The Winner of the Gold CREST STEM Award

In October this year, Rishabh from Grade 12 won an award from the British Science Association called ‘Gold CREST’. The Gold CREST award is for STEM students who make original contributions within any STEM field of their choice, an effort which typically entails at least 70 hours of research. Rishabh’s STEM project was on early detection of Parkinson's Disease (PD) using keystrokes, developing an effective, remote and non-intrusive test for PD. We reached out to Rishabh to learn more about his project and how the award has affected him and his future. 

The award just informs me that my idea is worthwhile and holds promise, which makes me very excited for the future of Machine Learning applications to medicine – Rishabh, Grade 12 

According to Rishabh, early detection of PD is crucial in assisting afflicted people with getting treatment and mitigating the extent of their disease. Current diagnosis methods only work for patients in their 50s, when the worst of PD is irreversible and takes a lot of time to develop. “I decided to participate in the CREST Awards because I thought it would be a unique opportunity to contribute to Machine Learning (ML) and Diagnostic Medicine, two fields I am very excited by”, explains Rishabh, who hopes to create a test that can detect PD among patients in their 30s and that can be delivered remotely. “I also thought it would be a fun task to challenge myself through”, says Rishabh, whose interest in Machine Learning (ML) encouraged him to help determine the efficacy of ML in diagnosing disease. 

Being given the Gold CREST award has motivated Rishabh to continue his research and work with ML and medical product development: “In the short term, I think this award has invigorated me to research deeper into medicinal applications of ML and computer technologies. For the long term, I look forward to engaging in more research opportunities or product design to further develop my own understanding of medicine and ML.” 

To learn more about the award and the STEM challenge, and to get inspiration for participating, visit the Gold CREST website.