Students Win Top Prizes at STEM Competition

STEM Competition

Three students are named National Finalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, a research competition for high school students – covering science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Jay Zussman of Great Neck, N.Y. earned the top honors and a $3,000 individual scholarship for research on improving reproductive health through meiosis.

Research on aortic-derived mesenchymal stem cells earned William Crugnola of Jericho, N.Y. and Ekaterina (Katie) Mazalkova of Valley Stream, N.Y. the $6,000 team scholarship.

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The students presented their research this weekend to a panel of judges from Carnegie Mellon University, host of the Region Four Finals.

They will now present their work on a national stage in Washington, D.C., December 5-9, 2014, where $500,000 in scholarships will be awarded, including two top prizes of $100,000.

The Siemens Competition, a signature program of the Siemens Foundation, is administered by Discovery Education.

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“By investing a significant amount of their time and energy, these remarkable students are advancing research and exploration in critical fields,” said David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation. “I applaud these finalists for their outstanding achievements and wish them luck in the next phase of the competition.”

This year marks the 15th Anniversary of the Siemens Competition. A record 4,428 students registered for this year’s competition and submitted a total of 1,784 projects for consideration.

The Siemens Foundation supports educational initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the United States.