$150,000 award goes to Ellen Xu (RSI ’22) in STEM competition.
McLean, Va. (March 16, 2023) — The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) is pleased to announce that Ellen Xu (RSI ’22), an alum of CEE’s 2022 Research Science Institute (RSI), placed third in the 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) science and math competition for high school seniors. She is the recipient of the $150,000 prize.
“I am so very proud of Ellen, who represents the future of U.S. global leadership in science and technology,” said Joann DiGennaro, CEE President.
Ms. Xu, a student at of Del Norte High School, San Diego, Calif., was selected from nearly 2,000 highly qualified entrants. Ms. Xu developed an algorithm that uses a smartphone photo of the patient to aid in the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease, the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children between one and five.
Four other 2022 RSI alumni were among the top 40 finalists: Angela Chen, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC; Madeleine de Belloy, Lycée Français de San Francisco, CA; Michelle Hua, Cranbrook Kingswood School, Bloomfield Hills, MI; and Sally Zhu, The Harker School, San Jose, CA. Thirty of CEE’s RSI alumni and two USA Biolympiad alumni were among the semi-finalists. Find a list of CEE scholars by state and their research projects here.
These students are building upon their extraordinary RSI experience, which included original, innovative research at RSI. RSI is widely recognized as the most prestigious international summer research program in the world for high school students. A six-week, summer enrichment program collaboratively sponsored with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), it emphasizes advanced theory and research in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). RSI participants experience the entire research cycle from start to finish. At RSI they read the most current literature in their field, draft and execute a detailed research plan, and deliver conference-style oral and written reports on their findings. One hundred of the world’s most accomplished high school students are selected annually to participate in this program, which is cost-free to all competitively selected students.
To date, nearly 3,000 high school students representing every U.S. state and 61 nations have experienced RSI. CEE alumni enjoy networking, and enrichment activities throughout their collegiate and professional careers. For more information about RSI, visit https://www.cee.org/programs/research-science-institute.
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About the Center for Excellence in Education
CEE, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. The Center’s mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to encourage collaboration between and among scientific and technological leaders in the global community. CEE sponsors the Research Science Institute (RSI), USA Biolympiad (USABO), Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP), and STEM Lyceums. CEE programs are provided cost-free to participating students and teachers. For more information, visit www.cee.org.
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