Central Bucks Lauds Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Central Bucks School District this week publicly recognized two high achieving students for being named Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) Scholars.

“Tonight we recognize two phenomenal young men who, only half way through their senior years, have already achieved at the very highest levels in STEM research in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS),” said Mark Hayden, who teaches AP Chemistry and who has sponsored dozens of students in STEM research competitions.

Central Bucks High School East senior Mason Matich and Central Bucks High School West senior Lance Xu will be awarded $2,000 each. They also earn $2,000 for their home schools to be put toward STEM activities.

For his STS project, Lance Xu explored, “The Correlation of Different Demographics to the Effects of Different Types of Framing in Medical Contexts.”

“Lance is a leader and a winner. He’s hoping to attend medical school and pursue an M.D./Ph.D. which would enable him to become a physician/researcher,” said Hayden.

Matich’s project, “dataBASE DNA Data Storage,” involves storing information within DNA, specifically storing data for space travel.

“Over the years few students have had greater success in research than Mason. I was in attendance while he was in eighth grade when he earned the top special award at the Bucks County Science Research Competition,” said Hayden. “In his ninth grade project he tested whether slim mold could be used as a route finding AI trainer for apps like Google Maps. In 10th grade he did a project that analyzes whether cicada wings were comparable to existing engineered hydrophobic surfaces as a more environmental opportunity to products containing PFAS.”

Mason is in his second year at the biotech program where he continues to work on his DNA data storage research. "He’s also a leader and a winner," said Hayden. He plans to pursue a degree in engineering.

The talent search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors. This year more than 1900 students applied from around the world.

“Even the application is a high bar,” said Hayden. “Students spend weeks planning their own original projects and completing the required paperwork. And this is all to get the work started.

“After that students typically spend months executing the projects - collecting data, finalizing their setups, analyzing results and consulting with experts. They create products to share the results with others," said Hayden. "To finish the STS application, these students have to draft a research report that’s approximately 20 pages long with very technical science writing. They also write essays, secure references from multiple adults. And after all of that the projects are reviewed by experts in the field.”

Out of the 1900 who submitted, only 300 were recognized as STS Scholars, said Hayden, and two of the scholars are students who attend Central Bucks, “which is tremendous.

“They join an elite group of researchers who have gone on to earn the world’s top, most coveted science prizes,” said Hayden. “Thirteen Nobel laureates and 14 MacArthur Fellows are among the STS Scholars.

“What’s even more impressive is that this competition seeks to recognize the whole researcher not just the research product that comes out of the process," said Hayden. "They are looking for 'outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders.'”

The Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars were selected from 1,949 applications from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and four other countries.

Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent
research projects, essays and recommendations.

The 300 scholars hail from 194 American and international high schools in 35 states and China.