DEREK BANGS
GENERAL BIOLOGY

Derek is a Regents Scholar from Santa Ana’s Foothill High School. His numerous academic distinctions include Academic Excellence for Chemistry, Academic Excellence for GPA, Principal’s Honor Roll, AP Scholar Award and National Youth Leadership Conference nominee. He was an active member if the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honor Society, co-founder and publicity commissioner for Ubuntu in Zambia, and club treasurer for Friday Night Live, a club with an anti-substance message that raises money through activities, community service and fundraising.

ROBERT (BOBBY) BARRETT
BIOENGINEERING

Bobby is an Eagle Scout, Regents Scholar and National Merit Finalist from Foothill High School in Pleasanton. The award-winning swimmer and co-captain of the varsity water polo team has been actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America for the past eight years, working on activities including leadership training, community service and Senior Patrol. His extracurricular activities include regional science competitions, serving as treasurer of the high school literary magazine, and on various projects organized through Habitat for Humanity

CHRISTINA BONSELL
ECOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION

Christina is a National Merit commended scholar and an AP Scholar. The scholar-athlete from Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta qualified for and competed in the CIF playoffs. In high school, she was involved as commissioner of environmental concerns and served as co-founder and co-president of the Dos Pueblos Catholic Club. For the past three summers, Christina she has volunteered with the Tijuana work mission, delivering food and supplies to impoverished neighborhoods in addition to helping with clean up and construction work on designated sites.

MONICA CHAN
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Monica, a Regents Scholar from Alhambra High School and elected valedictorian of her graduating class, placed 1st in solo math competitions in 2006 and 2008. For the past three years, she has been an active member of the Campus Service Club where she assumed various leadership positions including president during her senior year. As an active member and later as president of Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (M.E.S.A)., she developed a passion for science following hands-on activities designing and building mousetrap cars, seeing trebuchets, and developing egg drop packages.

ROY STEPHEN CHAN
COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Roy, a Regents Scholar from Tri-City Christian High School in Vista, founded the school’s media team has been serving as the student leader of the school’s computer club for the past four years, overseeing the club’s projects including a school website and 3D modeling project. Since 2005, he has edited Wikipedia primarily under the United States Roads project, which he founded. He is a student leader of the U.S. Roads project that has over 33,000 edits.

CHELSEA DIDINGER
MARINE BIOLOGY

Since elementary school, Chelsea has planned to one-day conduct research in the field of marine biology. A certified PADI open water scuba diver, she was founder and president of the Ocean Club on her high school campus. Activities and awards include distinction as one of Rocklin High School’s valedictorians, as the recipient of the Bank of America, President’s Education and Distinguished Community Service Awards, and National Merit commended scholar distinction. In 2007, she received Gold Level for over 500 hours of service in the President’s Volunteer service club.

ETHAN FRAM
BIOLOGY

Ethan estimates that he has volunteered possibly thousands of hours in service in his eleven years of affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America working in Scout camps and countless hours on Eagle Scout projects. He has also been actively involved with the Great American clean up and working in a camp for disadvantaged youth. The Regents Scholar from Centennial High School in Bakersfield is the recipient of the Eagle Scout Award, the Ner Tamid Award, the Gold Award for Biology, and the AFS Award of Merit.

RACHEL GRAHAM
ECONOMICS

Rachel is a Regents Scholar from Helix Charter School in La Mesa. The National Merit Finalist, Advanced Placement Scholar, French textbook author and varsity captain of the
Academic League All-Star, also served as team captain in the La Jolla Surf Bowl, one of the regional competitions associated with the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. She served as president of the California Scholarship Federation, and as vice president of the Math Club.

LEILA HAGHIGHAT
GENERAL BIOLOGY

Leila is a Regents Scholar from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View.  The National Merit Commended Scholar served as editor and staff writer of her school newspaper and was elected Salutatorian of her high school class.  She has been admitted into the prestigious UC San Diego Medical Scholars Program and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. For two years Leila interned in the lab of Roger Kornberg at Stanford’s School of Medicine. 

JOANNE HO
BIOCHEMISTRY

Joanne is a Regents Scholar and National Merit Finalist from San Marino High School. In 2007, she was recipient of the San Marino High School Achievement Most Consistent Student Award and the AP Scholar Award. As an active member of her high school leadership, she was Vice President of the Key Club and elected Vice President of the Future Business Leaders of America Club during her junior and senior year. She performs on Chinese instruments including the erhu, zither and pipa, with a local orchestra.

DINA KATS
BIOCHEMISTRY

Dina is a Regents Scholar and National Merit Commended Scholar from Lynbrook High School in San Jose. For four years, she has been a member of the national championship Lynbrook Valkyries Dance Team. She is president of the Destination Imagination, a team-based creative problem-solving competition that has placed in state, regional and global competitions. Dina has also been active in school theatre, the photography club, the CHEF Club and as secretary of the Spanish Honor Society.

CODY MURRAY
NEUROSCIENCE

Cody is a Regents Scholar from Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista. The jazz trumpeter received Outstanding Musicianship Awards for solo performances at The Val Verde Jazz Festival and the Coronado Jazzfest, and named Best Musician of the High School. Extracurricular activities included leadership as President of the Math Club, as Trumpet Section Leader and as a member of the high school ’s Academic Team. For four years, he participated in the USO Show for WWII Veterans, playing taps to lost veterans and lead trumpet in the Glen Miller Jazz Band.