Senior Leo Li ’25 brings his passions to life at the intersection of science and art. When he’s not conducting research in the labs of the Bogle Science Center, he’s excelling in the culinary arts—crafting Instagram-worthy dishes for Blair’s student-run Lords by the Lake restaurant, perfecting croissant recipes in his California kitchen or, somehow, creating epicurean masterpieces in the West Hall dormitory. With graduation quickly approaching, Leo plans to continue blending his talents by pursuing a degree in nutritional science.

Leo’s interest in scientific research has already led to a published article in the International Journal of High School Research and the Curieux Academic Journal. Under the expert tutelage of Dr. Nadia Abascal, Director of Integrated Science Research (ISR) at Blair, Leo’s ISR project focused on viruses that specifically target and kill bacteria that cause tooth decay. Throughout his study, he sampled canine saliva to find a virus that would attack the bacteria and studied how the bacteria grew in various conditions.

“My work would not have been possible without Dr. Abascal’s patience, invaluable guidance and expertise in the lab,” Leo says. “Her mentorship helped advance my research further with innovative ways to S collect samples and analyze data. It’s a lot of hours in the lab, but Dr. Abascal brings the class together to support one another to succeed.”

With his ISR project complete, Leo returned to the lab as an intern outside of Blair, where he is now researching in his dream field—nutritional science. He is assisting in research that studies amino acids and how they affect the growth of cancer cells. In the simplest terms, the study aims to determine if a high-protein diet increases cellular aging, which in turn increases tumor aggressiveness.

“Certain diets can affect tumor growth and progression,” Leo explains. “I hope to one day bring my interest in cooking to the lab to create the recipes for the diets we study.”

Leo remembers his dad in the kitchen concocting recipes when he was young, but he doesn’t think that’s where his cooking inspiration began. It wasn’t until he began making ramen in an electric cooker in West Hall to his friends’ delight that he began to wonder, “What else can I create in West?” Trips to Dale’s Market ensued, and soon Leo was fielding orders from adjoining rooms to whip up a new recipe during study hall each week. At home on breaks, Leo calculates he has baked at least 200 croissants, experimenting with his recipe to reach perfection.

“Croissants are my favorite to make,” Leo shares. “In my first 15 attempts, I didn’t get it right. I was experimenting with temperatures, ingredients and other changing variables. It’s rewarding at the end to bake a piece you like. Cooking is an art.”

Leo’s art was on display this spring at Blair’s Lords by the Lake, a student-run restaurant that serves the Blair community out of language teachers Maria and Allan Issenchmidts’ kitchen, a kindness for which Leo and his fellow restaurateurs are endlessly grateful. Leo loves the teamwork that makes Lords so successful, despite the behind-the-scenes chaos.

“It’s not like the real restaurants where staff are ranked,” Leo clarifies. “It teaches us about working together; teamwork is key.”

As Leo prepares to graduate, he reflects on the journey that has shaped his passions and future aspirations. From late-night culinary experiments in West Hall to groundbreaking research in nutritional science, his unique ability to blend creativity with discipline sets him apart. Leo’s next chapter promises to be just as dynamic as his time at Blair, as he plans to further explore the connections between diet, health and science in college. Whether he’s in the lab studying amino acids or in the kitchen perfecting his croissants, Leo is determined to keep pushing boundaries— one recipe and one experiment at a time.