The Township of North Bergen and the Board of Education are proud to congratulate Nathaly Guillen Dominguez, a North Bergen High School student in the Class of 2027, for her outstanding achievement as part of a student team that earned the Excellence in Research Award at the Governor’s STEM Scholars 2025–2026 Concluding Event, held at Kean University.
Nathaly and her team were recognized for their innovative research project titled “Wash! Track! Won! An Automated, Gamified Hand Hygiene Monitor for Adolescents.” The project explores how technology and gamification can be used to improve hygiene habits among adolescents, addressing a real-world public health challenge while advancing innovative STEM-based solutions.
“Nathaly represents the very best of North Bergen’s students. Bright, driven, and committed to making a difference,” said North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco. “Her success on a statewide platform is a reflection of her hard work and the strength of our school district’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation.”
The Governor’s STEM Scholars program is a year-long initiative of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, in partnership with the Office of the Governor, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and leading public and private research institutions. The program provides students with hands-on exposure to New Jersey’s STEM economy through conferences, site visits, mentorship, and collaborative research projects.
Lt. Governor Dr. Dale Caldwell delivered the keynote address at the commencement ceremony, which celebrated 100 graduating scholars and marked the 12th graduating class of the program. Since its inception, more than 1,000 alumni have participated in Governor’s STEM Scholars and gone on to contribute to New Jersey’s innovation economy, including roles at organizations such as Johnson & Johnson, AECOM, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Novartis, and PSEG.
“We are extremely proud of Nathaly and her team for earning this prestigious recognition,” added North Bergen Superintendent Dr. George Solter. “Their project demonstrates creativity, collaboration, and the kind of problem-solving skills that are essential in today’s world. This achievement highlights the incredible opportunities available to our students and the bright future they are building through STEM education.”
The Excellence in Research Award was presented to research lead Tze Chang (Justin) Ng of Rutgers University, along with team members Kaylee Carranza, Nathaly Guillen Dominguez (NBHS Class of 2027), Iona Nandy, Siddhi Omesh, Manya Rana, Reindy F. Sanon, and Joshitha Sripada. Their project will also be honored at the Research & Development Council of New Jersey’s Edison Patent Awards on November 19 at Bell Works in Holmdel.