Society for Science names 2 Kentucky students top scholars

SOUTH CENTRAL, Ky. – The Society of Science just released their 300 finalists from the Regeneron Science Talent Search and two young women from South Central Kentucky made the first cut.

A Gatton Academy student and Glasgow High School senior are among 300 of “300 top young scientists and engineers in the United States, the best and brightest” according to the president and CEO of the Society for Science, Maya Ajmera.

The search, Ajmera tells News 40, is the oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school juniors and seniors in the nation with it being founded in 1942. Giving out millions of dollars in prize and scholarship money, just being in the top 300 is monumental.

“if you look at our alumni, they’re nobel prize winners, MacArthur winners, started companies. Two founders of Regeneron, our title sponsor were science talent kids.” the CEO said reverently, adding that she was a top 300 student when she was younger and that it changed her life.

One of two Kentucky scholars is Emma Bunch from Glasgow High School. Bunch is an 18 year old senior who decided to seek knowledge pertaining to cancer and clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential or CHIP. After taking a class at Vanderbilt University and finding a professor to mentor her, she worked with Dr. Alexander Bick for about a year who ultimately along with her advisor, told her about the talent search and pushed her to submit her 30-some research paper for review.

Out of almost 2,000 young minds, Bunch was selected and honored to be part of 300 finalists which will soon be narrowed down to 40 and brought to Washington, D.C. to present to and be grilled to the top minds of the country in their respective research field.

Ahead of the final announcement, Bunch has already committed to a university for the fall semester of 2023. Bunch will attend none other than Harvard hoping to continue research into cancer .