The Regeneron Science Talent Search is a science research competition open to high school seniors all across the United States. This year, over 1,800 students applied, among whom 300 were selected as semifinalists. The pool was then narrowed to 40 finalists, all of whom were brought to DC for a week of scientific activities. Each finalist also received $27,000 in award money, and his/her school received $2,000. Shuvom Sadhuka, a CRLS senior, was lucky to be selected as one of those 40 finalists.
His project was titled "Searching for Topological Bubbles in a Phononic Honeycomb Lattice." He attempted to better understand topological insulators, which are quantum systems that conduct electricity along the surface but not the interior. Thus far, predicting and studying these materials has been difficult, so physicists have been trying to find analogous topological insulators in other systems, such as light and sound systems. Instead of using quantum systems, Shuvom decided to study topological insulators using acoustic systems and macroscopic materials. To do so, he set up and ran computer simulations and characterized a relationship between the parameters which define a material and its ability to act as a topological insulator. This result can aid the design of acoutic topological waveguides, that is, materials that can direct sound waves across very specific channels.
STS was an incredible experience for Shuvom and he met amazing people, including a Nobel Laureate, academic experts, and, of course, 39 other enthusiastic young scientists. The week was jam-packed with events, from monument tours to intense judging rounds to field trips to the NIH and Janelia Research Center. Unfortunately, Shuvom did not finish in the top 10, but being among the top 40 is still a huge accomplishment. If you are interested in science, we strongly encourage you to apply!
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