Indian American Teen Achutya Rajaram Wins Top Prize at Regeneron Science Talent Search
- Arnav Chakravarthy, of Cupertino, California, came in ninth; and Aditi Avinash of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was named the Seaborg Award winner.
Achutya Rajaram, 17, of Exeter, New Hampshire has won the top award in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, America’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. The Indian American teen won first place and $250,000 for developing an automatic method to discover which parts of a computer model are involved in decision-making. This knowledge sheds light on what these algorithms are “thinking,” which can help make them more effective, fair and safe.
Second place went to Thomas Cong, 17, of Ossining, New York, for investigating the rapid growth of certain cancers and whether information controlling metabolism is primarily controlled by the expression of genetic information. Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, came in third, for finding that second-order cone programming problems can be solved more quickly than previously thought by converting the original problem into a modified form.
The top 10 winners were chosen from 40 finalists announced in January based on their projects’ scientific rigor and their potential to become world-changing scientists and leaders.
“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search,” said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO, Society for Science and executive publisher of Science News. “The remarkable intellect and ingenuity of these students serves as an inspiration for us all. Their groundbreaking innovations are vital in uncovering the crucial solutions we need now to address our most intractable challenges.”
Through his research, Achutya Rajaram improved automatic discovery of visual circuits for the computer science project that he submitted to the Regeneron Science Talent Search. His key contribution to this effort was to develop an automatic method for recognizing which parts of the algorithms identify what. This knowledge sheds light on what these algorithms are ‘thinking,’ which can help make them more effective, fair, and safe. The son of Nivedita Chevvakula and Rajaram Ramaswamy Kumaraswamy, he attends Phillips Exeter Academy, where he is co-head of the physics, chemistry, and chess clubs. His passion for jazz drumming has led him to play in groups ranging from small combos to symphonic orchestras.
Ninth place went to Arnav Chakravarthy, of Cupertino, California. He received a $50,000 award for comparing the genetic origins of a type of immune cell, known as macrophages, in the brain, liver and bone marrow to learn more about how they replenish themselves. Most cells could be traced back to their embryonic beginnings, however, Chakravathy found evidence that certain brain cells may also be replenished from our bone marrow as we age. His findings may shed light on future targeted therapies for age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s. The son of Leena Vakil and Venkatesh Chakravarthy, he serves as state secretary of the California Future Business Leaders of America and is co-founder and CEO of an A.I.-powered startup that streamlines research and workflows for scientists. He has also captained the junior varsity tennis team at Homestead High School in Cupertino.
Aditi Avinash, 17, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was named the Seaborg Award winner and given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Regeneron Science Talent Search Class of 2024. The 40 finalists chose her as the student who most exemplifies their class and the extraordinary attributes of nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1951 and served on the Society’s Board of Trustees for 30 years. She found a combination of three enzymes effectively break down gluten proteins, which she believes has therapeutic potential for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The daughter of Padma Avinash and Senthil Avinash, she attends Rock Canyon High School, where she is president of the Science National Honors Society and Health Occupations Students of America. She’s also a classically trained Indian Kuchipudi dancer and Carnatic singer and can identify any Taylor Swift song within five seconds. She wants to earn her MD and PhD to combine “clinical compassion” with her “love of research.”