Twenty four RKYHS student groups presented their original research to representatives of the New Jersey Academy of Sciences in a symposium of work from the RKYHS SRTI (Scientific Research Training Institute). NJAS held its annual symposium for high school students across the state on a Saturday at Kean University. NJAS is familiar with the high level of work from the RKYHS SRTI students. With the symposium taking place on Shabbat, they accommodated the school’s participation by holding a “satellite symposium” and sent representatives to judge the work. They selected a handful of students’ presentations for consideration for NJAS awards. In addition to live presentations at the symposium today, the students provided an electronic copy of their printed posters and a pre-recorded audio or video presentation for the NJAS judges for Saturday’s competition..
The RKYHS SRTI (Scientific Research Training Institute) immerses students in authentic, cutting-edge research. The institute currently trains numbers of students across all high school grade levels in a hands-on, inquiry-driven approach that mirrors university and industry research environments. Under the guidance of expert mentors, SRTI students develop projects, design experiments, analyze data and present their findings at professional scientific conferences and symposiums like the one held at RKYHS. The SRTI philosophy—“learning science by doing science”—teaches students to think critically, analyze problems and contribute meaningfully to the scientific community.
The Institute boasts an impressive suite of advanced laboratory facilities that rival those of many research universities. These include a microscopy lab equipped with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and phase-contrast fluorescence microscopes, a tissue culture lab with biosafety cabinet laminar flow hoods and CO₂ incubators, and a fabrication lab featuring 3D printers, CNC machines and laser cutters. Additionally, a molecular genetics lab houses thermocyclers, spectrophotometers and a next generation DNA sequencer, enabling students to conduct high-level genetic analyses.
Abstracts were presented in genetics, engineering, health and medicine, cell and molecular biology, plant biology, aquatic ecosystems, mathematics and computer science. Among the presentations were the development of a custom-designed 3D tissue printer to print human tissue, molecular screening systems for infections and to determine the efficacy of certain chemotherapies, a buoy that detects toxic algae blooms in bodies of water, bioremediation of oil spills using engineered bacteria, a compact urban wind system for scalable clean energy generation, glasses that incorporate a display to combat memory loss, automated real time identification and quantification of pollen (which has been previously published in a scientific journal and presented at a national conference by our students) and more.
