Rooted in Research: HSW students cultivate success at LISEF

High School West students Liana Cheng and Jacey Lin, along with Gyuree Kim of Bethpage High School, recently showcased their impressive scientific research during Day 2 of the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF) this past Thursday. The students’ groundbreaking work has earned them a spot at the New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF), where they will present their project in two weeks.

Their project, titled “Comparative Study of Mucilaginibacter sp. AK6, Mucilaginibacter sp. AK15 and Pedobacter sp. AK17 on Their Effect on Wheat Plant Health and Growth,” explored how newly identified species of bacteria impact wheat plants grown in challenging soil conditions.

The research was conducted at Hofstra University under the mentorship of Dr. Javier Izquierdo. Their findings revealed that these novel bacteria significantly improved soil conditions and promoted stronger, healthier wheat plant growth.

Notably, Liana Cheng and Jacey Lin are the first students from High School West in several years to advance to and compete in both LISEF and NYSSEF, marking an exciting achievement for the school’s science research program.