Princeton Student Named In Governor’s STEM Scholars Program

PRINCETON, NJ — A student from Princeton High School has been named to the Governor's STEM Scholars (GSS) program for the 2024-25 class, the Research & Development Council of New Jersey said.

Noah Meier, a sophomore, was selected from among more than 1,000 applicants from across the state, officials said.

As an assistant coach for the Princeton Junior Football League, Meier helped young athletes to develop their skills and relationships. He has done significant research into carbon sequestration in plants and possible improvements in carbon emissions, according to state officials.

Meier hopes to improve global health, through climate change initiatives and disease control. He loves playing football, especially the complex aspects of strategy in the sport. Meier also enjoys learning languages, taking both French and Mandarin courses in school, as well as German.

GSS is a public-private partnership between the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, the Office of the Governor, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, and public and private research institutions. GSS works to sustain and strengthen New Jersey’s STEM (Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics) talent pipeline.

New Jersey has the highest concentration of engineers and scientists per square mile in the United States, according to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

“New Jersey’s legacy of innovation is fueled by exceptional talent, and the Governor’s STEM Scholars is at the forefront of nurturing that talent. These Scholars are not only the future leaders in STEM, but they also represent the diversity and brilliance that defines our state,” said Anthony Cicatiello, President of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey.

“Through this program, we’re laying the foundation for groundbreaking discoveries that will continue to drive New Jersey’s economy and enhance its position as a global leader in research and development.”

The selected students will attend conferences, field trips, and do research. Scholars are able to explore professional opportunities that can jumpstart their future STEM careers.

For the 2024-2025 programmatic year, these conferences will be held at Rutgers University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Kean University.
Additionally, Scholars build relationships with diverse STEM professionals by attending field trips and fireside chats at New Jersey companies such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Kenvue, Panasonic, PSEG, and Mars Wrigley. Scholars participate in an engineering design research project as well.

The scholars hail from 21 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. 62 percent of the class identify as female and 89 percent as students of color. When they graduate in May 2025, they will join an alumni cohort of nearly 1,000 Scholars.

“Through the Governor’s STEM Scholars, New Jersey STEM students are able to learn from and engage with some of the state’s top STEM and R&D professionals, enhancing the students’ knowledge and understanding of career opportunities and introducing them to the STEM economy in New Jersey,” said Alise Roderer, Director of the Governor’s STEM Scholars.

“With this career knowledge and exposure, we are setting these high school and college students on a path to achieve excellence in jobs of the future.”

To qualify for GSS, applicants must have at least a 3.5 GPA, be a high school sophomore through doctoral-level student at a New Jersey-based high school or university, and demonstrate a strong passion for STEM.

Read more about the 2024-2025 Governor’s STEM Scholars at www.govstemscholars.com/scholars.

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