2013 Los Angeles Science Olympiad
Boomilever Second Place: My partner’s and my boomilever (wooden arm designed to hold weight) was the second lightest entry that successfully supported the maximum weight.
Elastic Launch Glider First Place: Our rubber band-launched wooden glider won for having the longest combined time of two trials.
Forty-eight teams competed in the LA Science Olympiad.
2013 Siemens Competition Semifinalist
I was awarded semifinalist status for my research studying the application of tagging EphB4 antibodies (molecules that seek out and, in this case, break down EphB4) with various utility compounds for use in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Because EphB4 is located only in cancerous cells, tagging antibodies with fluorescent dye facilitates the detection of cancers much smaller than those identifiable by current methods. We have also found that the dye-antibody complex can detect cancer cells in the blood stream, which will enable doctors to stage cancers more accurately and foresee recurrence in cancer survivors. Also, presence of EphB4 in cancers is a predictor that standard methods will be relatively ineffective, so being able to detect EphB4 allows for better treatment responses. Finally, tagging EphB4 antibodies with chemotherapeutic substances will provide such toxins with direct access to cancer cells, which would minimize harm to healthy cells and allow doctors to prescribe much smaller dosages of chemotherapy.
2013 Toshiba Exploravision Honorable Mention (Top 10%)
Based on the research we conducted with Dr. Subramanyan at USC, my partner and I submitted a project to the Toshiba Exploravision competition. Our project details the design and function of the proposed protein sEph-B4, a proposed protein that would target the protein EphB4 found in cancer cells. By negating the two survival benefits that EphB4 provides cancer cells, sEph-B4 would thereby destroy cancers using multiple mechanisms. Because, in adults, EphB4 is exclusively found in cancerous tissue and is located on the outer surface of cells, therapy targeting it can be administered intravenously and would have mild potential side effects.
As per the competition’s requirements, the paper also outlines the history and current technology of cancer therapy, analyzes our design process, describes breakthroughs needed for future development of the technology, and discusses the advantages of our proposed treatment.
Presidential Service Award: Bronze, Silver, and Gold
Awarded for my work with Simply Savant.
Congressional Award Bronze Medal
The Congressional Award is an award issued to young Americans for setting goals in the areas of Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration, and achieving these goals. I achieved my goals in these respective areas by providing service to my community through Simply Savant, improving my musical compositional skills and composing a concert piece, really focusing on developing my serve in tennis, and travelling to the East Coast.
Class of 2014 National Merit Semifinalist
Achieved with a PSAT score of 232.
2013 AIME Qualifier
Awarded for passing the AMC 12.
Harvard-Westlake Honor Roll
Awarded for maintaining a GPA above 3.333, earning a B- or higher in all honors and AP classes and a B or higher in all other classes, and fulfilling the community service requirement.
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
Awarded for high achievement in my AP Spanish class.
National AP Scholar
Awarded for receiving an average score of 4 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on at least eight of these exams.
AP Scholar with Distinction
Awarded for receiving an average score of 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on at least five of these exams.
