NHS senior named top 300 scholar in prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search

Northport High School senior Dora Fields has been named a semifinalist and Top 300 Scholar in the 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students. 

Dora was recognized for her project, “Effects of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots (N-CDs) on Germination and Growth in Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) Seedlings Using Keratin-Based Hydroponic Substrates.”

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is regarded as the premier global competition for aspiring young scientists, showcasing innovative research projects from the next generation of leaders. Scholars are selected based on their ability to tackle complex scientific challenges and propose groundbreaking solutions.

The competition, sponsored by Regeneron and the Society for Science, received nearly 2,500 entries from 795 high schools across 48 states in the U.S. and 14 other countries. 

Each of the Top 300 Scholars receives a $2,000 award, with an additional $2,000 granted to their school to support science and research programs. From this elite group, 40 finalists will be announced on January 23 and invited to compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a weeklong competition in Washington, D.C. this March.

“To be named a Regeneron semifinalist is very exciting, and I am happy that this environmental work I am doing on a small laboratory scale is getting this type of recognition,” Fields said. “I feel that it is one step closer to the hydroponics industry being more sustainable.”