Paper Title: The Red, Etched Stones from Ancient Caesarea: Copies or Trade?

Worked with FTIR, spectral preprocessing/analysis, including second-derivative methods, to improve comparison of overlapping spectral features. 

Applied Pearson and Spearman correlation approaches and statistical significance testing to large spectral datasets. 

Investigated trade and provenance questions involving archaeological beads from sites such as Oman/Al Baleed and Caesarea Maritima, including possible South Asian connections through historic Red Sea and Persian Gulf trade networks. 

Presented at MIT URTC 2026

Nominated and selected for the New Jersey Governor’s School in the Sciences (60/290 nominees)

Collaborated in a research team of approximately 12 students

Research focus: archaeology and materials science, with emphasis on carnelian/agate bead provenance and authentication. 

Co-authored an approximately 20-page research paper; the project was submitted to and accepted by MIT URTC 2026 in Paper presentation category. 

Participated in laboratory modules beyond the core project, including biochemistry/affinity chromatography work using Cibacron Blue and yeast alcohol dehydrogenase.

Selected for a competitive two-week molecular-biology research experience. 

Conducted wet-lab research involving DNA isolation/amplification workflows, PCR, gel electrophoresis, sequencing, and data analysis. 

Worked with the aquatic plant Landoltia punctata. 

Submitted three DNA sequences to the NCBI/GenBank database for use by the scientific community. 

Developed experience with experimental design, scientific documentation, collaborative lab work, and biological sequence analysis.

Researching Dynamic Adaptive Population-based Combined Optimization (DAPP-CO) for Explainable Leukemia Classification and Gene Selection

Submittedto Regeneron STS 2027

Working under mentor Dr. Anuradha Illendula, PhD at the University of Virginia.

Supports projects at the intersection of pharmaceutical research, drug development, and biomedical science. 

Contributes to research documentation, data analysis, and translational research workflows. 

Gains exposure to pharmaceutical R&D pipelines and regulatory processes.