Team:SMTexas/TeamBiographies

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The Members of our Team

Halbert Bai is a Benjamin Franklin Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. He recently graduated as the valedictorian of his class at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Highly interested in science and art, he has pursued laboratory research experiences, collaborated with professional artists across creative disciplines, and sought related extracurricular work. In high school, he was inducted into the Cum Laude Society, the Editor-in-Chief of The Marque Magazine of Arts and Letters, and a member of the Community Service Board. He spearheaded a biotechnology initiative at St. Mark’s through iGEM, an international synthetic biology competition. Artistically, Halbert focuses on photography, video production, and graphic design. He has been recognized as one of the top young photographers in the United States by the National YoungArts Foundation and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Halbert specializes in creating images that capture the beautiful bond between man and nature while documenting the stunning magnificence of light and atmosphere. His photographs have also been exhibited in eight countries on five continents. His videos and designs are characterized by beautiful aesthetics and evocative visual narration. Halbert is the founder and captain of the 2013-2014 St. Mark's iGEM Team. He is the backbone of the team and has organized and led the team to reach its goals.

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Rohan Pinto is a senior who likes to play the violin, learn Chinese, and tutor kids. Rohan is the President of the Chinese Club, the Junior Assistant Scout Master of Troop 730,and Treasurer for the Biology Club. He has made All-State three times and was assistant concertmaster for the 2013-2014 All-State Orchestra. Rohan has also received the Upper School Orchestra Award. Rohan is the Director of Basic Research for the iGEM team and helps with creating and discovering various mechanisms that detect VOCs in Lung Cancer patients. In addition, he also assists with the team poster and teaching basic DNA science concepts.

Raymond Guo is a rising senior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Very interested in math and science, he is both a United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) Qualifier and a United States of America Physics Team Semifinalist. Captain of both the math and physics teams, member of the Cum Laude Society, Harvard Prize Book Award Winner, and a Rensselaer Medalist, his passion for learning is clearly evident in his endeavors. In addition to the sciences, he loves music; he has played piano for eleven years, is a member of the All-State Choir, and has received the James Livengood Upper School Chorus Award. He is a co-director of the Basic Research Committee on the iGEM team. Working with Rohan and Rohin, he has done research on potential VOCs in lung cancer patients and on genes that could indicate the presence of these VOCs.

Akshay Malhotra is a rising junior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Aside from working on iGEM and biology, in which he received a Certificate of Excellence for Highest School Score in the University of Toronto National Biology Competition, he plays chess. He is a US chess national master, who holds four national titles, including the reigning US Expert Champion title, and ten Texas state titles. He also tied for third place in last year’s World Amateur Chess Championship in Romania. He uses his chess skill to serve the community as he teaches chess to elementary students. Akshay is the Projects Manager of the Biology Club and the Director of Applied Research of the iGEM Team. He has worked to engineer the bacteria to be able to detect lung cancer VOCs.

Kevin Wu is a rising junior at St. Mark's School of Texas. He swims year-round and trains over ten hours a week. Kevin is also the co-president of the Classics Club and the Director of Calender on the Community Service Board. Kevin is very active in helping the community, earning the bronze presidential award in freshman year and the gold presidential award in sophomore year. He has been chosen by his peers to lead the class as a co-chair in the annual McDonald's Week Fundraiser which raises money for the Austin Street Homeless Shelter. He is the director of applied research on the iGEM team as well as the interim director of web development. Kevin has worked with Akshay to understand the different methods of engineering bacterial while working on the wiki after the website crashed.

Abhi Thummala is a rising junior at St. Mark's School of Texas. In addition to his contributions as Director of Outreach on the iGem team, Abhi will compete on the volleyball and track and field teams. Abhi is the Graphics Director on the school newspaper, the ReMarker, which he writes and designs graphics for. He is also involved in the medical club, Caduceus Club, the Leadership and Ethics Committee, and community service. In addition to his work on campus, Abhi is working on his AP art portfolio. Abhi has worked with Killian Green to create graphics, draw a comic, and spread awareness about biotechnology.

Jeffrey Wu recently graduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas and will attend Duke University this fall. He has a passion for science, community service, and baseball. A 3-time Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award winner and member of the community service board, Jeffrey completed more than 900 hours of community service throughout high school. He was Vice-President and Vice-Captain of the Biology Club and the iGEM team. In addition, Jeffrey holds 6 varsity letters in swimming and baseball. Jeffrey is part of the Fundamental Research Team and helps with creating and discovering various mechanisms that detect volatile organic compounds in lung cancer patients.

Vishal Gokani '14 is a 12-year Marksman who strives to find ways to contribute to the scientific community at St. Mark's, even assisting a substitute science teacher who had to take on a last-minute class. He enjoys supporting his longtime friend and fellow student Halbert Bai, president of the team, and discussing the group's dynamics and progress. Vishal is honored to be a member of this new group and is eager to see its progress as younger students take the reins in future years.

Luke Williams just graduated from St. Mark’s and is heading to the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar. Basketball, football, and leadership are Luke's biggest hobbies. Luke joined the biology club because he liked the leadership initiative, and he helped to write the mission statement.

Gopal is a freshman at St. Mark’s and served as the Projects Manager of the Biology Club. In iGEM, he worked under the Applied Research Division. He also plays tennis for the Varsity team and is one of the Co-Presidents of the Philosophy Club. Other than science, he loves the literary arts and is the student vice-chair of the Literary Festival. He also writes for the Marque and The ReMarker. In addition, he serves on the Community Service Board. He also works with younger students in Telos 4.

Kevin Choi is a rising sophomore at St. Mark's School of Texas. He likes math and playing frisbee and pool. He also recently qualified for the United States Junior Math Olympiad (USAJMO). Kevin Choi has only recently joined the iGEM project, but as a member of the web development team, he aids the progress of the technological parts of the project

Retrieved from "http://2014hs.igem.org/Team:SMTexas/TeamBiographies"

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 <table><td width="200"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014hs/1/13/Raymond_Guo.png" alt="Raymond Guo"></td><td style="vertical-align: top;" width="900">Raymond Guo is a rising senior at St. Mark’s School of Texas.  Very interested in math and science, he is both a United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) Qualifier and a United States of America Physics Team Semifinalist.  Captain of both the math and physics teams, member of the Cum Laude Society, Harvard Prize Book Award Winner, and a Rensselaer Medalist, his passion for learning is clearly evident in his endeavors.  In addition to the sciences, he loves music; he has played piano for eleven years, is a member of the All-State Choir, and has received the James Livengood Upper School Chorus Award.  He is a co-director of the Basic Research Committee on the iGEM team.  Working with Rohan and Rohin, he has done research on potential VOCs in lung cancer patients and on genes that could indicate the presence of these VOCs.</td></tr></table>
-<table><td width="900" vertical-align: top;">All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" width="200" align="right"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014hs/6/60/Akshay_Malhotra.png" alt="Akshay Malhotra"></td></tr></table>
+<table><td width="900" vertical-align: top;">Akshay Malhotra is a rising junior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Aside from working on iGEM and biology, in which he received a Certificate of Excellence for Highest School Score in the University of Toronto National Biology Competition, he plays chess. He is a US chess national master, who holds four national titles, including the reigning US Expert Champion title, and ten Texas state titles.  He also tied for third place in last year’s World Amateur Chess Championship in Romania. He uses his chess skill to serve the community as he teaches chess to elementary students. Akshay is the Projects Manager of the Biology Club and the Director of Applied Research of the iGEM Team. He has worked to engineer the bacteria to be able to detect lung cancer VOCs.</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" width="200" align="right"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014hs/6/60/Akshay_Malhotra.png" alt="Akshay Malhotra"></td></tr></table>
 <table><td width="200"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014hs/9/9e/Kevin_Wu.png" alt="Kevin Wu"></td><td style="vertical-align: top;" width="900">Kevin Wu is a rising junior at St. Mark's School of Texas. He swims year-round and trains over ten hours a week. Kevin is also the co-president of the Classics Club and the Director of Calender on the Community Service Board. Kevin is very active in helping the community, earning the bronze presidential award in freshman year and the gold presidential award in sophomore year. He has been chosen by his peers to lead the class as a co-chair in the annual McDonald's Week Fundraiser which raises money for the Austin Street Homeless Shelter. He is the director of applied research on the iGEM team as well as the interim director of web development. Kevin has worked with Akshay to understand the different methods of engineering bacterial while working on the wiki after the website crashed.</td></tr></table>