Left to Right: 2nd place winner, Aaron Weinberg; 1st place winner, Nora Morton; 3rd place winner, Shrey Kumar; 4th place winner, Riya Raina; 5th place winner, Sebastion Lashmet.
Rome, NY – February 14, 2025 – Recently, the Griffiss Institute and Innovare Alliance Member, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) hosted the New York Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), a prestigious STEM research competition that brought together the brightest high school students to present groundbreaking research. The event highlighted the importance of scientific innovation and the role of young researchers in shaping the future.
The event, held on February 1st, involved 72 youths from 25 NYS high schools. The finalists were selected from a pool of 679 applicants, making NY-Upstate JSHS one of the largest of the 48 regional competitions in the country.
Heather Hage, President and CEO of the Griffiss Institute, emphasized the impact of JSHS, stating: “The world needs well-prepared and ethical scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs now more than ever. The JSHS event empowers upstate New York youth with opportunities to advance science in service of our great nation.”
Throughout the one-day symposium held at Innovare Advancement Center in Rome, NY, students showcased research spanning various STEM disciplines, with their work evaluated by a panel of esteemed judges from academia, industry, and government sectors.
Winnie S. Boyle, Senior Director of Competitions at the National Science Teachers Association, expressed admiration for the students’ work, noting: “These students are so impressive in the caliber of research that they do, and it’s really inspiring for the future of our workforce and country.”
She further underscored the importance of collaboration: “At the National JSHS office, we really value our partnerships, and this event is doing a really good job at highlighting how our partnerships are effective.”
Boyle also praised the level of research, adding: “JSHS is in a category of its own – the level of research these students are doing is incredible. These are the changemakers. You look around this room and these are the kids that are going to change the world.”
The top five winners from the NY-Upstate JSHS will represent the region at the National JSHS competition in Chantilly, VA, in April:
- Nora Morton (1st place), Environmental Science, Horace Greeley High School
- Aaron Weinberg (2nd place), Biomedical Science, The Masters School
Both will compete in the oral research competition at NJSHS. The following students will present their research in the poster competition at NJSHS:
- Shrey Kumar (3rd place), Mathematics and Computer Science, Horace Greeley High School
- Riya Raina (4th place), Life and Behavioral Science, Briarcliff High School
- Sebastian Lashmet (5th place), Mathematics and Computer Science, Byram Hills High School
This is an all-expenses-paid trip. Students will compete for JSHS scholarships, connect with peers from across the country, and engage with scientists and engineers from the Department of Defense (DoD). The national event will also expose participants to key areas of interest within DoD STEM.
The connection between Griffiss Institute and RIT in this event further highlights our shared mission to advance STEM education. RIT currently administers the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) Internships and Fellowships, while Griffiss Institute supports U.S. Air Force and Space Force STEM initiatives.
Donna Burnette, Executive Director of Rochester Institute of Technology K-12 University Center, highlighted this collaborative effort: “Our partnership is really intentional here in bringing together government, industry, and academia with the common goal of nurturing the region’s STEM talent pool.”
Chief Talent Officer of Griffiss Institute, Todd Humiston, stated: “The idea to foster a pipeline for students from across the state to have an opportunity as they do with this program through JSHS amplifies our mission at Griffiss Institute as well as our partnership with RIT being part of the Innovare Alliance. The resources to support the next generation of talent in science and engineering co /me from working together to allow them to succeed, as they are the future.”
As one of the nation’s leading STEM competitions, JSHS continues to inspire young scientists and engineers, providing them with the opportunity to engage in original research and present their findings at a high level.
For more information on this incredible opportunity, please visit https://www.rit.edu/k12/junior-science-and-humanities-symposium.