King student John Russell ’22 is conducting research to de-acidify the oceans and remove carbon emissions from the environment during his internship at the Hu Lab in the Department of Engineering and Applied Science at Yale University. 

John’s passion for chemistry and his desire to tackle real-world problems led him to a conference at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Annual International Research Conference in Atlanta, where thought leaders gathered to discuss “The Resilience of Chemistry.” The objective was to find ways in which chemistry could counteract current global crises, including climate change.

“At the conference, I attended talks given by top researchers in my fields of catalysis and electrochemistry. The networking opportunities at the conference were equally exciting. I met graduate students and professors from Yale, Stanford, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Wisconsin. I learned not only about developments in chemistry but also about the paper publication process and professorship tracks.”

Earlier this year, with the encouragement of Dr. Victoria Schulman, John applied for and was granted the $2,000 Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Momentum Grant. The support enabled him to attend the conference, which was held during summer break.

“Although I believe I was the only high school student at the conference, everyone there was gracious and willing to engage with me,” he stated. In reflecting on his experience at the conference, John expressed gratitude to the Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium for awarding him the grant to attend the conference. “It was a valuable experience to attend the conference and one that I will never forget,” John said. 

The ASPIRE program is supported by the Advanced Mathematics and Science Study Program endowed fund established in 2018 by Margharet, Frank, Bea ’15, and William ’17 Nash. The fund supports select students with demonstrated ability and interest in achieving excellence in science, technology, engineering, mathematics in global competition preparation and laboratory research experiences. If you are interested in further supporting this opportunity for students, please contact the Development Office at giving@kingschoolct.org to discuss how your gift can help.