Three PHS students received recognition in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), the oldest and most prestigious high school science competition in the US. SMCS Senior Alyssa Yu was selected as a finalist, becoming the first PHS student to ever receive this recognition.

Three hundred STS semifinalists (Scholars) were recognized on Jan. 7, 2026, including PHS seniors Angela Dong, Azimullah Rifai, and Alyssa Yu. Each student received $2,000 for their accomplishments.

Yu was later selected as one of 40 finalists nationwide–the first Regeneron finalist in PHS history. She received $25,000 for her achievement .

STS was started in 1942 and is now recognized as the most prestigious science research competition for high schoolers. Every year from June to November, high school seniors are invited to submit individual research papers to the competition. The STS selects 300 semifinalists, 40 finalists, and 10 top winners, with a total reward pool of $3.1 million dollars. 

In early March, Yu and other Regeneron Finalists attended “Finals Week” in Washington, D.C., for another round of judging. Finals Week is highly anticipated every year as a chance for students to receive recognition and connect with researchers nationwide.

Yu expressed gratitude for being placed as a finalist.

“I’m happy that I’m able to share my research with a national audience and that my work has been recognized on this platform,” said Yu.

Yu’s winning research paper is titled “When Epidemics Meet: Understanding Spatiotemporal Interactions of Two Pathogens on Metapopulation Networks via Reaction-Diffusion Dynamics.” In short, it introduces a modeling framework that analyzes how two diseases interact while spreading simultaneously. Her research was conducted virtually under the mentorship of University of Illinois Chicago Professor Laura Schaposniklaur.

SMCS students like Yu are required to conduct internships in the summer before senior year and submit their research to at least two national or international competitions. Many students choose to submit to the Regeneron STS due to its resources and prestige.

SMCS Head of House Mr. Kevin Lee praised the competition as a resource for high schoolers.

“I think it’s phenomenal. I think, I mean, historically speaking, [it’s] clearly one of the biggest supporters of high school research in the entire country,” said Lee. “I think more students that are interested in researching should consider doing that because…the process of learning how to write research papers…[is] just so huge and Regeneron really supports that, you know, that growth for the students.”

Regeneron’s renown is not limited to just SMCS students. Other PHS semifinalists, Rifai and Dong, are both Global Ecology seniors who entered the competition of their own accord.

Dong’s paper is titled “Teaching Robots New Tasks With One Picture (TROP): A Use Case Development Using Edge AI Perception.”

Rifai’s is titled “Identification and Functional Validation of Single-Cell Resolved Myeloid Reprogramming Drivers in the Prostate Cancer Bone Metastatic Niche.”

Lee, who has read many student research papers, complimented the scope and breadth of research that PHS students conduct.

“To be 100% honest, there’s a lot of research that’s so specific that I don’t understand it, which to me, is the coolest part about it,” said Lee. “These are kids in high school that are doing such specific research, even other researchers don’t necessarily understand what they’re doing because [the students are] really deep into this.”

Finals Week took place from March 5-11. A Public Exhibition of Projects was held on March 8th. This event was open to the public, taking place at the Conrad Hotel in DC from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm EST. Attendees had the opportunity to talk to Regeneron Finalists about their award-winning research. The top 10 winners of the STS were announced on March 10, 2026 (STS website).

Yu expressed her passion for scientific research.

“Being able to contribute to the frontier of scientific knowledge has helped solidify my love for mathematics and science,” said Yu.

Lee encourages students to research and submit to the STS.

“You never know if you don’t try,” said Lee, “The worst thing that happens is you don’t do well, but you get feedback that helps you get better the next time. You can’t be afraid to fail, or fail in your eyes. You just have to get up to your own level.”