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By Ellie Kim, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Photograph by Julianna Holmes, Photography Editor
Students register to take the Science Research class their sophomore year, and begin a two-year journey preparing for the Regeneron Science Talent Search, “the nation’s oldest and most prestigious STEM research competition.” (Society for Science) This year, six of North’s students conducted their own independent research project with the help of a mentor and entered the competition for a chance to win the top prize of $250,000. They have worked long and hard for the past two years, starting their journey by reading journal articles, exploring different research topics, and designing their own projects. After collecting their data and drawing their conclusions, students worked to create a final research paper that was submitted to Regeneron. Simply being eligible to enter the competition is a huge honor, and we congratulate Ayesha Hafeez, Sanjay Kasi, Ellie Kim, Michael Konefal, Jack Lawlor, and Sudeep Sundar for this achievement.
Image courtesy of Ayesha Hafeez
I had the opportunity to interview one of the Regeneron Participants, Ayesha Hafeez, on the development of her research project and her experiences studying Science Research.
Can you explain a little bit about your research project and what you studied?
I am currently researching racial disparities in death rates due to heart disease in major metropolitan areas. I found that several socioeconomic, environmental, and historical factors make African Americans more prone to developing certain health conditions, but less likely to seek treatment. When African Americans do seek treatment, they receive a lower quality of care and are more likely to die compared to their white counterparts. For my science research project, I chose to focus on disparities in the death rate due to heart disease since that is the leading cause of death in the United States. Using publicly-available data from the CDC, I found that African Americans have higher age-adjusted death rates due to heart disease across several metropolitan areas.
What did you previously research before studying this topic?
Before researching racial health disparities, I researched the psychology behind opioid addiction. I was fascinated by a phenomenon known as cue-reactivity where drug-related stimuli elicit a conditioned response. For example, if someone with opioid addiction were to see a pill bottle, they would experience drug cravings and an elevated heart rate. I was interested in cue-exposure therapy, in which individuals would be exposed to drug-related stimuli repeatedly until they do not experience a conditioned response. I found it difficult to get involved with research due to the personal nature of the subject, as well as challenges related to the ongoing pandemic. However, I am still very fascinated with this topic and I would love to get involved in addiction-related research in the future.
Why did you choose this topic?
This project began after I researched racial health disparities between African Americans and their white counterparts for my sociology term paper. The areas I focused on were chronic health conditions, maternal, fetal, and child health, mental health, as well as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As someone interested in the medical field, it is incredibly important that I understand social determinants of health in addition to physical and psychological aspects that make up one's health.
What are your future plans like? Do you anticipate continuing your studies in science research?
In college, I am planning on pursuing a double major in psychology and public health to combine my two research interests. I hope to continue and expand my research in both racial health disparities and addiction. After college, I hope to attend medical school and eventually become a psychiatrist. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide affordable and accessible mental health care to diverse populations, de-stigmatize mental health treatment, and address racial health disparities.
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