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Ossining Student Wins Award For Science Research

OSSINING, N.Y. -- An Ossining student was named one of the rising scientists in the New York metropolitan area.

Brinda Ramesh was honored by the Child Mind Institute for her science research.

Brinda Ramesh was honored by the Child Mind Institute for her science research.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ann Billingsley

Brinda Ramesh, a senior at Ossining High School, was honored by the Child Mind Institute for her research into developmental neuroscience. Ramesh was honored at a ceremony at Hunter College on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Ramesh received a certificate of achievement and the Ossining High School science department was awarded $500.

The Ossining student's project looked at how humans can integrate information from more than one sense. She researched how sensory integration is different with people who have autism. 

"Sensory integration is impaired in a lot of disorders," Ramesh said. "My research provides a baseline for kids that are typical compared to kids with autism."

Ramesh studied two children who have autism as part of her research. She said she was attracted to studying autism after her sister researched autism while in high school. Ramesh conducted her research at a laboratory in the Bronx.

"We found out that as you get older, your ability to combine different speech components does get better as we get older," Ramesh said. "For kids with autism spectrum disorder, the topography looks significantly different. In typical children, the activity is less lateral."

In the future, Ramesh said you can create a developmental trajectory for kids with autism and be able to find out more about where kids are on the spectrum.

"You can see where they are plateauing," Ramesh said. "It stops at a certain age. It reaches a threshold lower than typical kids. You can target therapy to a certain age group."

Ramesh said she is looking at going to University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Virginia or Wake Forest University, with a goal of majoring in biomedical engineering.

Ossining High School's science research program deserves all the credit for her success, Ramesh said.

"I love going to school there," Ramesh said. "They help you get to where you want to go. I love all the science classes I've taken at the school. It's an honor to be able  to raise money for school."

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