Regeneron gala postponed as threat of coronavirus mounts

Forty finalists in The Society for Science & the Public’s 2020 Regeneron Science Talent Search were notified this week that the final stage of the national competition, which was scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., this week, would be postponed until this summer due to mounting concerns surrounding COVID-19, or novel coronavirus. 

Two of the finalists, Andrew Brinton and Katherine St George, attend John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore.

According to an email from Allie Stifel, director of the Science Talent Search, postponing the competition was a “difficult decision,” but was done to “prioritize the health and safety of everyone who attends our events.”

The original trip was set to take place in Washington, D.C., between March 5-11, where Brinton and St George would have competed for more than $1.8 million in awards, with a top prize of $250,000, provided by the competition’s sponsor, Regeneron, a pharmaceutical company. 

Stifel assured finalists that they would all receive a minimum prize of $25,000, regardless of whether they can attend the competition this summer. Additionally, the company has pledged to pay the travel change fees for the finalists’ gala guests, but asked that attendees move forward with cancellations to attempt to recoup costs.

Brinton and St George are the fifth and sixth STS finalists to come out of Kennedy, and worked under the supervision of Barbi Frank in JFK’s Advanced Science Research class. The students start their research during freshman year and put hundreds of hours of work into their projects, which often have practical, potentially world-changing implications.

“Based on the health concerns that are now facing our nation, I certainly understand the cautious approach,” Frank said. “At the end of the day, the safety of the young researchers and attendees must be the priority.”

Brinton agreed that competition officials were “doing their best” given the current health crisis, and said “they shouldn’t risk public safety for an event like this.”

St George added, “Though I am so sad that finalist week was postponed, I’m glad that the Society for Science is taking the appropriate precautions in light of the coronavirus outbreak.”