Focus on 2017 Regeneron Scholar Adam Pahlavan

By CAROLINE CHEN

Adam Pahlavan

Connecting the Spin-Diluted Ising Model to Bacterial Chemotaxis: A Cluster- Based Approach to Characterizing Chemoreceptor Dynamics
Adam’s project utilizes a novel application of a previously generated computer model to study bacterial chemotaxis.
“Bacterial chemotaxis is the process by which bacteria can use detected chemical gradients to modulate motion towards and away from different chemical stimuli. I use computer simulations of the spin-diluted Ising model, which was originally developed to study the properties of magnets, to study chemoreceptor dynamics in bacterial chemotaxis,” said Adam, a Regeneron STS Scholar and Siemens Competition National Semifinalist.
“Jericho’s research curriculum is very rigorous and has conditioned me into a very diligent student. Furthermore, having the opportunity to learn from other students and their research projects has expanded my interest in science,” commented Adam, who has been in the research course since his freshman year of high school.
Outside of school, Adam participates in Project Euler, practices math and physics problems, and enjoys playing the ukulele.