Schools
Shrewsbury Sophomore Wins Central MA Brain Bee Title
Joseph Peng outlasted 33 other high school competitors to earn the title
SHREWSBURY, MA — A Shrewsbury High School student is headed to the national stage after taking top honors in a milestone year for a regional neuroscience competition.
Joseph Peng, a sophomore at Shrewsbury High School, won the 20th Annual Central Massachusetts Brain Bee, held on Mar. 7 at UMass Chan Medical School. Peng outlasted 33 other high school competitors to earn the title and the Andrew Sheridan Young Neuroscientist Award, according to UMass Chan.
With the victory, Peng will represent the region at the 2026 USA National Brain Bee in California.
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Peng advanced through 15 rounds of oral elimination questions, finishing among the final 10 students before securing first place. He was joined in the top three by Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science student Parnitha Karapakula and Hopkinton High School student Hasika Chauhan.
Several other local students were also recognized among the top 10 finishers, including Shrewsbury High School students Aadith Maganti and Pratham Pai.
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The competition, which celebrates its 20th year, brings together high school students from across Central Massachusetts to test their knowledge of neuroscience through written and oral exams.
While scores were being tallied, attendees heard from researchers and students in the field, including E. Kale Edmiston, Caitlyn Edwards and 2025 Central Massachusetts Brain Bee champion Shamini Biju, a Shrewsbury High junior.
The event was emceed by Sheldon Benjamin, professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and organized by David Weaver, professor of neurobiology and executive director of the NeuroNexus Institute.
Megan Fowler-McGraw led the exam grading team, while Travis E. Faust and Maryam Omran served as judges for the oral competition rounds.
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