NHP 8th Grader Named 2016 Johns Hopkins CTY Cogito Research Award Winner

New Hyde Park Memorial High School eighth-grader Megha Gopal was named one of ten 2016 Johns Hopkins CTY Cogito Research Award winners.

Gopal will receive a $599 grant and guidance from a mentor to develop her idea “An Innovative Way to Clean Up Our Landfills.” As part of her research, Megha plans to identify a fungus or other microorganism that can efficiently decompose Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used to make plastics. Some studies have suggested that BPA, present in everything from DVDs to water bottles, might pose a threat to the stability of ecosystems. If Megha succeeds, the microorganism could be released into landfills, providing an environmentally safe and economical way to eliminate BPA from the environment.

Story by Syntax, Photo courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District: New Hyde Park Memorial High School eighth-grader Megha Gopal was named one of ten 2016 Johns Hopkins CTY Cogito Research Award winners.