Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.

Anne Roe

The Stony Brook Young Investigators Review (SBYIR) is pleased to announce the results of the 2020 Young Investigators Writing Competition! Our competition invited high school students from Long Island to write brief articles in newspaper or literature review format to describe and engage the public in scientific societal controversies. Specifically, students entering grades 10-12 explored dilemmas regarding experimental therapy, neutral algorithms, environmental policy, and sustainable engineering.

With our competition, we hoped to create an accessible and remote route by which students in the Long Island community could get involved in the sciences. Despite this being our first year, we were able to receive entries from 121 students hailing from all over Long Island.

Today, we are excited to announce the quarterfinalists, semifinalists, and finalists of the 2020 Young Investigators Writing Competition! All winners, honorable mention recipients, and participants have received certificates congratulating them on their efforts. Articles by semifinalists and finalists have been posted to our journal site, sbyireview.com, under the YIWC 2020 Winning Articles page. Finalists will additionally be published in the Fall 2020 issue of our journal. Questions about the Young Investigators Writing Competition can be directed to younginvestigators@stonybrook.edu.

Quarterfinalists

These students scored in the top 10% in their track for their grade level.

10th Grade

Biology
Leeya Azemoun, George W. Hewlett High School

Computer Science
Arnav Hak, Jericho High School

Engineering
Alice Shvartsberg, George W. Hewlett High School

Environmental Science
Natalia Pszeniczny, General Douglas MacArthur High School

11th Grade

Biology
Justine Choi, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F Kennedy High School
Aman Mistry, Smithtown High School East
Janice Rateshwar, Jericho High School

Computer Science
Trevor Kim, Roslyn High School

Engineering
Sarah Ninan, Herricks High School

Environmental Science
Jonathan Chung, Smithtown High School East
Angela Zhu, Jericho High School

12th Grade

Biology
Yashita Chaudhary, Half Hollow Hills High School West
Benjamin Yacht, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F Kennedy High School

Computer Science
Dylan McCreesh, Smithtown High School East

Engineering
Jillian Martin, Half Hollow Hills High School East

Environmental Science
Lauren Avilla, Saint Anthony’s High School

Semifinalists

These students were selected for writing the top piece for their track in their grade level.

10th Grade

Leeya Azemoun, “The Questionable Validity of an FDA Approval”

Arnav Hak, “Correcting for Bias in Automated Decision Making: How to Better Solve for Disparities in Algorithmic Outputs”

Alice Shvartsberg, “A Sustainable Future in Technological Advancement”

Natalia Pszeniczny, “Who is to Blame for Earth’s Death?”

11th Grade

Aman Mistry, “Unraveling the Ethics Behind Experimental Drugs”

Trevor Kim, “Predictive Policing: Important Safeguards to Consider”

Sarah Ninan, “Bioremediation: Microorganisms and Eco-Friendly Decontamination”

Angela Zhu, “Environmental Policies: Can They be Beneficial for the Environment at the Cost of Economic and Personal Freedom?”

12th Grade

Yashita Chaudhary, “Beyond the Dichotomy: A Systematic Approach to Administering Experimental Therapies”

Dylan McCreesh, “Mitigating Automated Discrimination”

Jillian Martin, “Humanity and Technological Innovation”

Lauren Avilla, “Localization, Authenticity, & Intersectionality – Ingredients to the Effective Implementation of Environmental Policies”

Finalists

These students were selected for writing the top two pieces in their grade level. They will also be published in the Fall 2020 issue of our journal!

Arnav Hak, “Correcting for Bias in Automated Decision Making: How to Better Solve for Disparities in Algorithmic Outputs”

Natalia Pszeniczny, “Who is to Blame for Earth’s Death?”

Aman Mistry, “Unraveling the Ethics Behind Experimental Drugs”

Angela Zhu, “Environmental Policies: Can They be Beneficial for the Environment at the Cost of Economic and Personal Freedom?”

Yashita Chaudhary, “Beyond the Dichotomy: A Systematic Approach to Administering Experimental Therapies”

Dylan McCreesh, “Mitigating Automated Discrimination”

Congratulations to all!