Governor's STEM Scholars

The coughing is only the start." 😷💨 For NJ STEM Month, Governor's STEM Scholars' Research Team 13 is taking on air pollution in our own backyard. Cities like Newark face over 100 days of poor air quality a year—so this team engineered a solution. They’ve developed a self-efficient air filter using Zeolite and activated carbon to pull harmful pollutants like NOx and sulfur compounds out of the air. Designed to be low-cost and wind-driven, these filters are built for the places that need them most, like busy bus stops and highways. 🏙️✨ The researchers leading the charge: Bhumija Grandhe Elena Beepat Santiago Gonzalez Anshuman Roy Isabella Merlino Sydney Guillaume Jailyn Agard #NJSTEMMonth #CleanAir #EnvironmentalJustice #NewarkNJ #STEMInnovation #PublicHealth #GovStemScholars #GreenTech New Jersey STEM Pathways Network

Who says finding new cancer treatments has to take decades? 🧬⏱️ For NJ STEM Month, Governor's STEM Scholars' Research Team 12 is "Breaking the Signal." They are investigating how to repurpose existing FDA-approved drugs to disrupt signaling pathways in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). By finding new uses for proven medications, they’re carving out a faster, more efficient path to life-saving treatments. Speeding up science to save lives! 🛡️✨ The innovators behind the research: Sonia Leo Alina Sultan Carlos Pina Leo Toake Jaden Glogg Chidera Emeaso Pranati Bankupalli #NJSTEMMonth #CancerResearch #DrugRepurposing #Innovation #MedicalScience #GovStemScholars #NewJersey New Jersey STEM Pathways Network

For NJ STEM Month, Research Team 10 is getting real about the scientific process with their video, "STEM: Expectations Versus Reality." 🧪💻 We often see the "polished" version of discovery, but Team 10 is pulling back the curtain to show the actual moments of confusion, debugging, and retrying that lead to success. It’s a powerful reminder that there aren’t 1,000 failures before a breakthrough—innovation simply requires 1,000 steps. 👣✨ Featuring the dedicated scholars: Henna Patel Bryan Oko Sophia Acosta Muzen Mohamedsaeed Thomas Soltiro Dev Doshi #NJSTEMMonth #STEM #Innovation #Research #Debugging #ScienceLife #GovStemScholars #NewJersey New Jersey STEM Pathways Network

For NJ STEM Month, the Governor's STEM Scholars’ Research Team 9 is taking on the "I am passing the phone to..." TikTok trend with a clean-water twist 💧✨ Instead of a phone, they're passing "contaminated" water that gets progressively cleaner as they explain their vital mission: monitoring antibiotic-resistant bacteria in New Jersey’s waterways. 🧪🔬 They aren't just building a detection device—they’re also proposing policy changes to mandate testing across the state to keep our communities safe. 🛡️🏠 Featuring the innovative minds of: Ally Yim Jo Anastasia Harkins Ananya Datta Francesca Baptiste Ayaan Jain Hannah Park Prisha Bhattacharjee Catharina Santana #NJSTEMMonth #STEM #CleanWater #PublicHealth #NewJersey #Innovation #Research #EnvironmentalScience #GovStemScholars

For NJ STEM Month, Governor's STEM Scholars' Research Team 8 is tackling a "small" habit that makes a massive difference: proper handwashing 🧼✨ Did you know that 80% of common infectious diseases are spread through improper handwashing? To address this, Team 8 is developing a device that provides real-time feedback to ensure effective cleaning, directly supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). By comparing poor habits with effective 20-second scrubbing, they're showing exactly how we can stop germs in their tracks and reduce illness in our communities. Great work to the team: Tze Chang (Justin) Ng Kaylee Carranza Nathaly Guillen Iona N. Siddhi Omesh Manya Rana Reindy Faith Sanon Joshitha Sripada #NJSTEMMonth #Handwashing #CommunityHealth #GovSTEMScholars #CleanHands #PublicHealth #Innovation #SDG3

Did you know AI data centers in NJ "guzzle" massive amounts of water every day? 💧🤖 For NJ STEM Month, Governor's STEM Scholars' Research Team 7 is highlighting the climate impact of data centers. Team 7 is proposing a brilliant solution: using waste-heat recovery technology to convert data center byproducts into heat for our local homes. 🏠🔥 Featuring the innovative minds of: Razan Rabayah, Marc Carames, Aaron Weinstein, Aidan Smeglin, Caitlin Kang, Arnav Janeesh, John Palacios #NJSTEMMonth #STEM #AI #DataCenters #ClimateChange #Sustainability #NewJersey #Innovation #Research New Jersey STEM Pathways Network

Celebrating NJ STEM Month with a spotlight on Research Team 6 🧬🚆 Ever noticed how train windows can get foggy or hazy over time? Governor's STEM Scholars' Team 6 is on it.  Their project, "Fix haziness in NJ Transit with PolyView," introduces a custom protective cover designed to shield windows from the elements, prevent damage, and extend their service life. 🛡️✨ Keeping NJ transit clear, one window at a time 🚉🙌 #NJSTEMMonth #STEM #Innovation #NJTransit #Engineering #GovStemScholars #Research

Introducing Jainam Shah, a junior computer science major in the Albert Dorman Honors College at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with minors in mathematics and business! ⁠ As part of the 2026 Governor’s STEM Scholars, Jainam represents the next generation of STEM talent shaping New Jersey’s innovation economy.⁠ ⁠ Jainam recently completed a software engineering internship at TD Securities on the Risk Management and Product Control team. Jainam is a coauthor of SPARK: Smart Building Fire Prediction and Risk Analysis, introducing a machine learning algorithm to model fire spread in smart buildings, and has worked with the Office of Naval Research on predictive maintenance for naval ships. He has also gained experience through internships at Tech for Good and the Structural Analysis of Biomedical Ontologies Center. Outside academics, Jainam is involved in CodePath, the NJIT Investment Fund, and the Bergen County Debate Club. Explore more stories from the 2026 Scholars powering the future of innovation at https://lnkd.in/dJKk_6KC. #NJ #STEM #GovSTEMScholars

In New Jersey, 7 people die daily from drug overdoses. In honor of #NJSTEMMonth, Governor's STEM Scholars' Research Team 5 is showcasing how science saves lives. Since brain damage can begin just 4 minutes after breathing stops—faster than most ambulances can arrive—they are using Edge AI to bridge that critical gap. Their system detects respiratory distress in real-time and instantly unlocks nearby SmartKiosks to release life-saving Naloxone. Because in the race against time, every second matters. ⏱️✨ Research Team 5: Ishani Bakshi; Aum Shah; Anfisa Gubareva; Owen DuHaime; Pranav Bhuvanesh; Rhea Rawat; Lucy Sandor; Amisha Rastogi #GovStemScholars #EdgeAI #PublicHealth #Innovation #NewJersey #STEMforGood #Science #STEM New Jersey STEM Pathways Network

Introducing Aum Shah, a senior at the Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering from Morris County!⁠ ⁠ As part of the 2026 Governor’s STEM Scholars, Aum represents the next generation of STEM talent shaping New Jersey’s innovation economy.⁠ ⁠ At the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Aum researched ways to reduce calibration errors in laser scanners for law enforcement applications. He also served as a team lead in the NJCCIC Advanced Cybersecurity Internship, focusing on threat analysis and technical reporting. Aum is co-captain of the Science Olympiad team, leader of the Physics Club, and an executive board member of Future Business Leaders of America. Beyond school, he leads a robotics team, developed a sustainability app, and tutors extensively. His service has earned the Congressional Gold Medal. Explore more stories from the 2026 Scholars powering the future of innovation at https://lnkd.in/dJKk_6KC. #NJ #STEM #GovSTEMScholars