HCVSD Biomedical Sciences Academy Student Named STEM Scholar

Annandale, N.J. - Prerna Shankar, a Hunterdon County Vocational School District (HCVSD) student, has been named to the 2020-2021 class of Governor’s STEM Scholars, a statewide STEM education initiative for New Jersey students in grades 10 through the doctoral level. Shankar is a junior in the district’s four-year Biomedical Sciences Academy (BSA).

The STEM Scholars Program is the result of a public-private partnership among the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, the Governor’s Office, the New Jersey Department of Education, the Secretary of Higher Education and private industries to introduce high school and post-secondary STEM leaders to New Jersey’s vast STEM economy. The ultimate goal of the program is to retain this young talent in the state.

This year, 75 students made the cut for the program. Shankar’s selection is an acknowledgement of her commitment to developing a clear pathway to a career in medicine through her academics and extracurricular activities.

Shankar, a Clinton, N.J. resident, hopes that through the STEM Scholar experience, she will “gain valuable insight into the various facets of the medical field while networking with professionals across the state.” She believes the broad foundation of knowledge from the Biomedical Sciences Academy, combined with her STEM Scholar experience, will provide an advantage as she works to become a medical professional; she currently wants to be a neurosurgeon.

“I’ve realized that being successful in the medical field doesn’t just require medical knowledge,” Shankar said. “It requires a broader perspective that includes how public health, governmental regulations and ethics affect practice as a professional, and I’m confident that this program will provide me that crucial perspective.”

As a STEM Scholar, Shankar gains access to themed conferences this year that feature accomplished STEM professionals and successful companies, academic institutions and government research organizations. Shankar recently attended her first event virtually, a STEM in Government symposium, which included a familiar face with HCVSD Director of Grant Management, Admissions & Security Tanya Nalesnik, a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer, speaking on the panel.

"The Hunterdon County Vocational School District is proud to have one of our own academy students selected for this highly competitive program,” said Nalesnik. “Our district’s academies are earning a reputation for excellence, and students like Prerna exemplify that by earning state-level recognition for their passion in STEM fields."

In addition to networking with and gaining insight from professionals as a STEM Scholar, Shankar also will engage in a unique hands-on learning experience as a member of a student research team. Shankar’s team will focus on designing STEM cell scaffolding that will aid in bone regeneration using chemical visualization software and 3D printing, among other tools. She was matched with her team and topic based on her interests in chemistry and biology, and her future career aspirations. All teams present their research findings at the conclusion of the STEM Scholars Program.

“The Biomedical Sciences Academy has played a vital role helping me define and pursue my goals,” Shankar said. “I was unsure of what path I wanted to pursue as a first-year student, but my coursework and the guidance I receive have allowed me to identify a clear path for myself in a field that I am passionate about.”

Shankar is a regular participant in the biology, chemistry and math leagues at North Hunterdon High School, which houses HCVSD’s BSA. She also is a gold and silver medalist for the high school’s National Latin Exam. She is president and founder of the BSA’s Brain Bee Club, which is ideal for students interested in neuroscience, and is treasurer of the BSA’s chapter of HOSA, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America. Shankar’s involvement in the BSA has helped connect her with additional learning opportunities, such as the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, which she attended virtually in late June. She also published two DNA sequences on GenBank through her participation in the competitive Rutgers’ WISE Program, also held this past summer.

The Biomedical Sciences Academy (BSA) is one of three full-time, science-based academies offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District. The others are the Computer Science and Applied Engineering Academy (CSAEA) and the Environmental Sustainability and Engineering Academy (ESEA). The district’s largest school is Hunterdon County Polytech Career and Technical School, a shared-time high school that prepares students for a seamless transition to college and career paths. HCVSD also operates an Adult and Continuing Education school. Learn more at www.hcvsd.org, where you can register for an upcoming Virtual Information Session on Nov. 14 or Dec. 10 and apply online for next academic year by Dec. 18.

All pupils will be given equal opportunity for enrollment in programs operated by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status (34 C.F.R. Part 100, Appendix B, Section IV-A). No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity which receives federal financial assistance, et seq (34 C.F.R. Part 104.4(a)(b).