JSHS Semifinalists Study Plastic Alternatives, the Halo Effect, and More

A strong crop of science research students reached the semifinals of the NYC Metro JSHS at York College this year. Photo: @midwoodscience

By HAN XIN OU YANG and NATHANAELLE JOSEPH

Seniors Ahlam Judeh, Ashley Chen, Benjamin Brinzensky, Denny Ting, Fei Yang Zhang, Gautam Saji, Gavin Rice, and Zongle Yang presented their research projects at the regional NYC Metro Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) 2025 semifinal at York College on February 9.

The NYC Metro JSHS is a regional science research competition funded by the Department of Defense with approximately three hundred applicants. Participants are organized into their relative disciplines, such as biomedical, chemistry, and physical science. One or two group members then present their projects in front of a panel of three judges.

Ms. Stacy Goldstein, one of the science research teachers, attended the fair.

”I was impressed by all of the students’ projects,” said Ms. Goldstein. “They work on them for about a year, spending a lot of time in the lab and on their presentation skills.”

In the Midwood Science Research program, students focus on a topic of their choice and form projects they present at competitions such as JSHS.

“It’s a lot of work and dedication, but it’s great because students get to explore topics they are interested in,” said Ms. Goldstein.

The students in the program also get to work with college professors to develop their projects further.

Ashley Chen and Ahlam Judeh conducted data science research under Professor Sheena Philogene at Brooklyn College. They expanded on Professor Philogene’s research into how geographic location influences breast cancer cases in New York City. Chen and Judeh utilized Python code in Colab Notebook, a coding platform from Google Workspace, to analyze their datasets.

“Junior and senior research tests how well you can take time out of your day [to work on your projects],” said Chen. “It’s a commitment but a worthwhile one.”

Zongle Yang, Benjamin Brinzensky, and Gautam Saji worked with Professor Domenec Paterno from Brooklyn College on modifying ethyl cellulose, a polymer derived from sugars in plant cell walls. They used four types of vegetable oil to determine if cellulose films, biodegradable alternatives to plastics, could be more flexible and better able to store electrical energy. 

Although Yang’s group didn’t make it to the finals, “the experience and food made up for it,” he said.

Gavin Rice and Denny Ting’s project was on the effect of facial attractiveness on perceived criminal sentencing. They used Survey Monkey software to randomize faces shown to those who participated in the experiment and found that more attractive robbery suspects were given milder prison sentences than less attractive suspects. 

The team got the idea when they learned about the “halo effect” in AP Psychology: how a positive perception of someone’s attractiveness influences views about their other traits. “That defendants who are conventionally attractive, such as Cameron Herrin and Luigi Mangione, gained large amounts of traction advocating for their release increased our interest in this topic,” said Ting.

With help from Dr. Burgos da Silva from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Fei Yang Zhang used mouse models to investigate the role of mucous membranes, the soft tissue that protects the body from harmful substances by trapping them in the mucous of the intestines. The research has many health implications for human diseases.

“[My mentors’] help makes my research journey a fun and inspiring part of my life,” said Zhang, who plans to continue research in college and collaborate with professors who are involved with stem cell transplants.

This is the first year the science research program has worked with an organization called Irondale to help with presentation skills.

Competitions “help you with communication skills,” said Rice. “Originally, before I started the course, I never presented properly. But in research, they force you to get good at presenting and writing.”

Any advice for future research students? “Communicate with your teacher, and reach out to professors and mentors by cold emailing,” said Chen. “Don’t give up on something because it’s too hard.”

The NYC Metro JSHS and the scientific research track at Midwood allow students to be exposed to many interdisciplinarities in science. Sharing discoveries and learning from others, these young researchers become part of a larger community dedicated to exploring and understanding the world around them.