Flynn
was among 335 students from 36 states, as well as
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and an American school
in Taiwan, to advance to Semi-Finalist status. The
annual competition this year included 1,684 student
entrants.
His
project traced the role of a gene in lung cancer
and found that drugs capable of reactivating the
gene’s signal pathway could aid in lung cancer
prevention and therapy. The research included cell
culture, DNA analysis, protein extraction, and immunoblot
analysis. He studied the WWOX (WW domain containing
oxidoreducatase) gene.
“Ryan's
accomplishments in biomedical research are a testament
to his passion and ambition,” said MFS Science
Department Chair Barbara Q. Kreider. “He has
worked in laboratories in Philadelphia and in Cleveland
to complete this work, and that level of commitment
is rare in a high school student. At MFS, Ryan sets
the bar for curiosity about science. He has challenged
students and science teachers alike to learn more,
read more, and think harder about new advances in
science and technology.”
“We
are extremely proud of Ryan for achieving this significant
recognition,” said Head of School Laurence
R. Van Meter.
Flynn
has been a Moorestown Friends student since PreKindergarten.
He is the son of Moorestown Friends School alumnae
Dr. Anne Rosenberg, a prominent breast cancer surgeon,
and Thomas Flynn, an attorney.
Ryan
Flynn has been an honor roll student throughout his
years in the Upper School at Moorestown Friends.
He is particularly interested in scientific research,
and was recently named an AP Scholar with Honor for
his excellent performance on the AP exams in calculus,
physics, and chemistry.
A
number of scientific posters providing data on breast
cancer research that he worked on have been accepted
at major medical conferences. Last June, he won the
Moorestown Friends’ Bausch and Lomb Science
medal. He also has received Cum Laude honors on the
National Latin exam. After completing French III
he decided to study Latin II because he thought it
would help him in his future medical or scientific
career.
Besides
his passion for science, Flynn is a skilled rower
and hopes to row varsity crew in college. He has
been captain of the MFS crew team for the past two
years. He has competed on the state, regional, and
national level and last year was silver medalist
in men’s JV singles at the Scholastic Rowing
Association’s national competition.
The
Siemens Westinghouse competition awards college scholarships
ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 and is administered
by the College Board.
Up
to 30 individual students and 30 teams (of two or
three members) will be selected from the pool of
Semi-Finalists to compete at regional competitions
hosted by six leading research universities: The
University of Texas at Austin; University of California,
Berkeley; University of Notre Dame; Massachusetts
Institute of Technology; Georgia Institute of Technology;
and Carnegie Mellon University. Regional Finals take
place over three consecutive weekends in November,
beginning on Nov. 4.
Winners
of the regional competitions are invited to compete
at the National Finals, which will take place for
the first time this year in New York City from December
2-4 at New York University.
The
Siemens Foundation provides nearly $2 million in
college scholarships and awards each year for talented
high school students in the United States. The Foundation
is dedicated to providing scholarships and increasing
access to higher education for gifted students in
science, mathematics and technology-related disciplines.
Established
in 1998 to promote and support educational activities,
the Siemens Foundation recognizes and supports America’s
most promising science and mathematics students and
teachers, as well as schools that are doing the most
to promote education in the core sciences. The Foundation’s
mission is based on the culture of innovation, research
and educational support that is the hallmark of Siemens’ U.S.
operating companies and its parent company, Siemens
AG. For more information visit www.siemens-foundation.org. |
