Catalysts of Change
Ideas Shaping Tomorrow
Volume 2, Issue 1 — July 2026
Published July 2026
ISSN: 3069-8200
The Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (PJIR) proudly presents its third issue, Catalyst of Change, continuing the journal's commitment to showcasing exceptional interdisciplinary scholarship from undergraduate and early-career researchers around the world.
This issue reflects the transformative power of research to challenge assumptions, advance understanding, and inspire meaningful change across disciplines. Catalyst of Change brings together an exceptional collection of papers spanning fields including artificial intelligence, molecular biology, psychology, environmental science, public policy, law, economics, history, philosophy, literature, art history, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, and global development. Together, these contributions demonstrate how today's most pressing questions are increasingly addressed through interdisciplinary perspectives and innovative approaches.
This issue also highlights the truly global nature of student research. The published papers represent student researchers from institutions around the world, including Phillips Academy, Northeastern University, Dartmouth College, Pennsylvania State University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and many other leading secondary schools and universities across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond.
In recognition of outstanding scholarly contributions, Catalyst of Change presents two Best Paper Awards. The first Best Paper Award is presented to "The Relationship Between Adolescents' Likelihood to Judge, Assist, and Punish Under Omission Neglect" by Seojin E. Ban of Phillips Academy, with Dr. Alireza Soltani of Dartmouth College, for its thoughtful experimental investigation into adolescent decision-making and cognitive bias. The second Best Paper Award is presented to "Nascent vs. Steady-State Sequencing Reveals Extensive but Unstable Antisense Transcription in Yeast" by Nishant Chaparala for its rigorous biological research and original contribution to understanding gene transcription dynamics. These papers exemplify the intellectual curiosity, methodological rigor, and interdisciplinary excellence that define the mission of the Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research.
All accepted articles are published online under ISSN 3069-8200.
Editor’s Note
The beginning of a new volume offers an opportunity to present new scholarship and reflect on the purpose of research. As the Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research enters its second year, we are reminded that knowledge advances through curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to question established ideas.
Today’s most pressing challenges—from technological change and public health to climate resilience and global inequality—rarely belong to a single discipline. Addressing them requires researchers who can connect diverse perspectives, methods, and fields of study.
The articles in this issue reflect that interdisciplinary spirit. Each examines a distinct question, yet together they demonstrate how rigorous scholarship can deepen our understanding of complex problems.
As PJIR continues to grow, we remain committed to supporting undergraduate and early-career researchers whose work challenges assumptions and contributes to meaningful academic dialog. We thank our authors, reviewers, and readers for making this publication possible.
We hope this issue inspires curiosity, encourages new conversations, and highlights the power of building connections across disciplines.
PJIR Editorial Team
Articles in This Issue
Connections between Down Syndrome and the Development of Alzheimer's Disease
Author: Vidhur S. Thirupathi
Affiliations:
Cambridge Centre for International Research (CCIR)
Northwood High School, Irvine, CA, USA
Abstract: Down syndrome (DS) results in a wide array of phenotypes due to triplication of human chromosome 21 (HSA21), including cognitive deficits, craniofacial abnormalities, increased risk of leukemia, and cardiovascular defects. DS is perhaps the most complex set of genetic anomalies that is consistently survivable, and it is the largest genetic cause of intellectual disability.
Keywords: HSA21, Alzheimer’s Disease, mouse models, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s biomarkers
A Review of Thorium-Fueled Molten Salt Reactors for Achieving India’s Net-Zero 2070 Goal
Author: Krshay Venkatesan
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract: With its growing energy needs and abundant thorium reserves, India is in a suitable position to implement emerging nuclear technologies. One such technology is the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), which has proven theoretical advantages over Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) across domains such as safety, efficiency, and waste management. With around 13% of the world’s thorium reserves, the switch to MSRs provides India with a trade advantage as well, reducing its reliance on imported uranium.
Keywords: thorium, sustainable energy, molten-salt reactors, small-modular reactors, India net-zero
Developing an Efficient Suicide-Detection System: How Small Models Compare to LLMs
Author: Kaden Wu
Affiliation: Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego, CA, United States of America
Abstract: As language evolves across generations and suicide rates continue to rise, automated detection of suicidal ideation in social media text has become increasingly important for early intervention. LLMs demonstrate strong accuracy, but their computational cost and large size limit real-world uses and implementation. This study evaluates whether smaller models can achieve comparable performance for suicide detection.
Keywords: suicide ideation detection, large language models, social media analysis, lightweight models, out-of-distribution evaluation
Tracing the Tissue of Origin in Cancers of Unknown Primary Using Cell-Free DNA (cfDNA)
Author: Tuna Önel
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract: Cancers of unknown primary (CUP) are metastatic cancers in which the origin cannot be identified despite thorough diagnostic evaluations. This lack of knowledge delays the institution of specific treatment protocols and is linked with unfavorable clinical outcomes. One of the solutions to this problem lies in the application of liquid biopsy, which is a minimally invasive process that analyzes circulating tumor DNA fragments present in the blood (Hum & Lee, 2025).
Keywords: cancer of unknown primary (CUP), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), multi-omics, liquid biopsy, methylation profiling
Citation for This Issue
Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. (2026). Volume 2, Issue 1 — Catalysts of Change. PJIR.
https://www.princeton-press.com/pjir/issues/vol-2-issue-1
Open Access Statement
This journal is fully open access. All articles are freely available to read, download, and share without subscription or access barriers. We encourage scholars to cite and engage with the research published here, as such scholarly exchange plays an important role in supporting emerging and early-career researchers and advancing ongoing academic conversations.