Schools
SSHS’s Benjamin Hawriluk Named Intel Science Competition Semifinalist
The RVC teen was recognized for his pancreatic cancer research.
As Benjamin Hawriluk begins the second half of his senior year at , he's not only looking forward to graduation, but whether he'll advance in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) after recently being named a semifinalist in the prestigious science competition.
Founded in 1942, the Intel STS is a national competition that affords high school seniors an opportunity to present original science research to a panel of professional scientists. According to the Society For Science & The Public, the Intel STS chose 300 students out of 1,744 applicants for this year’s contest to compete for more than $1 million in awards.
Influenced by his own grandparents battles with cancer, Hawriluk spent the past year collecting the latest data and conducting research on pancreatic cancer while interning at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center lab. “After reading through many scientific papers and consulting with other lab members, I realized the grave nature of this horrible disease,” he said.
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According to Herb Weiss, director of South Side High School's science research program, Hawriluk used strategies he developed in mathematics, biology and chemistry to understand and develop the results of his research.
“Ben has a passion for all the disciplines of science, and that is why the project on bio-informatics was so appealing to him,” Weiss said. “Having a semifinalist [in the school] shows all the students what they are capable of achieving if they are persistent and work hard.”
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Hawriluk, who will find out at the end of the month if he made it to the competition’s final round, said that he looks to the SSHS community for support. “All of my science and mathematics teachers have been tremendously helpful and supportive in the Intel STS application process,” he said. “When the names [of the semifinalists] were released, all of my friends called and sent me congratulatory text messages.”
Although Hawriluk has not yet decided where he will attend college in the fall, he would like to continue his science studies. “I'm passionate about science, especially physics and mathematics, and I really want to keep all of my options available,” he explained. “I’m curious to see what new areas of research arise as science and technology advances.”
