Science Researchers chomp off a win at UF’S JSEHS Conference

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From Jan. 29-31, science research students competed in the Junior Science, Engineering and Humanities Symposium, hosted at the University of Florida. Mrs. Leya Joykutty, the director of the science research program, along with Dr. Juliana Caulkins and Dr. Diana Sood, accompanied the 37 students attending the trip. 

After not attending the conference in person for three years, students were elated to return to UF. Freshmen and sophomores participated in non-competitive competition, while selected juniors and seniors presented in either speaker or poster competitions. 

Junior Lorenzo Pulmano won a regional award and junior Akansha Mehta won second place overall in the speaker competition. Mehta will go on to compete at the national level this upcoming summer.

Juniors Jacob Federici and Ellaheh Gohari, as well as senior Maya Neeranjun, competed in JSEHS’s poster competition, becoming three of the 34 competitors selected to present in the state of Florida. (Photos/Emma Delgado and Ellaheh Gohari)

Juniors Akansha Mehta and Lorenzo Pulmano who competed in the speaking competitions presented in front of a panel of judges twice: first for 12 minutes followed by a five minute questioning period, and then once again in an abbreviated two minute form. (Photos/Emma Delgado)


Competitors were given the opportunity to tour research labs at the university, further inspiring their work. They were also given feedback from these professors about their own research. (Photos/Emma Delgado)

Non-competing students present their projects to fellow peers for feedback. (Photos/Emma Delgado)

Competitors were given the opportunity to tour research labs at the university, further inspiring their work. They were also given feedback from these professors about their own research. (Photos/Emma Delgado)

While at the conference, students were able to attend evening banquets with presentations from the Chinese Cultural Society at UF.  Additionally, JSEHS hosted many events for attendees, including karaoke night and a pizza party. (Photos/Emma Delgado and Leya Joykutty)

As a rising senior, this is Emma’s third year in the Patriot Post and she’s excited to be the Online Editor this year. Outside of newspaper, she’s Co-President of the journalism honor society, Quill and Scroll, and also the Editor-in-Chief of the Sigma Xi Honor Society magazine. She is also involved in and has officer positions in Science Research, Sigma Xi, FBLA, Model UN, SNHS, and other clubs, including honor societies and her own nonprofit. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching dramas on Netflix, listening to Taylor Swift, and hanging out with friends and family. She’s very excited to work on the Patriot Post this year!