Helen Kyd and Vandana Sood were each named semi-finalists in the prestigious Siemens-Westinghouse Competition. The competition rewards students for original science research projects completed as a team or as an individual. Both Syosset High School students worked in tandem with a student from another school and participated in their research as student members of the Syosset High School Research Program.

"Coincidentally, we both worked on projects that had to do with wound healing, and we both did our research with mentors from SUNY Stony Brook and spent this past summer at Stony Brook every day," explained Helen Kyd. A senior, Helen will be entering the Intel Science Talent Search competition with a slightly different aspect of this project, as Intel requires that projects be submitted as individual work.

Vandana Sood, currently a junior at Syosset High School, earned recognition for her project entitled, "The Effect of Glucose on the ECM Protein Fibronectin - Implication for Impaired Wound Healing in Diabetics." She has completed the first phase of her project, and expects to continue to work on it throughout the school year and then again this summer.

Helen Kyd's project is entitled, "Enhancing Tissue Engineering and Wound Healing by Controlling the Elastic Properties of Cells Seeded on Modified Acid Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Scaffolds." She described her research as seeking a substance that will cause cells to speed up the healing process and actually eliminate scarring from occurring.

"The amount of commitment these students show to their research is absolutely incredible," said Superintendent Dr. Carole G. Hankin. "We are very proud of these young women and feel fortunate to be able to provide them with a program that supports and encourages them to achieve such remarkable results."