Biocomplexity Institute Mentee Andrew Yuan Named Regeneron Science Talent Search Top 300 Scholar
The Biocomplexity Institute would like to congratulate Andrew Yuan of Poolesville High School on being named a Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) Top 300 Scholar. Now in its 82nd year, the Regeneron STS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors. It recognizes promising young scientists who are generating innovative solutions to solve significant global challenges through rigorous research and discoveries.
Zirou Qiu, a PhD candidate in the Computer Science Department in the School of Engingeering and Applied Sciences at UVA, and Dr. Madhav Marathe, computer science professor, Distinguished Professor in Biocomplexity, and division director of the Network Systems Science and Advanced Computing Division for the Biocomplexity Institute at UVA, mentored Andrew for his original independent research on “Assigning Agents To Increase Network-Based Community Diversity.” Andrew was part of the Institute team that submitted a paper on the topic to the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS) 2023. The paper was among the only 23 percent accepted for AAMAS, which will take place May 29 to June 2 in London.
“Though still in high school, Andrew’s background in discrete mathematics and algorithms is comparable to that of a bright college student majoring in Computer Science,” said Zirou. “More importantly, he is enthusiastic about research and has already demonstrated the ability to do publishable research. I enjoyed working with him and am confident he has a very bright future. I look forward to seeing big things from him in the years ahead.”
Andrew also participated in the Biocomplexity Institute’s Computing for Global Challenges (C4GC) program – a summer program that attracts bright undergraduates from across the country to work closely with mentors on problems motivated by real applications.
“Andrew has outstanding mathematical skills for his age, and thus, we made special exception for him to participate in our C4GC program,” Marathe said. “Therefore, I was not surprised when I heard that Andrew admitted to MIT. I want to thank Zirou for mentoring Andrew – it is a wonderful example of how our graudate students can participate productively in a team science environment.”
The STS Top Scholars were chosen based on their original research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity, and exceptional promise as STEM leaders as exemplified through their independent research projects, essays, and recommendations. They were selected from nearly 1,950 students from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and four other countries. The full list of Regeneron Top 300 Scholars is available here.
The Regeneron STS Top 300 Scholars are awarded $2,000 each and their schools receive an additional $2,000 to use toward STEM-related activities. Yuan is a currently a senior at Poolesville High School in Poolesville, Md., and was recently accepted to MIT where he will attend in the fall.
The Biocomplexity Institute is committed to a culture of mentoring with the goal of shaping the next generation of outstanding scientists. From the most experienced Institute professors and laureates to thriving graduate students and exceptional high school scholars, the Institute aims to prepare the scientists of tomorrow to anticipate, recognize, and respond to some of society’s most urgent and complex problems.