Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts senior Victoria Hwang of Maumelle won first place in the Arkansas Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
Arkansas JSHS is a competition which promotes original research and experimentation in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics at the high school level. The competition is sponsored by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.
Individual students compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers.
Hwang’s project focused on removing a protein from cancer cells that would not allow them to reproduce and die thus providing treatment without harsh chemicals. Hwang has also earned recognition for the project in the Regeneron Science Talent Search competition as well as first place in the West Central Regional Science Fair.
This year’s competition was held virtually in late March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hwang qualified for the national competition, which will also be held virtually on April 15-17.
Sarah Balenko, a senior from Russellville, finished in sixth place in the competition but did not qualify for the national competition.