The 61st National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (NJSHS), celebrated at Virginia Beach on April 12-15, brought together 227 high school students from across the country and DoDEA-supported schools in Europe and the Pacific to present their original scientific research. 

This year’s top STEM talent left teachers, mentors, DoD STEM professionals and university faculty impressed with their innovative and creative approach to devising solutions to address today’s challenges and their unique application of science, math, technology, and engineering concepts.

“Every year we are astounded by the high quality of research conducted by our students and their ability to devise solutions to today’s most pressing challenges,” says Andrea Malenya, JSHS Project Manager. “We are honored to support them as they continue to pursue STEM by providing undergraduate scholarships and the opportunity to connect with top Department of Defense STEM professionals.”

During National JSHS, the poster and oral finalists presented their research to a panel of judges from the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force who are STEM professionals and experts in their field.

 Throughout the symposium, students also had the opportunity to participate in networking events and connect with professional researchers and DoD STEM professionals to learn more about their career pathways and current research projects. 

Several students had particularly long journeys to NJSHS but the trip was definitely worth it! Elizabeth Djajalie, from Thunder Mountain High School in Alaska, won first place in the Life and Behavioral Science oral competition for her research on Quantitative Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for the Enumeration of Pacific Salmon. McKenzie Mitchell, from Matthew C. Perry High School in Japan, representing the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Pacific JSHS Region, took second place in the Life and Behavioral Sciences oral competition for her research on The Effects of Mechanical Stress on Male and Female D. melanogaster General Activity and Survivorship. And Amelie Chen, from Pacific Horizon School in American Samoa, took third place in the Environmental Science oral competition for her research, Antipodal Algae: Energy Solutions for a Tropical Island.

Across the conference, students combined their passion for STEM with their hobbies and interests to develop their JSHS projects and solve problems in their communities, address issues in society and use evidence-based solutions to design a better future for all. 

Congratulations to all of our national finalists and the 2023 winners! Find the press release, here, and the full list of winners, below.  

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is a DoD-sponsored STEM program (U.S. Office of the Secretary of the Defense and the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force) administered by the National Science Teaching Association that invites high school students to conduct independent research projects in one of the eight STEM disciplines. To learn more about JSHS or sign up for your regional competitions, visit jshs.org.

1st Place Oral Presentations: earning $12,000 scholarships

Environmental Science
Samara Davis, New York – Upstate, Ossining High School
Developing Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for the Detection of Elusive Vernal Pool-Breeding Amphibians

Biomedical Sciences
Aden Geonhee Lee, New England Northern, Phillips Exeter Academy
Polystyrene Microplastics Exacerbate Neuroinflammation in Obese Condition

Life and Behavioral Sciences
Elizabeth Djajalie, Alaska, Thunder Mountain High School
Quantitative Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for the Enumeration of Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.)

Medicine and Health
Minnie Liang, Indiana, West Lafayette Jr/Sr High School
Identification of Pancreatic Cancer Driver Genes with a Novel Machine Learning Approach: Principal Features

Engineering and Technology
Ava Bhowmik, California Northern, The Harker School
A Novel Home-Built Metrology to Analyze Oral Fluid Droplets and Quantify the Efficacy of Masks

Math and Computer Science
Anu Iyer, Arkansas, Little Rock Central High School
VAST (Voice and Spiral Tool): A Novel Multimodal Machine Learning Method to Detect Parkinson’s Disease and Assess Severity

Physical Sciences
Harish Krishnakumar, Washington, Nikola Tesla STEM High School
Analysis of Ring Galaxies Detected Using Deep Learning with Real and Simulated Data

Chemistry
Ryan He, Illinois, University of Illinois Laboratory High School
Integrating 3D Printing into Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Fabrication

2nd Place Oral Presentations: earning $8,000 scholarships

Environmental Science
Victoria Yakes, New Jersey Southern, Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES)
Analysis Of Tannin Interference on Enterolert* 250 Testing of Enterococcus

Biomedical Sciences
Ambika Grover, Connecticut, Greenwich High School
Design of a Novel, Dual-Functioning, Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Factor XI Inhibiting Anticoagulant Therapeutic for Rapid Ischemic Stroke Treatment

Life and Behavioral Sciences
McKenzie Mitchell, DoDEA Pacific, Matthew C. Perry High School
The Effects of Mechanical Stress on Male and Female D. melanogaster General Activity and Survivorship

Medicine and Health
Adrit Rao, California Northern, Palo Alto High School
Enabling Ankle-Brachial Index Prediction from Doppler’s Using Deep Learning for Peripheral Arterial Disease Diagnosis

Engineering and Technology
Vedant Srinivas, Washington, Eastlake High School
Biomimicry of Boxfish: A Computational Analysis and Wind Tunnel Study of the Aerodynamic Drag Reduction of Class 8 Heavy Vehicle Trailers

Math and Computer Science
Yunjia Quan, North Carolina, Charlotte County Day School
Improving Bitcoin’s Post-Quantum Transaction Efficiency with a Novel Lattice-Based Aggregate Signature Scheme Based on CRYSTALS-Dilithium and a STARK Protocol

Physical Sciences
Christy Li, Maryland, Montgomery Blair High School
Optimal Design of Arbitrary Waveguide Bends for Footprint-Efficient and Low-Loss Silicon Photonic Resonators

Chemistry
Joshua Pillai, California Southern, Woodbridge High School
Novel Bilayer Elasto-Hydrogel Adhesive Film for Facilitating Wet-Occlusive Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis

3rd Place Oral Presentations: earning $4,000 scholarships

Environmental Science
Amelie Chen, Hawaii and Pacific, Pacific Horizon School
Antipodal Algae: Energy Solutions for a Tropical Island

Biomedical Sciences
Sarah Jennings, New York – Upstate, Ossining High School
Electron Transport Chain Acts as Potential Regulator of ER-Mitochondria Interactions

Life and Behavioral Sciences
Elaina McHargue, Kansas-Nebraska-Oklahoma, Central City High School
Using Image Analysis to Study the Effects of Carbon:Nitrogen Ratios in Mock Root Exudates on E. Coli Chemotaxis

Medicine and Health
Sirihaasa Nallamothu, Illinois, University High School
Supervised Binary Convolutional Neural Networks with Model Stacking for Diagnosis of Fundus & Eyelid Diseases

Engineering and Technology
Aryan Kalluvila, Wisconsin/Upper Peninsula Michigan, Hartford Union High School
An Accurate Super-Resolution Approach for Low-Field MRIU Imaging via U-Net Network

Math and Computer Science
Sophie Chen, Louisiana, Caddo Parish Magnet High School
Intraoperative Histological Analysis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor Margins using a Convolutional Neural Network

Physical Sciences
Bryn Morgan, Ohio, West Geauga High School
DSLR Camera Photometry

Chemistry
Kyra Henriques, Florida, Oviedo High School
Analysis of the Microplastic Removal Efficiency of Synthesized Ferrofluids and the Development of an Automated Prototype for Aquatic Environments

1st Place Poster Presentations

Environmental Science
Kennesha Garg, California Northern, American High School

Biomedical Sciences
Neel Ahuja, New Jersey Northern, Millburn High School

Life and Behavioral Sciences
Matthew Chang, California Southern, Woodbridge High School

Medicine and Health
Emma Markowitz, New England Northern, Homeschool

Engineering and Technology
Samhita Pokkunuri, New Jersey Northern, Old Bridge High School

Math and Computer Science
Rohan Kalahasty, Greater Washington, D.C., Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Physical Sciences
Camellia Sharma, Virginia, Mills E. Godwin High School

Chemistry
Maritza Roberts, Arizona, BASIS Tucson North

2nd Place Poster Presentations

Environmental Science
Naomi Park, Connecticut, Greenwich High School

Biomedical Sciences
Albert Bai, New England Northern, John Bapst Memorial High School

Life and Behavioral Sciences
Sneha Vashistha, Indiana, Carmel High School

Medicine and Health
Rachel Tao, Hawaii and Pacific, Waiakea High School

Engineering and Technology
Elizabeth Knipper, Iowa, Beckman Catholic

Math and Computer Science
Lucas Pu, Pennsylvania, North Allegheny High School

Physical Sciences
Emily Alemán, Puerto Rico, CROEC

Chemistry
Isabel Jiang, California Northern, Crystal Springs Uplands School

3rd Place Poster Presentations

Environmental Science
Hope Rosenbush, Hawaii and Pacific, Kamehameha Schools

Biomedical Sciences
Michelle Li, Georgia, North Oconee High School

Life and Behavioral Sciences
Joshua Martoma, Florida, Pine Crest School

Medicine and Health
Shalmali Rao, Virginia, Academies of Loudoun

Engineering and Technology
Cuthbert Steadman, New England Northern, Bangor High School

Math and Computer Science
Summer Li, Kentucky, DuPont Manual High School

Physical Sciences
Joseph Field, New Jersey Southern, Freehold High School

Chemistry
Jonah Ferber, Florida, Pine Crest School