Yunseo Choi, a senior at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire recently won first prize in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, taking home a $250,000 prize.

Choi studied matching algorithms similar to those used on dating sites to match potential partners. But instead of finding a match between a given number of one group and a given number in another group, Choi developed a method to find stable couple from an infinite number of possible pairings.

“Matching markets dominate the world, from Tinder to Airbnb,” Choi said. “Economic theory seeks to understand the properties of these markets, but some theory predictions are wrong because they depend on unrealistic assumptions. How do we find the most fundamental results? Go infinite!”

Choi’s work could has several real-world applications. Her algorithms can be used to improve the process of matching organ donors to recipients, medical school applicants to hospital rotations, candidates to branches of military service.

“Usually mathematics, there’s a lot of abstraction,” said Choi. “You’re thinking about things that can be implemented or be useful in many, many years to come. But matching theory compared to that was much more tangible and, like, practically useful.”

Girls took 2 of the top 3 places in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search.  Third-place winner Eshani Jha of San Jose, CA, developed a water filter based on biochar (a carbonaceous material produced in the absence of oxygen). She has founded a company to develop and test her patent-pending design.

Also among the 40 finalists was Dasia T. Taylor of North Liberty, IA. She designed a surgical suture that changes color if it comes in contact with infected tissue. She hopes that her work will one day benefit developing countries where many lives can be saved with early detection of post-surgical infections. Taylor was chosen by her fellow finalists to receive the Glenn T. Seaborg Award as the student who most exemplifies their class and inspires a passion for science in others.

“The Regeneron Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science & the Public since 1942, is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Each year, around 2,000 student entrants submit original research in critically important scientific fields of study and are judged by leading experts in their fields. Unique among high school competitions in the U.S. and around the world, the Regeneron Science Talent Search focuses on identifying, inspiring and engaging the nation’s most promising young scientists who are creating the ideas that could solve society’s most urgent challenges.”

Science for Society website