3 Toms River Students Named To STEM Scholars Program

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Three students from Toms River have been named Governor's STEM Scholars, a research and development program that connects students to future career pathways.

Genesis DaSilva, a junior from Toms River High School North; Saniya Williams, a senior at Toms River North, and Taylor Pape, a senior at New Jersey Institute of Technology, are among 111 students chosen across New Jersey from more than 1,000 applicants for the 2024-25 program.

The STEM Scholars students represent some of the highest-achieving students in New Jersey.

The Governor's STEM Scholars is a 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. It aims to connect those students to companies in New Jersey for future careers.

"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," he said.

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.

Through conferences, field trips, and research, students in the program are able to explore professional opportunities that can jumpstart their STEM careers. Scholars attend four conferences to explore the STEM sectors of industry, academia, and government, officials said.

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 prgrams at New Jersey companies such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Kenvue, Panasonic, PSEG, and Mars Wrigley. Scholars participate in an engineering design research project that will enhance their analytical and 21st century skills.

"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.

"GSS serves as a vital bridge for talented STEM students to connect with research and STEM professionals within the industry, academia, and government sectors," officials said. "By creating this vital bridge we are building up New Jersey’s STEM network."

From the program:

"Pape is a fourth-year biology major with a computer science and data analytics minor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. She is in the Albert Dorman's Honor's College, where she is a Peer mentor and teaching assistant. Taylor is a member and captain of NJIT's D1 Women's soccer team and plays violin for the orchestra. In 2023, she completed the McNair Summer Research Institute fellowship program working in NJIT's BioSMART laboratory. Taylor has continued to work in this lab researching the quantification of pain through biosensors and machine learning. In 2024, she completed the Honor's Summer Research Institute program working in NJIT's STG laboratory of Neuron and Circuit Dynamics researching how neuromodulation can affect the stability of neuronal activity. After graduation in 2025, Taylor plans to pursue a Master’s in Bioinformatics followed by a Ph.D., and then hopes to work in the pharmaceutical industry as a bioinformatics scientist."

"Williams is a senior at Toms River High School North. She is currently conducting research on the variants of unknown significance in Sickle Cell disease using HudsonAlpha’s YASARA. She hopes to be able to increase awareness about the disease and discover the effects of certain genetic variations on Sickle Cell Disease. Her main STEM interests lie in biology and biomedical sciences. Saniya is the vice president of her school’s thespian troupe and National Honors Society. Outside of STEM, Saniya enjoys playing field hockey and lacrosse, and she participates in her school’s theatre program. She is also an active member of her school’s Medical Club. In the future, she hopes to become a pediatric hospitalist and expand on her research in Sickle Cell Disease."

"DaSilva is a junior at Toms River High School North, with a strong passion for pathology, immunology, and pediatrics. Now in her second year of her school's authentic research science program, she is actively involved in the Medical Club, Key Club, and Student Council. With two autistic siblings, Genesis is driven by her goal of becoming a doctor to provide specialized care for individuals with autism and disabilities, ensuring they receive personalized treatments that meet their medical and unique needs. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys playing the viola and volunteering at the animal shelter in her free time."