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Highlights

2020-2021

Highlights2020-2021

See 2019-2020 Highlights

Biotechnology Center Partnership Program

CB South STEM Research Club

This was the twelve year of the STEM Research Club (formerly Science Research Club) at Central Bucks High School West. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, thirty one (31) club members participated this year. Members registered impressive performances in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS), Bucks County Science Research Competition (BCSRC), and at the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF). DVSF is an event attended by the most gifted student researchers in the tri-state area, so earning awards there is a tremendous accomplishment. Two of our members earned first place at this event!


Members engaged in student-driven research projects in STEM fields and were responsible for:

• researching and brainstorming topics

• crafting formal research plans

• completing paperwork and securing approval from parents, advisers, mentors, etc.

• collecting data and/or creating/engineering/proving something

• analyzing results

• creating and presenting research products.

Thank you!

We enjoy tremendous support from our school, district, and community. Unfortunately, we cannot list the name of every individual who makes our work possible, but we did want to extend a special thanks to the following individuals and organizations:


  • Mark Hayden, Adviser
  • Anton Ocepek, Adviser
  • Gerard Michaud, PhD, Community Consultant
  • Leanne Jarossy, Statistics Consultant
  • Jonathan Taylor, Technology and Engineering Consultant
  • Christie Besack, Psychology Consultant
  • Susanne Stahl, Administrative Support
  • Tim Donovan, CB West Principal
  • Steven Willis, CBSD Supervisor of Science, K-12
  • Abram M. Lucabaugh, Ed.D, Acting CBSD Superintendent
  • Members of the CBSD School Board
  • Timothy Block, PhD, President,
    Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S Blumberg Institute, PA Biotechnology Center
  • Lou Kassa, Executive Vice President and COO,
    Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S Blumberg Institute, PA Biotechnology Center
  • John Kulp, PhD, Director of Academic Affairs, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute


Mentors and Supervisors (**Denotes at least five years of involvement)

  • Kevin Gerbrick, PA Biotechnology Center
  • Frank Jones, Greene Street Pharmaceuticals
  • John Kulp, PhD, PA Biotechnology Center**
  • David Schad, PA Biotechnology Center**
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Would you like to join our club?

2021-2022 Spring Kick-Off Virtual Meeting


When? Friday, 6/4 @ 3PM

How? This is a virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams.


Information, including a video of the meeting, is available at:
KICK-OFF MEETING INFORMATION

2020-2021 Projects 2020-2021 Projects

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2020-2021 Competition Results 2020-2021 Competition Results

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Member Spotlights Member Spotlights

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MINSEO OH

The potential use of Fractal Randomness for Encryption


  • 1st Place, DVSF
    Best Mathematics project for any senior in tri-state region!
    Minseo earned this same award as a sophomore.
  • Mu Alpha Theta Award
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Scholarship ($15,000)
  • 1st Award, PJAS Regionals
  • 1st Place, BCSRC
  • 1st Place, PJAS State Meeting


Encryption, a method of securing information, is important in the digital age. My project attempted to test if fractals, shapes that have natural properties, can be used as a source of randomness to encrypt data.


Minseo, a STEM Leadership Council Member, will attend Penn State University next year where he will pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering.

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Jason Rackas

Benford's Law & LDL-C Levels


  • 1st Place, DVSF
    Best Mathematics project for any junior in tri-state region!
  • Mu Alpha Theta Award
  • University of the Sciences Scholarship ($37,000; $9,250/year)
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Scholarship ($15,000)
  • 1st Award, PJAS Regionals
  • 2nd Place, BCSRC
  • 1st Place, PJAS State Meeting


I used a data set of LDL cholesterol measurements to determine whether any modifications would allow it to align with the distribution of Benford's Law, an interesting mathematical phenomenon that shows that of all numbers in the universe, more numbers begin with digits closer to 1 than 9. If LDL data or modified LDL data does align with the distribution of Benford's Law, any group/demographic whose LDL levels do not align with the distribution of Benford's Law would likely have some outside factor affecting their LDL levels. This data can direct other researchers to people with anomalous LDL levels for further study.


Jason is a CB East junior who participated with the CB West club this year as part of his involvement with the PA Biotechnology Center Partnership Program. More information about that program is available here.

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Mikalya Havers

Living to be Positive


  • 2nd Place, DVSF
    Second best Behavioral and Social Sciences project for any senior in tri-state region!
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Scholarship ($15,000)
  • 1st Award, PJAS Regionals
  • 1st Place, BCSRC
  • 1st Place, PJAS State Meeting


My research is all about positive psychology for teenagers. The field of positive psychology has been expanding greatly in recent years, but the current popular theories out there are primarily geared towards adults and college-aged people. To solve this problem and help end both the mental health stigma and crisis that teenagers all around the world are continually facing, I created a positive psychology theory specifically for middle and high-school-aged people called the SMILE theory. To test its effectiveness, I conducted an experiment that allowed me to compare it to two currently popular positive psychology theories, as well as a control group that didn't test a theory at all.


Mikayla will be majoring in biomedical engineering at George Washington University, where she was accepted into the Science, Health, and Medicine sector of their Women’s Leadership Program.

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Michell Lin

Enhancing the Transdermal Drug Delivery of Risperidone

  • 2nd Place, DVSF
    Second best Chemistry project for any senior in tri-state region!
  • 2nd Place for Janssen Biotechnology Research Award ($200)
  • Chemistry Award from West Pharmaceutical Services ($250)
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Scholarship ($15,000)
  • 1st Award and Perfect Score, PJAS Regionals
  • 2nd Place, BCSRC
  • 1st Place, PJAS State Meeting


I used risperidone as the model drug with a fixed skin permeation methodology to determine the most effective and safe chemical enhancers for drugs with similar properties. The most effective and safe chemical enhancer for risperidone is limonene. The matrix of this study can be applied the development of other transdermal drugs.


Michell, a STEM Leadership Club Council Member, will attend Washington and Lee University and will double-major in History and Chemistry. She earned the American Chemical Society’s Project SEED Scholarship.

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Jonathan Zhang

Methods to Reduce the Level of Corrosion on Copper and Steel in Aquatic Environments

  • 3rd Place, DVSF
    Third best Chemistry project for any sophomore in tri-state region!
  • Philadelphia Society for Coatings Technology 3rd Place ($100)
  • Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers - Philadelphia Section ($100)
  • 1st Award, PJAS Regionals
  • 1st Place, BCSRC
  • 1st Place, PJAS State Meeting


Corrosion is often overlooked, compared to other flashy chemical reactions with explosions and sparks, the gradual process of rust is just boring. This exact reason is why corrosion is so important. It invisibly eats away at our metal structures and by the time we notice, it’s too late. My experiment seeks to help prevent corrosion by researching the effectiveness over time of multiple chemical coatings when in constant exposure to water. I submerge copper rods and steel samples coated with WD40, Paint, and Petroleum Naphtha, as well as no coating as a constant in a saturated NaCl and water solution for a month and test their corrosion rate throughout their submersion with a Potentiostat to see how the protection changes over time.


Jonathan is a sophomore and a STEM Leadership Club Council Member.

2020-2021 CB West STEM Research Club Leadership Council 2020-2021 CB West STEM Research Club Leadership Council

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Cameron Schmidt

Will be dual majoring in computer engineering and computer science at Lafayette College. Cameron earned a full-tuition scholarship and was accepted into the Dyer Fellowship program.
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Sophie Kadan

Will University of Notre Dame where she will major in physics. Sophie will be a Glynn Family Honors Program Participant.

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Jared Daniel

Jared will attend Temple University where he will double-major in political science and psychology.
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Jessica Kuo

Attending Johns Hopkins University where she will be majoring in applied math and statistics.
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Thank you senior leaders!

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Alexandra Schramm

Will be in the honors program at The Ohio State University majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. Alex earned the Provost and National Buckeye Scholar Scholarships
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Michael Rybalkin

Will attend Stanford to study computer science.
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Good luck and best wishes!

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Minseo Oh

Will attend Penn State University. Minseo will study aerospace engineering.
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Michell Lin

Will attend Washington and Lee University and will double-major in History and Chemistry. She earned the American Chemical Society’s Project SEED Scholarship.
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Sadie Furgiuele

Will attend Purdue University to study physics.
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Jeremy Gamble

Jeremy will attend Penn State University, where he will major in material sciences. Jeremy is the recipient of the Earth and Mineral Science Dean Scholarship.
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Would you like to join our leadership team?

Rising juniors and seniors must apply by Tuesday, June 15.
Rising sophomores will have the opportunity to apply in the fall.


Details are available at:
https://bit.ly/STEMLeadershipResponsibilities
Mark Hayden
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