Three hundred special students throughout the world received letters last week imparting spectacular news: each had been selected as a semifinalist in the coveted Intel Science Talent Search, formerly and perhaps better known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. For the first time in many years, a senior from H. Frank Carey High School, Dean Thorsen, has been selected to compete among some of the most brilliant young minds in this competition. World-renowned researchers and educators are in the process of judging the comprehensive projects and will select 40 finalists.

"This is a dream come true; all my hopes have been fulfilled," said Dean. "When I first heard, I was in shock for about two days, and I heard from people and students I've never spoken to before, congratulating me."

Thorsen, a science enthusiast from an early age, has excelled in Carey's science program. Taking the most rigorous science curriculum available at Carey, he studied college-level or AP (Advanced Placement, a program of the College Board) biology and earned the best possible score. His teacher, Carey's Dr. James Van Tassell, sparked his interest in science and the two began to work on extensive research projects together. Van Tassell, a researcher in the field of ichthyology (the study of fish structure, classification and habits), has worked for the prestigious American Museum of Natural History and currently serves as a research associate for the New Jersey State Aquarium. Thorsen traveled to the Canary Islands with Van Tassell and other Carey alumni last summer, where he conducted his project and did the majority of the research. He later traveled to the Azores where he presented his findings at a scientific conference on the Atlantic Islands.

The acclaimed science project is related to Thorsen's science research from his summer in the Canary Islands. The islands, off the northwest coast of Africa, are unique in their fish fauna and have been heavily impacted by the developing tourist trade. His project is entitled, "Infestation of the Parrot Fish, Sparisoma cretense, by the Fish Louse, Anilocra physodes, in the Canary Islands," which details just how technical his studies in this field have been.

"I am really excited for Dean," said Dr. Van Tassell. "It's great to see anyone reach this level of achievement."

Continuing study in this field, Thorsen is researching with Van Tassell at Adelphi University and is taking physics and AP chemistry at Carey. He has been accepted to the University of Miami under its Early Action program, one which enables the student to obtain an admissions decision from a university early in the year, while he is not bound to attend that school later that fall. If selected as a finalist, Thorsen can expect to receive many calls and letters from other prestigious universities; many will likely offer him merit-based financial aid as well. Selection as one of the 40 finalists also guarantees him several other things. If selected, he will be sent to Washington, DC on an all-expense-paid trip to compete with the other finalists. He is guaranteed a $3,000 scholarship from the Science Talent Search and from Intel's science grants, but may earn a scholarship of $50,000 if he wins the competition.