Janelle Yao

Janelle is from Portage, Michigan and graduated from Portage Central High School and the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center. At Columbia, she plans on majoring in biomedical engineering with an interest in tissue regeneration and accessible healthcare.

At KAMSC, Janelle was the captain of her high school research team. While conducting her own independent research project, she also organized project development workshops, poster feedback sessions, and mock interviews for her peers. During her sophomore year, she joined a research project at Western Michigan University. She helped identify four efficient and cost-effective loci for DNA barcoding of invasive plant species and submitted hundreds of unique nucleotide sequences to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Gaining experience in molecular biology techniques, Janelle also discovered her passion for generating scientific solutions to local problems. She presented this project at the 2023 Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences hosted by Michigan State University. She was the first high school presenter. In 2024, this project was published in Plant Direct.

During her junior and senior year of high school, Janelle conducted research in Dr. Todd Barkman’s laboratory at WMU. This two-year long project focused on identifying and characterizing the genes responsible for caffeine production in Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon Holly). In doing so, Janelle identified potential genetic engineering targets for caffeine fortification and decaffeination in this species. She presented this project at the 2025 and 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the most prestigious research competition for high school students. Janelle received Grand Awards both years. Her 2025 project, entitled “Caffeine Production in Ilex vomitoria,” was awarded 4th Place in the category of Plant Sciences. In 2026, her continuation project, “Caffeine Biosynthetic Enzymes in the Ilex genus,” was awarded 2nd Place in the Plant Sciences category.

Outside of research and school, Janelle is passionate about making youth sports more accessible. As a competitive soccer player and certified USYS referee, she has witnessed how financial burdens can limit participation in sports and founded a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Leaders for Youth Sports, to address this issue. Her nonprofit has been featured in several local news organizations, recognized at the International Career Development Conference, and received grants from organizations like the Aspen Institute and ESPN. So far, this nonprofit has reached over 100,000 people, helped 1,500 children, and raised over $36,000. Committed to youth sports advocacy, Janelle hopes to bring Leaders for Youth Sports to New York City.

Due to her exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and community service, Janelle was also named a 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist.

In her free time, Janelle enjoys reading, baking, watching movies, and exercising with friends and family. She is an avid fan of bubble tea.