The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math research competition for high school seniors. Regeneron STS recognizes and empowers the most promising young scientists in the U.S. who are creating the ideas and solutions that solve our most urgent challenges. 

Ambica Sharma’s project is titled, “Novel Aurora Kinase, EZH2 and BET Inhibitor Small Molecular Compound Combinations to Treat Glioblastoma Multiforme”. She, as well as W-L HS, will be awarded $2,000 for their efforts.

1st Place in Earth & Environmental Sciences James Licato “Development of a Zeolite Composite Material for the Simultaneous Removal of Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products (PPCPs) and Perflourinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water Treatment”.

Honorable Mention in Earth & Environmental Sciences Madi Goeke “A Solution to Plastic Pollution: An Investigation into Microplastic Removal from Water Using Ferrofluid”.

Senior James Licato has been named a Top 300 Scholar in the 80th Regeneron Science Talent Search. His science project titled Development of a Zeolite Composite Material for the Simultaneous Removal of Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products (PPCPs), and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water Treatment will now advance to final round of competition.

All three articles are about discoveries from a Virginia fossil site called the Fisher/Sullivan site which is located in the Nanjemoy formation. The Nanjemoy formation is the accumulation of sand and mud on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean 53 million years ago.
The Earth was so warm there were no polar ice caps and the Atlantic came up to the fall line (or roughly I-95). The site is about 5 miles east of the fall line, so it would have been off shore. Mostly, you find marine animals, but occasionally you find terrestrial animals, birds or fresh water animals as is the case with two of these discoveries.