Montverde Academy Student Pursues Scientific Discovery

This summer, rising Montverde Academy senior Samar Kaddoura attended the Summer Science Program (SSP) International, one of the world’s most prestigious and selective STEM programs for high school students. Founded in 1959, SSP admits only a small percentage of applicants each year, bringing together talented young scientists from around the world to conduct authentic, college-level research.

Samar participated in the Biochemistry program at Chadron State College, where she spent five weeks working with an international research team to investigate Verticillium longisporum, a fungal pathogen that threatens global agriculture. Her team combined laboratory techniques, including protein purification and enzyme characterization, with computational molecular modeling to design a potential inhibitor targeting the pathogen’s Cdc14 protein.

The program concluded with a research symposium where students presented their findings through professional scientific posters. By completing SSP’s rigorous research curriculum, Samar gained hands-on experience in biochemical research while contributing to a project addressing a real-world challenge in food security.