APS Students Earn Recognition at Virginia Junior Academy of Science Symposium and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

Arlington Public Schools students recently competed at the 2023 Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS) Symposium and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

VJAS Symposium
Almost 80 APS students were selected to present their scientific work at the 2023 VJAS Symposium, which was held virtually through William and Mary. VJAS, sponsored by the Virginia Academy of Science (VAS), encourages students in grades 7-12 to enter scientific research investigations in competition for awards at the annual VJAS Research Symposium to foster encouragement for students to continue their education in science, engineering, and related fields. The full list of awardees, as well as additional information about the organization and competition, can be found on the VJAS website.

The following students received awards in their sections, with some earning special awards and honors. Additionally, Mike Lovrencic (Yorktown – Chemistry) was given the Volunteer of the Year Award for Exceptional Service and Dedication for the work that he does with VJAS.

First Place

• Sophia Shoffner (Swanson): Ecology & Earth Sciences B
• Blake Thorsen (Williamsburg): Human Behavior
• Rina Kopylev (W-L): Chemistry B
• Alex Bartl (W-L): Environmental & Earth Science A
• Caroline South (W-L): Medicine & Health C
• Nicola Beaumont (H-B Woodlawn): Microbiology & Cell Biology A

Second Place

• Luka Tkabladze (Dorothy Hamm): Engineering & Technology
• Kyra Coronado-Wager (Dorothy Hamm): Physical Science & Astronomy
• Clara Amundson & Madeline Mangi (Williamsburg): Plant Science & Microbiology A
• Alba Edsall (W-L): Botany A
• Karin Anderson (W-L): Engineering A
• Elle Pickard (W-L): Environmental & Earth Science C
• Leila Silva (Yorktown): Environmental & Earth Science D
• Nadia Lach-Hab (W-L): Microbiology & Cell Biology B

Third Place

• Brandon Bedestani & Logan Abbott (Dorothy Hamm): Chemical Sciences A
• Lydia Tulchinsky (Dorothy Hamm): Chemical Science B
• Siddharth Ghosh (Williamsburg): Ecology & Earth Sciences A
• Maya Umerov-Todoroki (Williamsburg): Ecology & Earth Sciences B
• Gabriel Cohen (Dorothy Hamm): Engineering & Technology
• Jori Willford (Jefferson): Human Behavior
• Jacob Coleman (W-L): Botany A
• Anna Freeman (W-L): Chemistry A
• Olivia Bartrum (Wakefield): Medicine & Health A
• Daisy Maxwell (W-L): Microbiology & Cell Biology B

Honorable Mention

• Abby Knepper (Williamsburg): Chemical Science A
• Daisy Bell (Dorothy Hamm): Ecology & Earth Sciences A
• Egshiglen Ganbat (Dorothy Hamm): Ecology & Earth Sciences A
• Haya Malik (Kenmore): Engineering & Technology
• Sophie Parikh (Williamsburg): Engineering & Technology
• Isla Wearmouth (W-L): Botany B
• Shangwen Chen (Arlington Tech): Chemistry A
• Kate Floom (W-L): Chemistry A
• Sophia Vekony (Wakefield): Chemistry A
• Arianna Hellman (W-L): Chemistry B
• Krish Gupta (W-L): Engineering B
• Kedar Kambhampaty (W-L): Engineering B
• Roayba Adhi (W-L): Environmental & Earth Science A
• Frances Shapiro (W-L): Environmental & Earth Science D
• Kenshu Dieguez (Yorktown): Medicine & Health A
• Emma Ackleson (W-L): Microbiology & Cell Biology A
• Helen Hanke (W-L): Microbiolgy & Cell Biology A
• John Smaragdis (W-L): Microbiology & Cell Biology C

Special Awards and Honors

• Rina Kopylev (W-L): Rodney C. Berry Chemistry Award, VJAS Delegate to AJAS (Alternate)
• Nicola Beaumont (H-B Woodlawn): Ann M. Hancock Cellular Biology Award, Gamma Sigma Delta Award
• Janhvi Spahr (W-L): Dr. Smith Shadomy Infectious Diseases Award
• Evelyn Ortuno (W-L): Speleological Society Award
• Olivia Cozette (W-L): Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) Award
• Michele Lombard (Syphax): Franklin D. Kizer Distinguished Service Award
• Michael Lovrencic, Teacher (Yorktown, Chemistry): Volunteer of the Year Award for Exceptional Service and Dedication

Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and the Society for Science announced winners for the 2023 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) featuring over 1,600 young scientists representing 49 states and 64 countries across the world. H-B Woodlawn senior Julia Brodsky and Wakefield junior Olivia Bartrum were named finalists at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas.

Brodsky’s project Characterization and Genomic Analysis of Novel Acinetobacter baumannii Phages EAb3 and EAb7 for the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Infections competed in the category of Microbiology.

Bartrum’s project, Analysis of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds in Drug Absorption and Calculated Transdermal Permeability Utilizing the Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA) competed in the category of Biochemistry. She received the following awards:

• Third Place in Biochemistry and $1,000 award
• Long Island University Presidential Scholarship
• Westlake University Summer Scholarship