TRIP@TU'22 Session A

David Benjamin

David Benjamin joined TRIP as a rising senior at Hatboro Horsham High School. He enjoys lacrosse, skiing, and eating Chipotle. David also volunteers at various organizations and caddies at his local country club. He enjoys math and science (particularly biology) and plans to study engineering in the future. For his TRIP project, he tested the effects of common pre-workout ingredient L-Citrulline on the energy levels and development of fruit flies.

Check out David's blog!

Janiya Bradley

Janiya Bradley joined TRIP@TU’21 as a rising senior at Martin Luther King High School. She is an avid anime watcher who loves science. She enjoys watching science-focused shows ranging from criminal psychology documentaries to National Geographic Wild. For her TRIP project, she tested whether lemon ginger tea helped rescue overall health of flies fed a high sugar diet.

Check out Janiya's blog!

Yailis Correa

Yailis Correa joined TRIP as a rising junior at Murrell Dobbins CTE High School. Besides being a workaholic, Yailis enjoys drawing people she sees and throwing colors on a canvas. She also likes watching soccer and baseball games, as well as hanging out with her friends. For her TRIP project, she tested the impact of Boswellia and Poppy Seed Tea on the activity of fruit flies.

Check out Yailis's blog!

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Charity Robbins

Charity Robbins joined TRIP@TU’22 as a rising senior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Sciences. In school, she is involved heavily in extracurriculars and is passionate about giving back to her school community. She serves as NHS President, founder of Science Club, and a member of FTC Robotics. In the future, she aspires to pursue a career in the medical field in order to combine her love of Chemistry and caring for others. For her independent project, she sought to determine the impact of Coca-Cola and Coke Zero on memory in developing flies.    

Check out Charity's blog!

Anjali Verma

Anjali Verma joined TRIP as a rising sophomore at Pennridge High School. She enjoys participating in school activities including swimming, lacrosse, music, debate, Key Club, and being a Unified Sports Partner. Outside of school, Anjali was elected as 2023 State President of Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils, and is on the Work2BeWell National Student Advisory Council that aids in destigmatizing mental health in youth. She is passionate about the field of medicine and is beyond grateful for any opportunity to explore clinical and research experiences. For her TRIP project, Anjali is investigating the impact of sleep deprivation on short-term memory and learning in fruit flies.

Check out Anjali's blog!

Peter Yang

Peter Yang joined TRIP as a rising junior at Wissahickon High School. Peter is a huge fan of science fiction books and movies, especially Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. In school, his favorite class is AP Biology. For his TRIP project, he tested the impact of sleep deprivation and sleep recovery on mental health.

Check out Peter's blog!

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Emily Zhang

Emily Zhang joined TRIP@TU’22 as a senior at Kingsway Regional High School. Emily enjoys hanging out with family and friends through activities such as camping, going to the beach, and frequent Barnes and Noble runs. She is fascinated by the range of STEM careers and thought this program would be a great opportunity to explore the field of a research scientist. For her TRIP project, she tested whether the natural herb Angelina Sinensis can increase infertility while counteracting sleep deprivation.

Check out Emily's blog!​

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TRIP@TU'22 Session B​

Taahzje Ellis

Taahzje Ellis joined TRIP as a sophomore at Murrell Dobbins CTE High School. Taahzje was raised in New Jersey but moved to Philadelphia at the age of 11. He enjoys collecting books, reading, road trips and music. He chose his research project because of his love for coffee. For his TRIP project, he tested the impact of caffeine in isolated flies.

Check out Taahzje's blog!

Rachel Glantzberg

Rachel Glantzberg joined TRIP@TU’22 as a junior at the Academy of Allied Health and Science. Rachel loves to run, read, and experiment with new vegan recipes. She enjoys learning about medical science, hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a physician. For her TRIP project, she tested the impacts of animal-based vs plant-based diets on fertility and development when supplemented with Vitamin B12.

​Check out Rachel's blog!

Shawnette James

Shawnette James joined TRIP@TU’22 as a rising freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, where she will be studying Neuroscience. For her TRIP project, she chose to find whether caffeine and/or melatonin affected the energy levels of sleep deprived flies, and how it would affect their development as well.

Check out Shawnette's blog!

Ashli Lao

Ashli Lao joined TRIP@TU’22 as a rising senior at North Penn High School. She loves to drink matcha lattes, listen to music, and explore new places. At school, she is involved in the environmental club and the swim team. Ashli is interested in pursuing a career in medicinal chemistry, so for her TRIP project, she investigated the effects of birth control and green tea on anxiety and weight.

​Check out Ashli's blog!

Samarth Mannikeri

Samarth Mannikeri joined TRIP@TU’22 as a rising junior at Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. As the captain of the speech and debate team, placing himself in numerous nationally-ranked tournaments, and a national Youth Council member, in coordination with the NFL’s Fuel Up to Play 60 and GenYouth programs, his interests vary all over the place, musically and academically. In school, Samarth’s favorite classes are AP Chemistry and AP Calculus. For his TRIP project, Samarth elucidated the effects of a natural antibiotic versus commonly prescribed antibiotics on overall growth and fertility.

Check out Samarth's blog!

Tejasvi Pathipati

Tejasvi Pathipati joined TRIP as a senior at Downingtown STEM Academy. She loves the winter weather, dancing with her sister, and watching Grey’s Anatomy. In school, her favorite class in HL Chemistry. For her Trip project, she sought to determine whether unnecessary cholesterol medication affects overall health and energy.

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Laney Riley

Laney Riley joined TRIP@TU’22 as a recent graduate from the Academies @ Roxborough High School who will be attending the University of Southern California in the fall. She graduated as Valedictorian with a passion for science. In her free time, you will often find her drawing or painting, as well as playing with her dogs. Laney’s favorite class in school was Biotechnology and will be continuing her love of science as a neuroscience major. For her TRIP project, she studied how Prozac would impact the memory of the flies after being stressed with isolation.

Check out Laney's blog!

Charlotte Tan

Charlotte Tan joined TRIP as a rising senior at Downingtown STEM Academy. She loves martial arts, gardening, and painting, but she also feels a drive for social justice, especially around addressing public health disparities. Charlotte has a passion for science, which she explores through her physics internship, as well as through independently building a wireless power transmitter. For her TRIP project, she tested the effect of spice and pickle juice on gut and overall health.

Check out Charlotte's blog!

Megan Xie

Megan Xie joined TRIP@TU’22 as a rising junior at Lower Moreland High School. Megan is an active member of her school’s coding club, math club, and science club, where she participates in science fairs and other STEM-related competitions. In her freetime, Megan also enjoys playing piano and reading books on breakthroughs in science. Her interest in biology and her curiosity for understanding more about the world around her prompted her to join TRIP. For her independent research project, Megan tested the effects of eating a variety of fruits on gut microbiome diversity.
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​Check out Megan's blog!