History maker

Briana Stephens with the traveling trophy she earned as a Grand Award Ying Scholar. [Photo courtesy Marion County Public Schools]

Briana Stephens, a junior at Belleview High School, saw a need and, with a desire to become a biomedical engineer, figured out a way to improve a process that affects millions of people.

Her endeavor recently earned her the honor of being named, for the first time in Marion County Public Schools history, a Grand Award Ying Scholar at the 71^st Florida State Science and Engineering Fair. She is one of only eight students statewide to receive the distinction.

Stephens’ project, “Revolutionizing Tympanoplasty: A Personalized Surgical Process,” focused on tympanic membrane perforations, a condition affecting more than 320 million people worldwide and a leading cause of preventable hearing loss.

She developed a personalized tympanoplasty procedure using three-dimensional high-resolution scanning and modeling, bio-printed tympanic grafts and an automated autonomous robotic surgical process with reinforcement learning. Her innovative approach aimed to improve outcomes and reduce the high failure rates associated with current procedures, according to information provided by Erin Benavides, Big Springs Regional STEM Fair director and a MCPS resource teacher with the Silver River Museum.

“I saw that the current surgical process to fix holes in the eardrum needed to be improved. I am in the RAD (Robotics, Automation and Design) Robotics Program at Belleview High School and have a love for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). I saw how I can use this love to advance the current surgical process,” Stephens shared via email.

“From making a 3D scanner headset to make a model of the eardrum, my interest in bio printing cells to make a bio graft to patch the hole, and a surgical robot that uses reinforcement training to put the graph in itself, I was inspired to advance this current surgical process and help people worldwide,” she added. “I want to become a biomedical engineer to help people and pursue my passion. I am interested in bio printing cells and building prosthetics. I have had a love of STEM from a young age, moving to Belleview for the RAD Program. Robotics has always been an integral part of my life, and I know I want to continue it as I get older.”

As a Ying Scholar, Stephens received a $1,000 cash award and a traveling trophy. She will attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) with all expenses paid, where she will compete against top young scientists from around the world. The Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center matched the $1,000 award and presented the funds to BHS in support of its science program.

“This is a historic moment for Marion County Public Schools and Big Springs STEM,” Benavides said. “Briana’s research is not only scientifically impressive, it has the potential to change lives. We could not be prouder of her achievement and the future she represents.”

Big Springs STEM students collectively earned 25 place awards and more than $100,000 in cash, prizes and scholarships, demonstrating the program’s depth of talent and commitment to scientific excellence, Benavides added.

For more information about the Big Springs STEM program, email e[email protected] or visit marionschools.net/bigsprings