Senator Fuschillo Congratulates Farmingdale High School Science Student on Being Named National Semi-Finalist in Intel Science Talent Search

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) recently congratulated Farmingdale High School Senior Nakul Gupta on being chosen as a national semi-finalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search.

     “This is an extraordinary accomplishment and Nakul should be very proud to have earned a place among the nation’s top young scientists. Nakul’s tireless efforts and many hours of hard work and research have advanced him into an elite group of young men and women. This incredibly bright, hard-working young man will no doubt accomplish great things as he enters his collegiate years,” said Senator Fuschillo.

     Participants from all across the country, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands compete in the talent search, considered the nation’s most prestigious pre-college science competition. Nakul is one of only 300 semifinalists chosen from entries nationwide. Nakul’s research project can potentially help find practical solutions to cardiac problems involving Long QT Syndrome and cardiac arrhythmia.

     Senator Fuschillo presented Nakul with a copy of a legislative resolution which was recently passed by the Senate in honor of his accomplishment. With the passage of this resolution, sponsored by Senator Fuschillo, Nakul’s name and achievement will forever be part of the New York State Senate’s official record.

     Senator Fuschillo (right center) is pictured as he congratulates Nakul Gupta (left center) on being named semi-finalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search. They are joined by Farmingdale High School Principal Glen Zakian (left) and Nakul’s science teacher, Peter Macchia (right).

Text of the Legislative Resolution:

Senate Resolution No. 286

BY: Senator FUSCHILLO      

CONGRATULATING  Nakul  Gupta  of  Farmingdale High
        School  upon  the  occasion   of   being   named   a
        semifinalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend and pay
tribute  to  those  who,  by  achieving  outstanding  success  in  their
educational and scientific endeavors, have inspired and brought pride to
our majestic Empire State; and

  WHEREAS, It is also the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
the dedication and  commitment  of  our  young  people  who  distinguish
themselves through excellence in science competition; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
congratulate Nakul Gupta of Farmingdale High School upon the occasion of
being named a semifinalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search; and

  WHEREAS,  Once  known  as  the  Westinghouse  competition, the Intel
Science Talent Search is the oldest of its type in the  nation,  and  is
the country's most prestigious science scholarship competition; and

  WHEREAS, For more than 60 years, the Intel Science Talent Search has
recognized and rewarded the country's top young science students; and

  WHEREAS,  Over  the years, this competition has gained broad acclaim
in the  academic  and  scientific  communities;  educators,  scientists,
engineers   and   journalists   throughout   the   United   States  have
enthusiastically supported this annual event; and

  WHEREAS, Six former Intel Science  Talent  Search  competitors  have
gone on to win the prestigious Nobel Prize; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Intel  Science Talent Search was created to encourage
high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional ability in science, math
and engineering through individual research projects; and

  WHEREAS, Colleges and universities regard the Intel  Science  Talent
Search  semifinalist  award  to  be  evidence  of exceptional scientific
promise; and

  WHEREAS, Nakul  Gupta,  a  senior  at  Farmingdale  High  School  in
Farmingdale,  New  York, was recently named a semifinalist in the annual
Intel Science Talent Search which awards scholarships to  recognize  the
outstanding science research of high school seniors; and

  WHEREAS,  Nakul Gupta's 2013 Intel Science Talent Search project was
entitled, "Employing siRNA to Recruit KCNQ1 through  microRNA  Pathways:
implications for Long QT Syndrome"; and

  WHEREAS,  For  his  project,  Nakul  Gupta focused on RNA silencing,
KCNQ1 protein pathways,  and  cardiac  disease;  with  the  patch  clamp

apparatus,  he  measured the currents of potassium channels and analyzed
the quantitative data; and

  WHEREAS,  Nakul  Gupta's  results  indicated that this silencing RNA
strand increased the amount of outward potassium current; this  research
can  potentially  lead to improved methods to study Long QT Syndrome and
cardiac arrhythmia; and

  WHEREAS, It is appropriate to celebrate and applaud  the  individual
accomplishments of remarkable students in this great Empire State; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Nakul
Gupta of Farmingdale High School upon the occasion of his designation as
a  semifinalist  in  the  2013  Intel Science Talent Search, and for his
noteworthy educational and scientific endeavors  and  achievements;  his
outstanding performance has clearly made a contribution to the spirit of
excellence  which  is  a  tradition  of  his  school and community; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
congratulate Nakul Gupta of Farmingdale High School upon the occasion of
being  named a semifinalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search; and
be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to Nakul Gupta.