Senior David Ding has been selected as a top 300 scholar in the 84th annual Regeneron Science Talent Search.
David's research focused on safe drinking water. His project is titled A Novel Portable Wave-Driven Desalination System for Emergencies and Remote Coastal Communities.
"Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right, yet two billion people live in water-scarce areas and millions die each year from unsanitary water. The water scarcity problem is particularly acute in underdeveloped areas or after natural disasters," explained David. "My research proposes a portable, wave-driven desalination system for disaster relief and underdeveloped coastal communities."
Upper School Math Teacher Dr. Tom Goebeler, Hon. served as David's sponsor and is his advisor. "David has been passionate about his desalination project for years," said Dr. Goebeler. "His selection is a remarkable achievement. This is a prestigious organization with a long history of attracting high-quality submissions from students across the nation."
The top 300 scholars were chosen from 2,471 applicants, the largest entry pool in more than 50 years. Students submitted independent research projects, essays, and recommendations for consideration. Winners were selected based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions, and exceptional promise as STEM leaders.
"The real inspiration for me came during an internship at the University of Michigan two summers ago; the lab where I worked specialized in wave and off-shore wind energy research," explained David. "As a result, I became deeply interested in wave energy applications and their potential to address real-world problems."
David's extensive research led to several innovative ideas to address water problems. "Innovations include a rotating chainwheel hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system along with a point absorber wave energy converter (WEC) to drive desalination, elimination of mooring systems, and a lightweight, inflatable design weighing 30 pounds, making the device easy to deploy. Additionally, the use of wave energy means the device is sustainable and has a minimal carbon footprint," said David.
"I was impressed by David's presentation at STEMposium last year, where he shared this with the broader EA community," said Upper School Science Chair Dr. Katie Coyler. "Some students seek other external opportunities like David did with Regeneron. I am very excited and proud of him. His selection reflects his continued commitment and interest in STEM."
Scholars will receive $2,000, and their schools receive $2,000 to use toward STEM-related activities.
"Being selected validates the countless hours I put into my project and the potential impact of my work. It is definitely added motivation to continue pursuing impactful research and developing real-world solutions," said David. "And Dr. Goebeler has helped shape my interest in math and is always ready to go above and beyond for his students. I’m now the second STS top 300 Scholar in a row that he has sponsored." Last year, Xinxin Fang '24 was selected.
The Top 40 Finalists will be announced on Jan. 23. Students from 33 states and 200 American and international high schools and homeschools, including Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Switzerland, participated.