Belleville High School Students Aidan Perry and Ari Mehta Win NASA’s ExMASS Competition

By: 
Marie Perry, Communications Director for the School District of Belleville

Mrs. Treder, Ari Mehta and Aidan Perry. Photo courtesy of Marie Perry

 

On May 3rd, Belleville High School Students Aidan Perry (Class of 2025) and Ari Mehta (Class of 2026) presented their year-long research project to a panel of NASA scientists who judged the five final high school teams contending for first place.  After all teams had presented their work and the judges had taken the time to completely evaluate the high school teams’ research, Perry and Mehta learned that they had won the Exploration of the Moon and Asteroids by Secondary Students (ExMASS) research program competition.

This ExMASS win is a first for Belleville High School, and both Aidan and Ari are excited to now travel to St. Louis, MO, in July to showcase their presentation at the 2024 NASA Exploration Science Forum to be held at Washington University.  Aidan and Ari have made a great research team as they have both drawn upon their talents in STEM-related studies.  Aidan Perry utilized surface integration and other topics in calculus as they began their research, and Ari Mehta drew upon his knowledge of Computer Science.

Perry and Mehta have been working together as a team under the guidance of their Belleville teacher Erin Treder and NASA advisor Dr. Kelsey Prissel.  Their research project entitled, “Comparison of Lunar Impact Cratering Frequency and Age by Latitude,” posed the question:  “How does the frequency of impacts on the lunar Poles compare to those of lunar craters elsewhere and how can this data be used to determine the relative age of differing regions on the lunar surface?”  During their initial study of the Moon and asteroid units provided by ExMASS, they both noticed something interesting.

“During the models of study provided by NASA entitled ‘Moon and Asteroid 101,’ we visually noticed a higher frequency of craters on the lunar poles compared to the rest of the lunar surface.  We both thought this trend was interesting so we decided to study it further,” says Perry.

Perry dove deep utilizing his passion for mathematics, while Mehta employed his strong interests in the field of Computer Science as they developed their research methodology.

Mehta notes, “Aidan was able to calculate surface area using the volumetric mean radius in order to create our frequency graphs.  I was able to code the Python scripts necessary to sort and filter the data.” 

The two students worked all year, and in the end, it came down to being able to present their research effectively to the NASA judges.  Each of the five teams had just 5 minutes to showcase their work virtually on May 3, 2024.

“The hardest part in preparing for the presentation on May 3rd was including everything we needed to present without including extra unimportant information that would take up our limited time,” says Mehta.

Both Perry and Mehta are thankful for the opportunity Belleville High School has provided for them to compete in ExMASS this year, as it has greatly impacted the way they see STEM-related fields of study and what they each might do with their interests beyond high school.

Perry underscores, “We are incredibly grateful for all of the support we received from our teacher, Mrs. Treder, and to all of the teachers who helped us prepare for our presentation.”

As they say, practice makes perfect, so having the opportunity to present in front of a number of Belleville teachers who volunteered to provide feedback to Perry and Mehta before they presented to NASA was incredibly beneficial for the Belleville team.

The Belleville learning community has a strong set of teachers who want the best for their students.  Principal Michael Lovenberg feels this group of educators is an asset for Belleville’s learning community.

“As Principal of Belleville High School, I am immensely proud of the comprehensive approach our high school has taken to prepare our students for national competitions like ExMASS.  We’ve emphasized a curriculum that not only meets but exceeds standards, with advanced placement courses and specialized STEM programs.  Our faculty’s dedication to mentoring, coupled with our robust extracurricular offerings, ensures that our students are not only academically prepared but also well-rounded, innovative thinkers equipped to handle challenges.  These efforts underscore our commitment to fostering an environment where students are encouraged to excel and transform their potential into success at national and even international levels,” says Lovenberg.

However, it also takes passionate students who dream big, set goals and are excited to take an opportunity like the ExMASS competition to expand their horizons.  Both Perry and Mehta are very excited about presenting their work and learning from others at Washington University in July.  Mrs. Treder is excited for her students too!

Mrs. Treder says, “Friday went really well, the team has done fantastic work over the course of the year and they were able to convey that to the judges.  They handled the presentation and Q&A like professionals.  I am very proud of what they have accomplished together.  Now they can focus their attention on the poster presentation session at the Exploration Science Forum, and the lightning talk – which is a one minute mini presentation to advertise their poster and get people to attend.”