By Arlene Hinkemeyer
Then on Oct. 31, he was listed on the www.Siemens-foundation.org Web site as being one of the 30 individuals and 30 teams nationwide to be named a regional finalist in the competition's six regions.
"After spending practically every day over the summer at SUNY Stony Brook and then spending all-nighters to complete the research and finish the paper, it definitely feels good to know that the hard work paid off," said Li.
As a regional finalist, Li wins a $1,000 scholarship, plus a $2,000 grant for Central High School, to be used to support science, mathematics and technology programs.
He and his teammate-Amardeep Greewal from Detroit Country Day School in Michigan-must now present their research on Nov. 11-12 at the New England Regional Finals to a rigorous panel of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The other regional finalists from Long Island - composed of three individuals from Bellmore-Merrick, Farmingdale and Kings Park School Districts, and four teams from Jericho, Plainview-Old Bethpage, and Smithtown/Uniondale School Districts - will present at the Middle States Regional Finals at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Nov. 18-19.
Winners of the regional finals win a $3,000 scholarship and are invited to compete at the national finals, Dec. 1-5 in New York City, where scholarship prizes Lige from $10,000 to $100,000!
Ran Li's research project
Li's research, which he conducted at SUNY Stony Brook, is entitled "A New Spin on Wound Healing Scaffolds: Optimization Through Molecular and Physical Design."
His mentor at the university is Dr. Richard Clark, a physician-scientist, who is both a dermatologist and a professor in Stony Brook's Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Serving as the mentor for his teammate was Dr. Miriam Rafailovich, a professor in Stony Brook's Department of Materials Science.
"Our collaborative research introduced a new molecular model that greatly enhances the bio-mimetic (imitative) properties of hydrogel matrices, as well as its effectiveness in facilitating wound healing," said Li.
"My grandfather is a diabetic, and we hope this research can help the millions of patients suffering from chronic wounds and ulcers, and those who are victims of accidents, assaults, fires and combat. Our goal eventually is to develop a product such as a bandaid or something that can be injected into wounds to heal them."
Li's other awards and honors
Li is not only talented in science but also tops in other areas.
This fall he was named a National Merit Letter of Commendation winner (for placing in the top 5% of juniors nationwide who took the PSAT last fall); and a National AP Scholar (for earning grades of four or higher on eight or more Advanced Placement exams that he took up through May 2005 of his junior year).
Named to All-State Music honors this fall for the second year in a row, Li will play violin in the All-State symphonic orchestra in Rochester on Dec. 3-4. Locally, he participated in the Long Island Youth Orchestra in ninth and 10th grades, and this year is playing with the select Metropolitan Youth Orchestra.
At Central High School, Li is currently first in his class, is president of the Science Honor Society, vice president of Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society, and president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club.
He is also the founder and president of Central's new Future Medical Leaders Club.
As to his future career plans, Li says "I would like to go to medical school and become a physician-scientist-both a doctor and a research scientist-like my mentor Dr. Richard Clark at SUNY Stony Brook."
