• Lauren Rapavy of Vienna earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration, cum laude, during recent commencement exercises at the College of Charleston.
• Zachary Sisung of Vienna has been named a presidential scholar for the fall semester at Clarkson University.
• Alex Nahigian of Vienna has been named to the president’s list for the fall semester at Miami University.
• Cassie Herman of Vienna, Mia Zurich of Great Falls, Robert Luebke of McLean, Matt Viola of McLean, Victoria Eachus of Vienna, Claire Fulton of McLean and Isabella Obradovich of McLean have been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Miami University.
• Elisabeth Bass, Rebecca Damelin, Chrloe Nie, Sophie Smith and Erin Schlegel of McLean; Roberts Jansons and Nikhil Trivedi of Oakton; and Samuel Biddick, Isabell Butler, Caitlynn Hastings, Yifan Jia, Candace May, Caden Miller, Cole Remy, Miranda Simpson, Mallory Vaudo and Brendan Wheeler of Vienna have been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at the University of Wisconsin Madison.
• Eight Fairfax County Public Schools students and three from private schools in the GazetteLeader coverage area are among the 300 top scholars in the 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Search, with 40 finalists to be named on Jan. 24.
The competition is sponsored by the Society for Science. The 300 scholars will be awarded $2,000 each and their schools will be awarded $2,000 for each enrolled scholar.
Student selected from the GazetteLeader coverage area:
> Kunal Bham, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, whose project is “Discovering Hidden Pathways: A Network-Centric Approach Reveals Novel Pathways Impacted by Prader-Willi Syndrome.”
> David Cao, Thomas Jefferson, “The Implications of ‘Oumuamua on Panspermia.”
> Seoyoung Jun, Thomas Jefferson, “Integrated Assistive Technology for the Visually Impaired – Implementation of a 3D Scanner With a Tactile Display and Machine Learning in Obstacle Identification.”
> Rohan Kalahasty, Thomas Jefferson, “Hybrid Plasticity: Adaptive, Brain-Like Artificial Intelligence via Prefrontal Cortex-Inspired Meta-Learning.”
> Ryan Kim, Thomas Jefferson, “Hybrid Quantum-Classical Machine Learning for Dementia Dete.”
> Kiran Myneni, James Madison High School, “Public Health Strategies for Disease Mitigation in the SIR Model.”
> William Zhang, Thomas Jefferson, “Synchronization-Free Light Sheet Microscopy for 3-Dimensional Tissue Imaging.”
> Brian Lee Zhou, Thomas Jefferson, “Novel Data-Driven and Constraint-Guided Deep Learning Models Optimize a Multi-Objective Flapping Fin Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Control System.”
> Arav Bhargava, Potomac School, “Low-Cost, 3D-Printed, Universal-Fit, Transradial Socket for Amputees in Developing Countries.”
> Max Zeldes, Potomac School, “Improvement to Electroencephalography-Based Imagined Speech Brain-Computer Interfaces Using a Targeted, Dense Array of Electrodes With Scalp Current Density Calculations.”
> Chelsea Hu, Age, BASIS Independent McLean, “Silk Fibroin Microspheres: An Innovative Approach To Improve Drug Delivery to the Lungs for the Treatment of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (NRDS).”
The Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars were selected from 2,162 applications from 712 high schools across 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 10 foreign countries.
Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays and recommendations.
The 40 finalists to be announced on Jan. 24 will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a week-long (March 6-13) competition in Washington, D.C.
• McKenzie Watt, an eighth-grader at Potomac School in McLean, was recognized nationally for her winning entry in the NSDAR (National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution) American History Contest.
Watt, the daughter of Philip and Andrea Watt of McLean, placed second in the country for her grade, earned a $1,000 scholarship and received a medal, certificate and history book, along with national recognition.
Watt was sponsored by the Freedom Hill chapter, NSDAR, of McLean. This marks the first time the Freedom Hill chapter has sponsored a national winner. She was honored at the December Freedom Hill chapter meeting for her accomplishments.
More than 21,000 students in grades 5-8 from across the country competed in the contest this year. Participants were asked to imagine they were a delegate during the Second Continental Congress and to share what is important to accomplish for their colony. Watt chose Virginia and argued for independence in her essay.
Watt donated a portion of her winnings back to the community and to Freedom Hill to help support DAR youth and educational activities.
• George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) has announced the recipients of the fifth round of its Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards.
Two alumna were chosen based on the artistic excellence, career impact and feasibility of their proposals and will receive financial, marketing and production support to have their projects presented by the college at a Mason Arts venue during the 2024–25 season.
Jumana Al Refai (Dance ’17) received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in commissioning support for “Tashkeel,” a collaboration that explores all aspects of “Haraka” – the Arabic word for movement – including language, landscape, music, and connection.
The final product will be a short film, featuring dancers from abroad as well as Al Refai as dancer and choreographer.
Rebecca Wahls (Theater ’15) received the Young Alumni Creative Development Award and $3,000 in commissioning support of “Him,” a feature-length ensemble comedy film.
The film follows the final five contestants on a reality dating show, whose world is turned upside down as they discover a dark truth about their “suitor.” Wahls directed, co-wrote, and co-produced “Him,” alongside actor and writer Trey Higgins.
“In this fifth round of the Project’s commissions, the creative energy of Mason Arts alums continues to shine brightly,” said Rick Davis, dean of Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. “The two projects awarded this year both use the medium of film in fascinating ways, whether to celebrate movement and dance through the lens of Arabic poetry or to explore both the comic and the darker sides of reality TV.”
Over the past five years, 16 CVPA alumni have been granted awards from $2,500 to $5,000 to support the creation of a new artistic work for projects in film, dance, visual art, music and game design.
To be considered for this year’s award, applicants must have graduated from CVPA from the class of 2013 and after. Proposals could include original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition or screening in a Mason Arts venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include Mason’s traditional theater spaces, galleries and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues, including digital spaces, were also considered.
The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists, and by donors to Mason’s previous Giving Day, including Shugoll Research.
