Indian American highschooler, Neel Moudgal, 17, of Saline, Michigan, won the top $250,000 prize in the 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the country's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition, an official statement noted.
Moudgal took home the first place honors and a cash prize of $250,000, among 40 finalists, for developing a computer model of the structure of RNA molecules using readily available data which helps in early diagnosis of diseases.
Indian American students, Ambika Grover, 17, was ranked sixth for an $80,000 award and Siddhu Pachipala, 18, placed ninth for a $50,000 prize. Pachipala also received the Seaborg Award and had the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Regeneron Scientific Talent Search Class of 2023.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search promotes and rewards a culture of idea sharing, critical thinking, and continual development by giving participants a platform to express fresh ideas and confront conventional wisdom. It also acts as a catalyst for the development of long-term answers to the most important problems facing the globe.
The evaluating panel takes into account how the students' research initiatives, creative thinking, and leadership traits reveal their potential to become future leaders in important STEM subjects, a news release stated.
