June 23, 2025 — The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) announced that 21 rising seniors participated in the school’s 2025 Investigative Research Scholars Program (IRSP). Over the course of three weeks, these students engaged in immersive research experiences with laboratories and organizations across Oklahoma City—gaining valuable insight and hands-on training for their future careers. For the first time, participants will also receive academic credit for completing the program.

The 2025 IRSP team includes:  Shantripriya Awasthi (Edmond), Kidthusan Birendra (Edmond), Becci Boughner (Tecumseh), Noelani Gray (Claremore), Shreya Jha (Stillwater), Eesha Katta (Lawton), Eunice Kim (Stillwater), Hana Kilani (Norman), Bishal Lamichhane (Tulsa), Nosrat Montaha (Owasso), Estrella Morales (Oklahoma City), Edward Nguyen (Oklahoma City), Ilia Nikulin (Owasso), Steven Otzoy (Edmond), Victoria Pauwels (Ardmore), Grace Prentice (Yukon), Ahmed Rahman (Oklahoma City), Nisha Tulshan (Norman), Khalid Umer (Norman), Sherry Wang (Stillwater), and Alex Yoon (Edmond).

Partnering institutions for this year’s program included the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), and HBE Systems. Areas of research ranged from cancer drug discovery and disease-related DNA damage to artificial intelligence in application development, cellular metabolism, and cardiovascular science.

“The OSSM IRSP offers students relevant, hands-on experience in research,” said OSSM President Tony Cornforth. “In addition to building teamwork and leadership, this opportunity demonstrates a student’s ability to think critically and gather data for evidence-based conclusions.”

“The students are using theoretical skills from OSSM and implementing them with real world outcomes,” said Theodore Mathuram, Ph.D., director of the OSSM mentorship program. “OSSM is building Oklahoma’s next generation of strong work ethics leaning on honesty, integrity and truthfulness. The students maintain a strict work schedule on lab or company research, while also keeping detailed lab notebooks that help develop strong notetaking and observational skills.”

Mentorships, including the IRSP, are a hallmark of the OSSM curriculum. Through IRSP and other initiatives, OSSM students collaborate with more than 60 academic institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies throughout Oklahoma City. These partnerships expose students to real-world applications in research, medicine, engineering, and beyond—developing not just knowledge but also confidence and career readiness.