McQuaid, Traver Named Intel Science Finalists

Two local students—four from Westchester and Fairfield counties—are among the 40 finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search, the nation's most prestigious pre-college science competition.

Finalists will gather in Washington, D.C., in March to compete for $630,000 in awards with the top winner receiving $100,000 from the Intel Foundation. The 40 finalists — announced Wednesday morning — were selected from 300 semifinalists and more than 1,700 entrants from across the country.

A week-long judging process from March 7-13 will allow the students time to meet with national leaders. In past years, this has included a visit with the president, interaction with preeminent scientists and display of their research to the public at the National Geographic Society. Top winners will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on March 12.

Science Talent Search alumni have gone on to win seven Nobel Prizes, two Fields Medals, five National Medals of Science, 11 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and even an Academy Award for Best Actress, according to Intel which has sponsored the competition for 15 years.

Finalists from the region include:

• Daniel McQuaid of Ossining High School—"Identification of post-translational regulation sites on the KLF6 tumor suppressor as novel targets for cancer therapies." 
• Jiayi Peng of Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua —"A Cellular Automaton Model for Critical Dynamics in Neuronal Networks."
• Chris Traver of Croton-Harmon High School in Croton-on-Hudson — "Investigating Noise Pollution Using Smartphones and Citizen Scientists."
• Stephen LeBreton of Greenwich (CT) High School — ''In Vivo Regeneration of Tooth Enamel using an Innovative Hydrophilic Polymer-Coated Retainer.'