Indian-American teen bags prestigious science talent search award

WASHINGTON: An Indian-American teen from Michigan has won the prestigious science talent search award for higher college students in the United States.
Neel Moudgal, 17, of Saline, Michigan, will obtain the USD 250,000 award in the 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search for generating a personal computer model that can swiftly and reliably predict the structure of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules applying only simply accessible information.
He believes it will make it less complicated to diagnose and treat specific ailments.
It is the oldest and most prestigious science and maths competitors for higher college seniors in the United States.
According to a statement, Neel’s computational model includes a library of probable shapes for a offered RNA molecule primarily based on its atomic structure. A statistical system assigns weights to every structure in the library, favouring structures that closely resemble experimental information. By applying 2D histograms for reweighting, his model eliminates the require to assign chemical shift information.
As several as 40 finalists, which includes Neel, have been honoured throughout a reside-streamed award ceremony emceed by American Broadcaster Soledad O’Brien. Extra than USD 1.eight million was awarded to the finalists, who have been evaluated primarily based on their projects’ scientific rigour, their exceptional issue-solving skills and their prospective to turn into leaders in STEM.
Second spot and USD 1,75,000 went to Emily Ocasio, 18, of Fairfax, Virginia, who utilised artificial intelligence to ascertain regardless of whether humanising language was utilised by the Boston Globe in the years spanning 1976-84 when describing homicide victims. She discovered that Black victims received much less humanising coverage than white victims.
Third spot and USD 1,50,000 went to Ellen Xu, 17, of San Diego, California, for building an algorithm that makes use of a smartphone photo of the patient to help in the diagnosis of Kawasaki illness, the major result in of acquired heart illness in youngsters in between one particular and 5.
“Congratulations to the winners of the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023,” stated Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of the Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News.
“These young leaders are the stewards of our future. I am in awe of their creativity and conviction,” she stated.