Mepham High School researchers earn Intel badges

Each year, the Society for Science & the Public awards Research Report and Initiative badges to recognize excellence in students’ submissions to the Intel Science Talent Search, considered among the country’s most competitive and prestigious science contests.

Two student researchers at Mepham High School in Bellmore, Anand Bradley and John Spiegel, received badges, according to their adviser, Dr. David Kommor. Mepham takes in students from North Bellmore and North Merrick.

According to the SSP, “The Intel STS Research Report Badge is awarded to an entrant who has submitted a well-written, college-level, journal-style research report based upon his or her own independent science research.”

The Intel STS Student Initiative Badge, meanwhile, “is awarded to an entrant who has exhibited extraordinary effort and dedication in her or her pursuit of scientific research and has made great accomplishments relative to the resources available to him or her.”


Below are profiles of Mepham’s badge winners.

Anand Bradley
Hometown: Bellmore
Age: 17
School activities: Co-captain of the cross-country team, editor of the school newspaper, president of the National Honor Society, and member of the English, Math and Spanish honor societies. Also plays trombone in the band. Class valedictorian.
Will attend: Accepted to Harvard University, still deciding.
Plans to study: Biology.
Hopes to become: A pathologist.
Badges earned: Entrant, Research Report, Student Initiative.
Area of research: Studied uterine cancer at Weill Cornell Medical College in Manhattan.

John Spiegel
Hometown: Bellmore
Age: 18
School activities: Co-captain of the cross-country and track teams, formerly a wrestler. Volunteered at the Garden at St. Mark’s Evangelist Church, weeding and tending to the vegetable garden, which donates all proceeds to local food pantries and soup kitchens. Member of the National, English, Math and Spanish honor societies.
Will attend: Still deciding.
Badge earned: Entrant
Area of research: Studied Alzheimer’s disease at the Center for Brain Health at NYU’s Langone Medical Center. Devoted an estimated 2,000 hours to his research project over two years. Will become a paid research assistant at the Center for Brain Health this summer.