62nd Annual STS (2002-2003)
Finalists
Matthew Jay Kroll

NEW YORK
Matthew Jay Kroll, 17, of Bedford, submitted to the Intel Science Talent Search the latest phase of a three-year zoology project that could help combat Lyme disease. Inspired by a close friend's struggle with the malady, Matt investigated the size of female deer ticks, their sexual development and the incidence of Lyme disease-the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S. For his project, Matt collected live ticks in the forest at the Louis Calder Center in Armonk, measured the size of blood-fed females and counted and measured the size of their eggs. After the eggs hatched, he measured the size of the newly emerged larvae and nymphs. Matt concluded that female size reflects offspring size. At Byram Hills High School in Armonk, Matt is founder and co-president of the debate team, co-president of Mock Trial, co-founder and co-president of the fencing club, sports editor for the school newspaper and a board member of Habitat for Humanity. In his spare time he enjoys photography, tennis, golf, skiing, saxophone and piano. The son of Elliott and Marcy Kroll, Matt plans to study biology and hopes to head a science-based company someday.