Bridgewater-Raritan Students Earn Top Marks In Biology, Chemistry Olympiad Exams

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Three Bridgewater-Raritan High School students were recognized for strong performances on prestigious science exams, with two juniors and one senior earning top marks in Biology and Chemistry Olympiad competitions.

Shiven Das and Saharsh Bangaru, both juniors at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, and senior Suyash Gupta were commended for their recent results on the Biology and Chemistry Olympiad teams.

Shiven earned the top score for the USA Biolympiad, or USABO, Biology Exam. He also qualified for the USABO semifinals, where he received Honorable Mention, placing him among the top 125 students in the country and earning a Silver Medal.

Saharsh was also a top scorer at his exam center in the USABO Exam. Saharsh and Suyash were the top scorers in the United States National Chemistry Olympiad, or USNCO. Saharsh also qualified for the USABO Biology semifinals along with Shiven.

The students are guided by Dr. Cheryl Pieroni, the science coordinator and advisor to the Biology and Chemistry Olympiad teams at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

"It was a pleasure advising students who demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and a strong commitment to academic excellence," Pieroni said.

Pieroni also said that "team captains Saharsh and Shiven played a crucial role in preparing their peers for the rigorous Chemistry and Biology Olympiad exams. Their support and mentorship helped foster a collaborative and focused learning environment for all participants."

She said the program gave students experience beyond the exams themselves.

"And through their involvement in the Olympiad program, students gained in-depth knowledge of advanced scientific concepts, strengthened their laboratory skills, and developed college-level problem-solving abilities. This experience not only challenged them academically but also prepared them for future pursuits in science," Pieroni said.

Pieroni also congratulated the three students for earning the highest scores among participants.

"In addition, Saharsh and Shiven demonstrated exceptional perseverance by advancing through two rounds of competition to achieve semifinalist recognition," she added.

Suyash, the only senior among the three students, will continue his education at the University of Illinois.

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