(above) Senior Jagdeep Bhatia, 17, of Green Brook Township has been selected as one of 40 finalists nationwide in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020. Bhatia will travel to Washington D.C. with the other finalists Thursday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 11 to compete for awards.
Jagdeep Bhatia Selected For Regeneron Science Talent Search
Submitted by Denis Kelly
Watchung Hills Regional High School (WHRHS) Senior Jagdeep Bhatia, 17, of Green Brook Township has been selected as one of 40 finalists nationwide in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020.
The announcement of the 40 finalists was made on Monday, January 20, in Tarrytown, N.Y., and Washington, D.C., by Science Talent Search sponsors, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Society for Science & the Public (the Society).
Bhatia’s project title is: “Simple and Fast Algorithms for Interactive Machine Learning with Random Counter-Examples.”
Bhatia explained that while the current processes of training machines – what is generally thought of as ‘Artificial Intelligence’ – those processes now tend to be slow, requiring a lot of data.
“My project tries to solve that,” he said, “tries to make the whole process more data efficient. My proposal asserts that there is a more data efficient way to train machines. I attempt to prove that assertion using mathematical proofs. The whole point is to find a way to make the learning process for machines more like human learning.”
He said he plans to study Computer Science and machine learning in college, but is undecided yet about whether he plans to pursue a Ph.D. or other advanced scholarship in computer Science, or build his knowledge and expertise in Computer Science to then apply that preparation in an applied or business use.
For the short term, he is very excited to have been selected by the Science Talent Search, and is looking forward to meeting his fellow search finalists in Washington, D.C.
“I am really excited and grateful to have this wonderful opportunity,” said Bhatia. “I am really excited to present my work in Washington, D.C., and meet the other finalists.”
While at WHRHS, he has been President of the Computer Science Club, which has included, among other things, helping to organize and stage the WHRHS “HillsHacks” Hackathons the last couple of years. In addition, he is president of the WHRHS Math Team, and a four-year athlete on the WHRHS Cross Country Team.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Alumni have gone on to have world-changing careers in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) fields and earn some of the most esteemed academic honors, including the Nobel Prize, the Fields Medal, the National Medal of Science, the MacArthur Fellowship and even an Academy Award.
The 2020 finalists were selected from 1,993 highly qualified entrants, all of whom completed an original research project and extensive application process. The finalists were selected based on their projects’ scientific rigor and their potential to become world-changing scientists and leaders.
Finalists’ projects span a diversity of STEM-related topics including targeting cancer via signaling pathways, developing a mobile application for stroke diagnosis using deep learning and computer vision, and identifying an improved method for trace level arsenic quantification in water.
The finalists will travel to Washington, D.C. from Thursday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 11, where they will undergo a rigorous judging process and compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. They will also have an opportunity to interact with leading scientists, meet with Members of Congress and display their projects to the public on Sunday, March 8.
The finalists are each awarded at least $25,000, and the top 10 awards range from $40,000 to $250,000. The top 10 Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 winners will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on Tuesday, March 10. In total, more than $3 million in awards will be distributed throughout the Regeneron Science Talent Search, which includes the awards to finalists as well as the $2,000 provided to each of the top 300 scholars and their schools.
“This year’s finalists are part of the next generation of brilliant minds who – through the pursuit of science and innovation – can address many of society’s most urgent challenges and help improve our world,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Co-founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and a Science Talent Search top winner (1976). “These students are joining a community of highly talented STS alumni who have gone on to make incredible contributions to their chosen fields and our society. If one, two or even a handful of these impressive young scholars make discoveries that impact our world, that could make all the difference.”
“The Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists are the stewards of our future,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science & the Public, Publisher of Science News and 1985 Science Talent Search alum. “These finalists are the top young scientists of our country today and they give me great hope for what lies ahead.”
For a list of this year’s finalists, visit societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/2020-finalists/.
Photo by WHRHS
