Independent Science Research 2024 - Welcome from Research Faculty

Welcome from Research Faculty

It has been another outstanding year for the students in the Science Research Program. The majority of our 33 students in the program are now placed with different mentors across the NYC Metro area studying subjects ranging from breast cancer to water responsive materials to nitrogen dioxide emissions from gas stoves.

The 11th and 12th grade students have spent approximately 66 combined hours per week working in their respective labs in addition to the full-time work they completed over the summer - learning skills that will benefit them well beyond the lab bench. The 10th graders have learned to read research articles, give presentations, create a resume and cover letter and have matched with a mentor in order to begin hands-on research this summer. The students were able to hear talks from visiting scientists on epigentic modulators for tumor supression, mega droughts and climate modeling, programming of video games for student learning and research to improve MRI technology. We are so appreciative of the scientists who visited us and all of the scientists who mentor our research students. This program couldn't exist without them.

Thank you also to Jen Weyburn, Elizabeth Hastings, Maria Nunes, Kerry Kline, Larry Le, Raoul Brown, the whole science department, the advisors, and countless others at Packer who support the work of these students. It truly takes the whole community to make this program such a success.

And last, but not least, thank you ISR students. You have supported each other through the highs and lows of the research journey. You've celebrated the accomplishments - preparing for publications, advancing in competitions, matching with a mentor, a successful research trial after many unsuccessful ones, etc and stood beside each other through the hard times such as navigating competition applications, rejection letters, reading complex scientific literature and the many trials and tribulations that come with lab work. We are so proud of you for successfully working through it all and getting to this point. A special nod to the following students:

Kayla Hernandez-Zirofsky was a finalist in the Terra NYC STEM Fair in Medicine & Health and a semifinalist in the NYC Metro region JSHS in Biology.
Lydia Evans participated in Regeneron STS, and had an impressive showing at JSHS including the following accolades: 2nd place in Environmental Sciences in NYC Metro Region semifinals, 3rd place in NYC Metro Region finals, 1st place environmental science poster at Nationals.
Kate Heslin was a semifinalist in the Terra NYC STEM Fair in Cellular & Molecular Biology.
Millie Nathanson was a semifinalist in the NYC Metro region JSHS in Biology.
Devon Super earned the following at JSHS: first place in engineering & technology in the NYC Metro region semifinals, 2nd place overall in the NYC Metro region finals, and gave an oral presentation at the national level. Devon was also a semifinalist in the Terra NYC STEM Fair in Robotics & Software.
Will Kyle was a semifinalist in the Terra NYC STEM Fair in Microbiology.