A Hunter College high school student developed a way to predict the disease outbreak that caused the Irish Potato famine.

18-year-old Benjy Firester's science project won him a $250,000 grand prize.

He entered his model in the Regeneron Science Talent Search - one of of the world's most prestigious young science competitions.

Firester said his project tells farmers what strain of disease will likely affect them so they can better prepare themselves.