Region’s High School Scientists Compete For $100K

Two teams of high school students from Central Massachusetts will spend Nov. 7 and 8 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology competing in the Siemens Competition in Math Science & Technology regional finals.

Christine S. Lai and Diyang Tang from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton and Jonathan M. Toohill and Nikhil S. Thorat from the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester will compete against three other teams from around the country.

At stake is $6,000 in prize money and a chance to compete in the competition's national finals for $100,000.

The competitors will present their research projects to a panel of university judges. Past winners have tackled drug-resistant Tuberculosis, string theory and harnessing wave energy.

The competition is sponsored by the Siemens Foundation, which provides more than $7 million to educational initiatives in science, technology, engineering and math in the United States every year.