Edison Academy students reach semifinals of STEM competition

Middlesex County Academy students reach semifinals of STEM competition

Two juniors at the Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Technology in Edison have been named semifinalists in the Siemens Competition, the nation’s premier competition in math, science and technology for high school students.

Malavika Vivek and Anjali Gupta, both of Edison, were selected from more than 1,600 students who submitted innovative individual and team research projects.  They were mentored by Dr. Jonathan Spergel of the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

The title of their project is "Development of a Two-Class Neural Network
Algorithm for Tree Nut Cross-Reactivity."

“These semi-finalists should be extremely proud of this high-level academic accomplishment,” said David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation. “Their projects represent some of the most noteworthy and exceptional of those submitted and reflected an advanced level of STEM research.”

Judging of the 400 semifinalists is now taking place to determine who will go on to compete in six regional finals in November.  Individual and team winners from the regional competitions will advance to the final phase of the contest in December in Washington, D.C. The top prizes include up to $100,000 in scholarships. 

Launched by the Siemens Foundation in 1999, the Siemens Competition promotes excellence in math, science and technology and is recognized by colleges and universities as the premier math and science research competition in the United States. For more information, go to siemenscompetition.discoveryeducation.com.

The Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Technology is one of the five campuses of the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District, the first full-time county vocational school district in the nation. The Edison Academy has been named a National Blue Ribbon School and also was singled out as one of the nation’s best high schools by U.S. News & World Report, receiving Gold Medal honors in the magazine’s rankings for the last four years.

More information on the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools is available at www.mcmsnj.net.

10/31/16