Two students from Bergen County Academies, have achieved national recognition in the highly competitive Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors.
Edward Kang, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey, earned Second Place and a $175,000 award for his groundbreaking research using retinal images to train artificial intelligence models to identify subtle patterns associated with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). His project resulted in the development of a screening tool called RetinaMind. In addition, Kang created retinal cell models to study gene changes that may help researchers better understand why these neurological differences occur.
Claire Jiang, 18, of Wyckoff, New Jersey, received Seventh Place and a $70,000 award for her research focused on Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Jiang developed a cellular model to study the disease by treating rheumatoid arthritis research cells with bone morphogenetic protein 4, a protein associated with joint damage in JIA. Her experiments demonstrated that the treated cells behaved similarly to JIA cells in their growth and gene expression, offering new insight into how the disease develops.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search annually recognizes the nation’s most promising young scientists for their original research, innovation, and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Being named among the competition’s top winners places Kang and Jiang among an elite group of students whose work has the potential to contribute to significant advancements in scientific research.
This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication, curiosity, and academic excellence of Bergen County Academies students, as well as the support of their mentors, educators, and the broader Bergen Tech community. Their accomplishments highlight the school’s commitment to fostering advanced research opportunities and preparing students to become the next generation of scientific leaders.
📸 Photo Credit (CA/AE): Chris Ayers Photography / Licensed by Society for Science
