Upper School Students Present Original Research at 2026 Academic Symposium

On Tuesday, May 19, the Upper School community celebrated the achievements of our 2025–2026 student-designed research, research in advanced mathematics, and independent study students. Over the course of the year, Upper School students have the opportunity to design their own research projects and pursue an independent study on a passion or subject area of their choice, culminating in the presentation of their work at the Academic Symposium. 

This highly anticipated event, held annually, showcases students’ intellectual curiosity and dedication. At this year’s symposium, 25 students presented their comprehensive findings to peers, faculty, and guests.

Julie Gentile, Assistant Head of School, and Debbie Fermo, Upper School Director, delivered opening remarks. Rashied McCreary, Upper School Academic Dean, then introduced the 25 students, who each in turn introduced herself and her area of focus.

Independent Studies 
Read more about the independent studies research projects here.

• “Neurointervention for Addiction: The Legal and Ethical Boundaries of Using Neurotechnology to Reduce Incarceration,” Julianna Abrantes ’26
• “Graph Theory and an Application of Mathematical Logic,” Eibhilin Boyen ’26
• “An Introduction to the U.S. Financial Markets: Exploring Structures, Players, and Perspectives,” Jenna Carey ’26
• “Head and the Heart: Challenging the Emotion-Rationality Divide in Ethical Decision-Making,” Claire Cherill ’26
• “The Art of Classical Portraiture,” Willa Gross ’26
• “The Ethical Intersection of Healthcare and Trisomy 18,” Karen Kisza ’26
• “Identifying Interpretable Biological Features as a Mitigation Strategy to Biological Weapon Development with Large Language Models,” Skylar Li ’26
• “Poetry in Motion: The Expression of Emotion through Moving Images,” Anabella Mendieta-Frost ’26
• “The Menendez Brothers: Psychopaths or Victims?,” Savera Rigby ’26                      
• “Advanced Applications of Artificial Intelligence,” Medha Sahay ’26
• “The Evolution & Impact of Folk Music,” Avery Sinclair ’26

Research in Advanced Mathematics
Read more about the research in advanced mathematics projects here.

• “Rational Choices, Irrational Outcomes: A Study of Game Theory,” Ava Builione ’26
• “An Introduction to Knot Theory: Techniques and Applications,” Brooke Dambrot ’26
• “Winning Moves and Hidden Logic: A Study of Game Theory,” Reilly Doyle ’26
• “Fated or Frenzy: An Introduction to Chaos Theory,” Tara Khurana ’26
• “Predicting the Unpredictable: Probability, Risk, and Human Decision-Making,” Kate Lee ’26
• “Exploring Tournaments in Graph Theory,” Tara Nash ’26
• “An Introduction to Monte Carlo Simulations,” Kayla Peng ’26
• “Mathematical Logic,” Naomi Ravenell ’26
• “Euclidean Geometry and Navigation,” Nandini Thatavarthy ’26

Student-Designed Research 
Read more about the student-designed research projects here.

• “Probiotic Supplements: Evidence, Marketing, and Social Media Influence,” Riley Crooks ’27
• “Regenerative Medicine in a Modern Context,” Emma Geppel ’26                                                                    
• “The Role of CFTR in Stem Cell Differentiation for Varying Bodily Functions,” Priyana Manglani ’27
• “The Role of Social Media in Modern Democracy,” Isla Naik ’26                                         
• “Using Phytochemicals to Combat 𝜷-Lactamase Mediated Antibiotic Resistance,” Sarina Sheth ’27

Following the symposium, presenters and their families were treated to a special luncheon in Atwood Hall. 

The 2026 Academic Symposium — the culmination of the hard work and groundbreaking research of our Upper School students — was an outstanding success. Thank you to all participants, faculty, and guests for making this event an engaging and inspiring experience.