A Nassau high school student has been named a finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the nation’s oldest science and math research competitions.
Ashka Shah, a senior at Jericho High School, was one of 40 winners announced Wednesday by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Society of Science, which runs the competition. She will receive a minimum $25,000 prize.
Shah was chosen for her research into how “healthy cell growth systems go awry in cancer,” which the society said could lead to potential treatments.
“She examined how a mutant β-catenin protein drives cancer cell growth with the help of protein Gid8, and she found a way to block this interaction with a small part of β-catenin,” according to a summary of the project shared by Regeneron and the society.
Maya Ajmera, president of the society, said in an email that Shah’s “innovative research on targeted cancer therapies demonstrates exceptional scientific rigor. Ashka is a shining example of Long Island’s next generation of innovators.”
‘It was a big deal’
Shah, speaking at Jericho High on Wednesday, said she was on the bus heading to a fencing match Tuesday night when she received a call from D.C. and learned she was a finalist. Barred from spreading the news until the official announcement, she was able to notify her parents and older sister, who were overjoyed, she said.
“They were freaking out. My parents were more excited than I was. My mom, no one wanted this more than her. And my dad was crying and it was, it was a big deal…my sister was ecstatic,” Shah said.
Shah was in sixth grade when her older sister was named a Regeneron finalist. She said she decided then she wanted to “win it like her.”
Shah, who hopes to eventually become a doctor, said she spent three years working on her project.
“It’s just so exciting that I’m representing not only Jericho, but Long Island and New York,” she said. “It’s just proof that anyone can do anything.”
The 40 finalists announced Wednesday were pared down from 300 semifinalists, who were chosen from an initial pool of more than 2,600 entrants from across the globe. Thirty-three of the semifinalists hailed from Long Island, with 10 from Jericho High School. One semifinalist was from outside the U.S.
Shah’s next step is an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., where she will join the 39 other scholars for a week-long competition in March. There, the finalists will display their work, meet scientists and government leaders and learn which projects will make the final cut, with awards given to the top 10. The scholars are judged on their research as well as their expertise, according to the nonprofit.
Those selected will take home a range of prizes to be used for educational purposes, from $40,000 for 10th place to $250,000 for the first-place winner, according to Ajmera, who is also the executive publisher of Science News.
The top prize is considered the country’s largest scientific prize available to a high school student.
Long Island had six finalists last year, and three in 2024.
This year, California had the highest number of finalists, with 10 students chosen, according to Ajmera. Texas had six finalists. New York and New Jersey each had five, she added.
Ajmera said that the applicant pool changes every year.
“As Regeneron and Society for Science continue efforts to broaden participation and expand access to STEM opportunities nationwide, we are seeing increased engagement from a wider range of schools and communities, which can lead to a more geographically diverse group of finalists,” she said.
The scholars, all high school seniors, must demonstrate leadership research skills, innovation and future potential as a scientist, according to the society.
The program “serves as a catalyst for discovering sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, inspiring participants and the public to imagine what’s possible,” Ajmera said.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.