After being selected to undertake in-depth research projects through EA's Lilley Fellowship program last February, four Upper School students worked with a faculty advisor and delved into their respective research over the summer. This fall and winter, they presented their final capstone projects to the EA community.
"This year's Lilley Fellows were selected from a deep pool of talented applicants and are commended for their originality, academic tenacity, and creativity," said Director of Libraries and Lilley Fellowship Coordinator Lorie Harding.
Rohan Dalal '25 spent several months exploring the impact of environmental factors on food allergies. Rohan said that his interest in the topic was prompted by a "lethal anaphylaxis reaction" he experienced in November 2023—a scary and unfortunate occurrence that is "all too common for many Americans." With a plan to "shed light on potential causes for food allergies by identifying a correlation between food allergy prevalence and a variety of environmental factors," Rohan got to work. Watch Rohan's presentation.
Lucia Forte '26 explored how to create space onstage for children with Down syndrome. "After a bit of research, I discovered that there is a whole community of people with Down syndrome who struggle to find a place in theater and music," Lucia said. The beginning stages of her research involved educating herself on the knowledge of professionals in the field, as well as the stories of people with Down syndrome. Watch Lucia's presentation.
Gelila Getachew '25 researched ethnic federalism and its impact on Ethiopia, a topic of interest since her childhood. After learning more about Ethiopia’s transition after the Derg’s fall for a research paper in AP World History, Gelila said she began to question how "a system meant to bring peace ended up plaguing the nation." Watch Gelila's presentation.
JD Krasnick '25 did extensive research about the future of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) and even developed his own personal BCI. “BCIs contain physical components to read brain signals, which is typically achieved through electrodes placed on the surface of the head or implanted in the brain,” JD explained. “These electrodes then read and record electrical signals emitted by the brain… when the user thinks, moves, or speaks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) models then decode the data into readable output, allowing researchers to make use of signals directly from the brain.” Watch JD's presentation.
Established in 2018 by Mr. and Mrs. William Lilley III ’55, the Lilley Fellowship Fund awards research fellowships to students who exemplify academic curiosity, intellectual rigor, and scholarly passion. The Fellowship program is overseen by Director of Libraries Lorie Harding, and is modeled after Yale University's Scholars of the House program that ran from 1945-1995.