mental health outcomes among cancer survivors.
“We are exceptionally proud of Benjamin for this remarkable achievement,” Superintendent Gaurav Passi said. Schreiber principal Kati Behr said the recognition reflected “the innovation and commitment to excellence we strive to nurture.”
The Regeneron Science Talent Search, now in its 85th year, is sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in partnership with the Society for Science.
“Congratulations to the top 300 scholars in this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO, Society for Science and Publisher, Science News. “Their research highlights the creativity, rigor and determination that’s pushing forward the future of scientific discovery. We are honored to recognize their achievements and support their continued pursuit of STEM excellence.”
From the pool of scholars, 40 finalists will be announced Jan. 21. Finalists will travel to Washington, D.C., in March to present their research, with winners announced March 10. The top prize is $250,000.
