2013-2014 Bioethics Scholars

Carolyn Bailey is a sophomore in her fifth year at Kent Place. In The Bioethics Project, she focused on the topic of embryo donation for adoption.  She chose to participate in the Bioethics project because she was extremely interested in learning about the world of medical ethics and completing independent research. Carolyn really enjoyed collaborating with the Hastings Center and would like to thank her mentor, Josephine Johnston, as well as her teachers, for their support, help, and guidance throughout this process.

Amanda Donoghue is a sophomore and is in her second year at Kent Place. In The Bioethics Project this year, she has been researching qualifications of blood donors and the effects of social stigmas in the donation system.  She enjoyed learning about ethics during the summer internship and forming her own project and opinion throughout the course. Amanda would like to thank her Hastings center mentor, Mohini Banerjee, as well as Ms. Chaffee-Cohen, Ms. Coelho, and Dr. Rezach for their assistance and support throughout the project.

Alexa Girasole is a sophomore at Kent Place School and has been attending Kent Place for eleven years, since kindergarten. In The Bioethics Project, she has been researching xenotransplantation and how one can give a voice to the “voiceless” animals involved in this procedure. Alexa’s favorite part of the Bioethics Project was the summer internship when she learned a lot about ethics and about herself as well.

Alyssa Hwang is a sophomore in her eleventh year at Kent Place School.  Her interest in The Bioethics Project stems from her two years of ethics classes in the middle school and her love for both writing and science.  Her paper will explore the importance of comfort under the scope of human and non-human organ donors.  Her favorite parts of The Bioethics Project have been researching and discussing the intricate details of making moral decisions, and Alyssa is eager to use the skills she has developed in other future situations.

Michaila Kaufman has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl, and hopes to someday study it, maybe becoming a doctor. Ethics has always fascinated and challenged her, so the Bioethics project Donor: What is the value of the human body, intrigued her. Michaila has been researching Anencephalic Infants and whether or not they should be organ donors. Michaila has gained experience and an exciting way to learn about both the medical field and ethics.

Ali Nestle is a senior at Kent Place School, and has attended Kent Place since nursery. She has been researching the severity of a person’s change in identity before and after a face transplant, as well as the role society plays in a disfigured person’s decision to undergo a transplantation. Ali has greatly appreciated the opportunity to become a part of Bioethics at Kent Place, and her favorite part of the project so far was presenting in front of the Hastings Center at a project meeting this past December. Ali would like to thank Dr. Parens for guiding her through the research and writing process, as well as Ms. Chaffee-Cohen, Ms. Coelho, and Dr. Rezach for their ongoing support this year.

Kristen Plate is a junior at Kent Place School. She has been researching whether prisoners should be eligible to receive organ transplants and the ethics surrounding the quality of healthcare entitled to prisoners. Kristen has greatly valued her experience in the Bioethics Project and especially enjoyed learning about ethics during the summer internship. She would like to thank her mentor, Michael Gusmano, as well as Ms. Chaffee-Cohen, Ms. Coelho, and Dr. Rezach for their continual guidance and support throughout the project.

Noelle Rosa is in her junior year at Kent Place in Summit, NJ. She started attending Kent Place in her sophomore year after completing freshman year at Westfield High School. In the Bioethics Project, she has been researching the potential legalization of a kidney market in the United States, and she looks forward to sharing her findings with Kent Place as well as the rest of the community.

Laura Whelan is a sophomore at Kent Place School. Her paper covers the topic of whether compliance is being unfairly used to deny those with Down Syndrome placement on the organ waiting list, a topic which she feels very connected to. Laura has always had an interest in medicine and ethics, and is so happy she got to combine the two for the Bioethics Project. She hopes to continue researching bioethics and social justice issues and contributing to the conversation.