Students of Manahawkin’s Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science work the whole school year to design, implement and analyze independent research projects – a requirement for first-year students’ class grades in biology and chemistry. They present their projects at the annual MATES Research Expo.

SMILING EYES: MATES freshman Amalie Werner’s project won first place in the chemistry category. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Hudak)

This year’s 16th annual expo was conducted virtually for the third year in a row, coordinated jointly by research advisers Amy Williams and Jay Kelsey and Science and Research Supervisor…