By: Alice Huang
From analyzing online “cancel culture” to studying gender disparities in entrepreneurship and racial inequities in criminal sentencing, three Syosset High School seniors are using research to address complex real-world issues. Elaine Liu, Grace C. Liu, and Nikhil Shah were named scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school students. Selected from more than 2,600 applicants who submitted original research, the three students are among the 300 scholars recognized for exceptional independent work.
Elaine’s project investigated how public apologies influence the spread of backlash online. Her research, titled “The Effects of Apology Strategies on the Spread and Intensity of Cancel Culture Incidents,” examined linguistic patterns and engagement data across social media platforms to better understand how different apology strategies affect public response. Elaine said, “I was interested in how quickly public outrage spreads online and why some apologies calm the situation while others make things worse. Social media reactions can feel unpredictable, but I wanted to see whether there were patterns behind them.” Through her analysis, Elaine studied how language affects public reactions in digital spaces. “Once I started looking closely at the wording of different apologies and the way people responded, I realized how much small differences in language can matter. It showed me that communication choices can have real consequences in online communities,” she said.
Grace’s research focused on gender disparities in entrepreneurship. Her project used panel data and a mathematical decision-theory framework to examine how uncertainty influences entrepreneurial decision-making at different stages of building a business. “My project examines the gender differences in how entrepreneurs behave, and how that leads to gender disparities,” said Grace. “Particularly, my project explores how uncertainty shapes gender disparities in entrepreneurship, especially how things like confidence, fear of failure, and decision-making under pressure affect women at different stages of building a business.” Grace’s interest in the topic was shaped by both personal history and observation. She said, “My grandmother grew up facing severe gender discrimination and later became a resilient entrepreneur. When I founded my own nonprofit, I started noticing how often girls and women were discouraged from stepping into leadership.” For Grace, research provided a way to explore those questions more deeply. “Through this experience, I learned how much I enjoy taking something abstract and messy, and turning it into something clearer,” said Grace.
Nikhil’s research explored inequality within the American criminal justice system. His project analyzed more than 26,000 federal court cases to evaluate whether federal sentencing guidelines have reduced racial disparities in sentencing outcomes. “My research project was in criminal justice, and I was actually inspired by a lecture that was given here at Syosset High School by a woman named Mary Buser. She talked about the conditions there and the disparities that exist in the criminal justice system, and that got me interested in exploring racial disparities,” said Nikhil. The subject felt meaningful because of its broad impact and real-world consequences. He said, “Criminal justice is real because it can change your life. If you’re incarcerated, the difference in the amount of time you’re sentenced to can really change someone’s life.”
All three science scholars agreed that this recognition was a culmination of their high school research. Grace said, “Research is really about curiosity. You start with a question you genuinely care about, and the process of trying to answer it teaches you far more than you expect.”
