In his project, Peter investigated whether artificial intelligence image-generation platforms perpetuate stereotypes about scientists. By asking four AI image generators to create images of five different types of scientists, he found that the systems often reinforced gender stereotypes and male bias in science, highlighting how AI tools can reflect limitations and biases in the data they learn from.

We caught up with Peter to learn more about his experience at Finals Week, the friendships he formed and his advice for future applicants.

During Finals Week in Washington, D.C., when did you feel most like yourself, not just as a young scientist, but as a person?

For me, being part of a community with shared interests, collaborating, sharing curiosity with like-minded peers from throughout the nation and seeing that same innate curiosity in others made me feel most like myself.

The simple joy of having fun, of returning to childhood memories of playing with Legos and building contraptions with rubber bands, brings out my true self. I think the challenges we completed during Finals Week reignited that sense of excitement.

If I had to point to one specific moment, it would be during the third team challenge, when my group used Play-Doh to secure wooden blocks while transporting a ball from one side of our table to another team’s. Feeling that excitement and unlocking my curious nature during the challenges made me feel completely like myself.

What’s something another finalist said or did that has stuck with you? Or is there something you learned from a fellow finalist that you’d like to share?

One finalist who had a big impact on me was Miles Wu.

From the first day, Miles always had a huge smile on his face. Even before I got to know him, he struck me as approachable and kind. Once we became friends, I realized my instincts were correct.

The first time I really talked with him was during presentation day. Before the judges arrived, I walked around the room looking at projects and talking with other finalists. When I stopped at Miles’s project, he spoke with enthusiasm and conviction about his work.

Miles taught me the value of maintaining an optimistic mindset and simply “going with the flow.” He reminded me that nobody lacks the qualifications to be a Thermo Fisher JIC finalist.

Later, backstage during the awards ceremony, everyone was eagerly waiting to hear who had won the ASCEND Award. Akhil, Evan, Camila and I were all making guesses. When it was my turn, Miles’ smiling face immediately came to mind.

“I bet it’s Miles,” I said.

And it was.

Miles truly embodies the passion, enthusiasm and kindness that defined the 2025 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists.

If you had unlimited time and resources, how would you take your idea further or in a completely new direction?

I would expand Generations AI into a larger initiative focused on accessible AI education across generations.

Right now, Generations AI is still developing as a community-centered project designed to help people of different ages learn about AI in practical, accessible and ethical ways. The goal is to make AI feel less intimidating and more participatory, allowing families and communities to explore it together.

With more resources, I would expand it into a network of community workshops, multilingual digital resources and collaborative spaces where people could use AI not only to learn about technology, but also to imagine solutions to real-world challenges.

At its core, the project is about AI for good: widening access and helping more people feel empowered to shape the future. I would also love to create my own AI model designed to be representative of the world’s population and less susceptible to bias.

What’s a question you wish adults asked you more often about your research, or about being a young scientist?

I wish adults asked young scientists more often about what they’re curious about.

Curiosity is the starting point for every project. Students need opportunities to explore their questions and receive feedback that helps them develop their ideas further.

I think what students my age need most is reassurance that their questions have a place in the scientific community when pursued with rigor and passion. Simple words of encouragement can become the motors that drive young scientists to push beyond the limits of their imagination.

More than anything, I wish adults asked about the story behind the poster board and the interests that inspired the research. Those conversations often reveal the passion that fuels the science.

Before you applied, what did you think the competition would be like, and what surprised you once you got there?

Last year was my first time competing in a science fair, and I always thought of myself as the underdog.

I was in shock when I received the call announcing that I had been selected as a Thermo Fisher JIC finalist. Before arriving in Washington, D.C., I imagined the competition would be intense. The best comparison I can think of is American Ninja Warrior.

I expected rigorous presentations, ruthless competitors and everyone racing toward the equivalent of the red buzzer: the awards.

What I found instead was a compassionate and welcoming community.

I formed lasting friendships with finalists from across the country, and we still keep in touch through our Thermo Fisher group chat. The experience completely changed my perception of the 快播视频 community. What I once imagined as an elite and closed-off group turned out to be a vibrant community of curious, supportive and like-minded people.

I hope our paths cross again someday, whether at ISEF or later in our careers.

What would you say to a student who’s unsure if their project is “good enough” to apply?

To any student who is passionate about science, I would say this: You do not have to be a genius, have extensive 快播视频 experience or conduct experiments in a professional laboratory. Curiosity begins at home.

You can use the materials available to you and still accomplish incredible things. Having access to advanced equipment is not a requirement for success. Passion, curiosity and courage (because presenting can be intimidating) are what truly drive innovation.

I don’t come from a 快播视频 background. Last year was my first time competing in a science fair. Through that experience, I learned what the 快播视频 community truly represents.

The questions I have at home can be welcomed and explored through 快播视频.

Above all, I would share this advice: If I can do it, you can do it too.

Learn more about Peter’s award-winning research exploring bias in artificial intelligence image-generation systems and how technology can shape perceptions of who belongs in science: /jic/2025-student-finalists/peter-fernandez-dulay/

Applications for the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge are open now. Apply here: . Applications close June 10, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

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Camila’s project examined blood samples from Puerto Ricans for antibodies to dengue virus and showed that the virus is endemic to Puerto Rico, helping public health officials better target interventions. Earlier this year, Camila was featured in for her research investigating dengue transmission in Puerto Rico and its implications for public health. She was also the first Puerto Rican student to receive a top award at Thermo Fisher JIC.

We caught up with Camila to learn more about her experience at Finals Week, what she learned from fellow finalists and what advice she has for future applicants.

During Finals Week in Washington, D.C., when did you feel most like yourself, not just as a young scientist, but as a person?

The first time I remember truly having a good time and feeling like myself was when I went out to dinner with the other finalists. Up until then, we had been friendly, but we hadn’t really had the chance to connect on a deeper level. That dinner changed everything.

It was the moment I started forming some of my strongest friendships at Thermo Fisher JIC. Before that night, I had been feeling stressed and focused on proving myself, which made it hard to relax. But being surrounded by people going through the same experience helped me let my guard down. From that point on, I felt more comfortable, more confident and genuinely excited to spend time with the people who quickly became my friends.

What’s something another finalist said or did that stuck with you? Or is there something you learned from a fellow finalist that you’d like to share?

There is so much to learn from 29 different people in a room with you that it’s hard to name only one thing. So I’ll just say that the exchange of different finalists’ points of view and daily lives really stuck with me.

Living in Puerto Rico, I had never really realized how much my day-to-day life differed from a typical American school environment. It helped me expand my worldview and see how differently people live and learn depending on where they are.

If you had unlimited time and resources, how would you take your idea further or in a completely new direction?

Having unlimited time and resources would allow any scientist to expand their research much further than they otherwise could. For me, that would mean growing my participant pool and obtaining an equal number of participants across all categories.

In my opinion, the biggest limitation of my project was the inability to determine dengue infection trends by sex and municipality. That was mainly because I wasn’t able to obtain an equal number of participants from all municipalities and both sexes. Some municipalities had representation in the hundreds, while others had as few as 10 people.

While this was outside of my control, due to time and financial constraints, we were not able to balance the data as originally planned and had to move forward using the information we had rather than waiting for additional data. With more time and resources, expanding the study could have revealed significant findings that were not possible to identify in the current project.

What’s a question you wish adults asked you more often about your research, or about being a young scientist?

Everyone has a part of their project that they enjoyed a little more than the rest, or a part of their research that they found slightly more interesting than everything else. But there comes a point in your presentation when every adult around you asks the same four questions about the same topics over and over again.

When you get back to your room at night and lie down to sleep, you realize, “I never really got to mention that one thing I researched.”

For me, that was the history of dengue epidemics in Puerto Rico. I spent countless hours brushing up on the subject and trying to find papers from as many reputable sources as I could. But at the end of the day, I didn’t really get to elaborate on it as much as I would have liked. Nerves got the better of me, and I focused on the science and accidentally left the story of why the science was important as an afterthought.

Before you applied, what did you think the competition would be like, and what surprised you once you got there?

Before applying, I expected the competition to be friendly, but I also anticipated a highly intense and stressful environment. I spent the weeks leading up to the competition watching videos from previous years and studying to see if there was anything I should be prepared for.

As I began receiving my schedules and counting down the days, my excitement grew, though I quietly worried that others might be overly serious and uninterested in connecting. In reality, while the competition maintained a level of seriousness, it was far more supportive and enjoyable than I had imagined.

Although everyone hoped to win a top prize, there was a shared understanding that outcomes were uncertain, which created a more relaxed and encouraging atmosphere. More than anything, the experience became an opportunity to meet people who shared a passion for science and build friendships that extended beyond the final awards ceremony.

What would you say to a student who’s unsure if their project is “good enough” to apply?

I was once in that position where I believed my project wasn’t good enough.

When I was first nominated for Thermo Fisher JIC, I didn’t really understand the competition that well. So, I started searching online, and when I saw all these amazing inventions, I thought I wasn’t going to win anything. Since my project didn’t invent anything or create a magical solution, I assumed it wasn’t good enough to compete, much less qualify.

I filled out my application and attended the seminars, but to be honest, I expected so little that I hit submit and forgot about it completely. When I first made the Top 300, my mother told me, “You know, Finals Week is at the end of October,” and I ignored her because I thought that was it. Then I made the Top 30 and thought my luck had to have run out by then.

I went to Washington, D.C., hoping for a certificate, an experience and a good time. Then hearing my name called during the awards ceremony was surreal, and it still plays back in my head at least once a week.

The moral of the story is that even if you think you aren’t supposed to be there, the world has funny ways of making things happen.

Applications for the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge are open now. Learn more and apply at . Applications close June 10, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

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Miles says his experience at finals week with his fellow 29 finalists surprised him. What he imagined would be an intense, high-stakes competition week turned out to be collaborative, supportive and fun-filled experiences comprised of late-night conversations, games and shared problem-solving. Whether building Rube Goldberg machines, taking on biomimicry challenges, or coding under pressure, Miles found himself energized by the chance to get creative alongside peers who were just as passionate about science as he is.

That spirit of collaboration he experienced also adds to his perspective on science research. For Miles, science is an ongoing process, where intermediate ideas, failures and explorations are just as valuable as final outcomes. It鈥檚 a mindset he hopes more adults recognize when talking to young scientists.

We asked Miles to reflect on his experience, his research and what he sees next in his path.

What鈥檚 something another finalist said or did that stuck with you?

One thing that stuck with me was how kind and cooperative my teammates (Arya, Brady, Camila and Evann) were during our group challenges. I was grateful to be in a group where each member lacked ego and competitiveness and helped each other. I appreciated how everyone was able to work calmly and collaboratively under pressure in timed challenges. Working with my fellow finalists reminded me that being a successful team isn鈥檛 about individual expertise or skill, but about humility, listening to your teammates, and letting everyone shine.

During finals week, when did you feel most like yourself?

I felt most in my element during the team challenges. I really enjoy problem-solving and building and making things, so the opportunity to work with other students just as interested in science and engineering made team challenges the most fun part of finals week. I loved being able to come up with creative solutions with my teammates, and to learn more about certain topics.

If you had unlimited time and resources, how would you take your idea further?

I would want to spend a year studying with the researchers on the cutting edge of origami engineering to deepen my understanding in the field. First, I might fly to Italy and study in Diego Misseroni鈥檚 lab, to learn more about origami metamaterials and structures and how to test them. Then I would spend a semester learning from other origami scientists and engineers, for example studying with Katia Bertoldi, who has worked on origami shelters, or taking Glaucio Paulino鈥檚 class on Origami Engineering at Princeton. It would also be an amazing opportunity to learn origami as an art form from the masters: Robert Lang for mathematical approaches to design, Hoang Tien Quyet for wetfolding and shaping, and Satoshi Kamiya for sheer complexity.

听What鈥檚 a question you wish adults asked you more often about your research?

A lot of times when adults ask students about their research, they assume that the goal must be a tangible product or a patented design. In reality, most student science projects will not directly translate to a perfectly polished real-life product. Intermediary projects, explorations and steppingstones are just as valuable contributions to the field of science. I wish adults asked questions with this understanding that no single science project can ever be fully complete, but there is always more to learn and explore.

What would you say to a student who鈥檚 unsure if their project is 鈥済ood enough鈥� to apply?

鈥淕o for it! You never know. Even a 鈥渟imple鈥� project can go further than you think. By filling out your application you will gain a better understanding of your own project and your scientific goals and obtain valuable experience for future research. Filling out the application takes time and is a lot of work, but it pushed me to clarify my ideas and deepened my understanding of the scientific method.鈥�

for the Thermo Fisher JIC are now open now. Deadline is June 10, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET. Open your application today!

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This Women鈥檚 History Month, 快播视频 is applauding the women who have pushed the barriers open in 快播视频 and helped inspire today鈥檚 young scientists. We spoke with several top winners in the 快播视频鈥檚 flagship competitions. They reflect on their research, the women who inspire them, and the role they hope to play in encouraging the next generation of women in 快播视频.

We had a chance to hear from the winners in the 2025 Thermo Fisher JIC, including Camila, Pranshi, Christine and Alice who were recognized for their innovative research and teamwork during a week of rigorous challenges.

鈥淭o me, being a woman in 快播视频 means being confident, determined and having the courage to pursue 快播视频 fields with curiosity. It also means inspiring other women and encouraging people to believe in their abilities and pursue their dreams with confidence.鈥�

鈥淢y woman in 快播视频 inspiration is my mother, Kenira Thompson. She taught me the basics of research and showed me what science truly is. Since I was young, all I can remember is her hard work and dedication toward her pursuit of science, and how much she pushed herself to achieve her goals. In turn, she inspired me to try my hardest to achieve my own goals, whether it be in 快播视频 or in life.鈥�

Pranshi Mehta
鈥淲omen’s History Month is a powerful reminder that progress in 快播视频 has always been fueled by persistence, resilience and the courage to challenge the status quo. I am deeply grateful to the mentors, teachers and peers who have encouraged me to pursue ambitious research questions and to never shrink from the challenges along the way. As we celebrate this month, I hope that more young girls begin to see themselves not merely as participants in science, but as the innovators, leaders and changemakers actively shaping its future. The next great breakthrough could come from any one of them.鈥�

Christine Wang
鈥淢y woman in 快播视频 inspiration is Fei-Fei Li, whose groundbreaking work in AI has transformed computer vision. She inspires me not only through her intellect but also through her dedication to expanding opportunity and representation in AI. As I pursue 快播视频, I hope to follow her example and help shape a future in technology that is both innovative and open to everyone.鈥�

Abigail Qi and Siyaa Poddar, participants in the 2025 Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, reflect on overcoming adversity in science. 听听

鈥淪o many women have worked to pave the way for me to be afforded the opportunities I have now. It is our responsibility as women in 快播视频 to keep that momentum up! There are too many creative minds and too many problems to be solved for us to limit ideas purely based on whose mouth they come out of. I am so grateful to be a part of such a strong community and am excited to continue perpetuating听the innovative, creative and determined mindset of the women before me.鈥�

鈥淲hen it comes to 快播视频, I鈥檝e never thought of myself as different from any guy. I鈥檝e never thought something would be harder to achieve because I鈥檓 a girl, and I鈥檝e never limited myself because of my gender. At their core, science and mathematics don鈥檛 depend on gender. For example, bacteria don鈥檛 grow differently depending on who inoculates them. That mindset has allowed me to approach challenges as just challenges, not as proof that I didn鈥檛 belong.

I think this perspective is incredibly important for girls in any subject, especially in 快播视频. If you internalize the idea that you鈥檙e at a disadvantage before you even begin, you鈥檙e fighting two battles: the material itself and your own doubt. But if you see yourself first and foremost as a capable learner, it鈥檚 amazing what you can achieve.

This doesn鈥檛 mean barriers and bias don鈥檛 exist. However, you can acknowledge challenges without letting them define your limits. In 快播视频, where confidence often determines who speaks up and who takes on leadership roles, refusing to self-limit is essential. In my opinion, the most important mindset is realizing you don鈥檛 need to prove you deserve your seat at the table more than anyone else. You belong because you鈥檙e willing to learn, to do the work and love what you do.鈥�

Around this time last year, Rivka Lipkovitz and Ava Grace Cummings won top awards in the Regeneron Science Talent Search for their research in mathematics and health.

Ava Grace Cummings
鈥淥ne of my women in 快播视频 inspirations is Mary Golda Ross. She was the first Native American female engineer and spent time working in statistics for the Bureau of Indian Affairs before working as an engineer for Lockheed Martin in the 1940s. As an Indigenous woman pursuing engineering, I find her story and resilience very inspiring. She also spent much of her career educating and giving back to her community, which I believe is one of the most important aspects of breaking barriers within 快播视频 fields. In 2019, she was also featured on the $1 coin!鈥�

Rivka Lipkovitz
鈥淎lthough most universities today have a roughly even gender split in enrollment, I still sometimes walk into a classroom and see only one or two other women. I鈥檓 glad that we鈥檝e made so much progress over the past century, especially in K鈥�12 education, but I still think there鈥檚 room to improve. I hope that one day it feels completely normal to see women everywhere in 快播视频. I don鈥檛 feel threatened being one of a handful of women, but I do think there are many women who would enjoy math if they had more opportunities to be exposed to it and encouraged early on. I want to study mathematics and conduct research in economics. At my university, only about 10% of the economics faculty are women. I hope that having one more woman in the room can make it easier for others to enter and feel that they belong.鈥�

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In addition to presenting their original research to a panel of expert judges, the finalists also took part in a series of team-based challenges requiring both 快播视频 skill and effective collaboration.

So, it should come as no surprise that Thermo Fisher JIC was as much about making friends and building bonds as it was about competing. Throughout the week, the finalists took part in fun, social activities that brought them closer together.

As the week got underway, the finalists immediately had the chance to put their heads and hands together. Through a series of icebreakers and team-building activities, they got to know each other while ro-sham-boing their way through a frenetic rock-paper-scissors tournament, supporting each other (literally) during a modified trust fall and some good old-fashioned conversation.

Later on, the finalists, who represented 10 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, got a first-hand look at the historic sights and scenes around Washington D.C. After a long day of presenting their projects to the judges, as well as to the public during their Science and Engineering Project Showcase, the finalists unwound together on a monument tour around the city. One of this year鈥檚 finalists, Yookta Pandit from Dublin, Calif., said, 鈥淢y favorite part of the monument tour was getting to see the main sights in D.C., especially with all the lights of the monuments at night.鈥�

Finalist Anya Zahira Ter贸n Villodas, one of three finalists visiting from Puerto Rico this year, added, 鈥� Since it was my first time visiting Washington, D.C., I truly enjoyed exploring its historic sites. The tour was a great chance to interact with participants from the other teams.鈥�

Another memorable social highlight of the week was the finalists鈥� evening trip to , a cooperative arcade where visitors work in teams to solve intricate puzzles and take on challenges. Sound familiar?

With the spirit of teamwork carried over from the earlier competition challenges, the finalists joined forces once again in a fun night of playful intrigue and brain-teasing discovery. Finalist Christine Wang from San Jose, Calif., reflected on the experience saying, 鈥淟EVEL99 was such a fun bonding experience! My team of fellow finalists and I worked together on some very physical challenges, which was a nice change from the more mental activities we鈥檇 been doing all day; I really enjoyed the monkey bars activity in particular!鈥�

Finalist Brady Sage of Rapid City, S.D., remarked on the outing, 鈥淟evel99 was exciting because there were so many hands-on challenges. Coming from a rural area, we have nothing like this. I loved the variety of all the different challenges, from mental to physical. It was super cool!鈥�

All-in-all, the finalists repeatedly demonstrated what makes them such a special group: innovative ideas, 快播视频 acumen, and the chance to meet other students who share their curiosity, sparking friendships that could last a lifetime.

Learn about all the 2025 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists on the Virtual Exhibition of Projects or read more about this year鈥檚 competition in our latest press release.

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Before they got into the nitty-gritty of the challenge, the Top 30 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists learned the basics of hydraulics and met Maryland鈥檚 official state crustacean: the blue crab.

Next, the finalists watched short videos to learn about biomimicry, a key component of this final challenge. They learned how common inventions such as the bullet train and wind turbines, are inspired by nature, then split into two groups to explore hydraulics and the blue crab more deeply. In this particular challenge, the finalists were tasked with creating a hydraulic arm based on a blue crab鈥檚 anatomy.

While the purple, green and silver teams continued their physics lesson on hydraulics, the gold, blue and orange teams used whiteboards to sketch and observe blue crabs up close. A live crab paid a visit to the finalists, while other parts of the lesson showed crab joints alongside large, detailed photos of a crab鈥檚 anatomy.

Like the morning challenge, finalists were given design constraints and a time limit to build their arm; one hour to design and one to construct. Once the finalists collectively came up with a design sketched out on paper, they submitted it for approval to the SERC educators before collecting their chosen materials. Different ideas were scattered across their easels and once the teams felt confident, they started building their arms.

The purple team started small, applying feedback from SERC educators, while the gold team sketched new ideas and carefully walked through their construction before attaching parts with hot glue and tape.

The green team focused on building their arm and went over the key points they were going to present to the judges, while the orange team realized that to be successful, they needed to put their pens down and start constructing their arm.

The silver team divided and conquered different parts of the hydraulic arm separately before merging two key ideas into a final design. And the blue team assigned roles to each team member and creatively connected parts of their crab鈥檚 arm, sharing laughs while they worked.

When time ran out, the teams presented their blue crab hydraulic arm prototypes to the judges, explaining their thought process and steps. Each design was special and showcased creativity, teamwork and an understanding of biomimicry, leaving the finalists inspired by the possibilities of engineering inspired by nature.

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Early Monday morning, Oct. 27, after completing their first day of challenges from JASON Learning and STEAM FORWARD! Academy, finalists made their way to the in Bethesda, Md. This nonprofit welcomed us and put students directly into what they do best: hands-on 快播视频 learning.

When finalists entered the building, they were greeted by the 快播视频鈥檚 快播视频 education team, KID Museum educators and a large area filled with supplies and tools. Tall wooden building blocks, bowling balls, umbrellas and more decorated the tables where the finalists stood.

They had to channel their inner Rube Goldberg (the American cartoonist and inventor known for designing elaborate, humorous chain-reaction machines) and create a chain reaction using the materials provided, working not only within their teams but as a collaborative group.

The chain reaction was designed to start on one end of the finalists鈥� tables and move through five other teams to the finale in a 鈥淯鈥� shape.

You could see the wheels turning as the finalists scanned instructions, taking in the parameters. A successful chain reaction to set off a gong was to be completed in just one hour.

The finalists got an encouraging pep talk before diving into their collaborative challenges. As the finalists prepared to begin, they were reminded: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e all here because you understand science. So, work together.鈥�

They did just that. Teams spent about two to three minutes planning. While there was no limit on materials, time and space were the main constraints.

In the room, finalists murmured ideas to one another and began connecting pieces. Systems were being tested constantly. The theme of the hour seemed to be billiard balls hitting the floor鈥攅ntirely understandable and needed in the world of 快播视频, where trial and error is a part of the process.

KID Museum educators walked among the tables, answering questions and offering guidance. Ideas were constantly being adjusted, guided by input from team members and students from other teams who offered feedback.

The hour quickly passed, and finalists set up their contraptions for the final test. It was time to see if their individual puzzle pieces fit together for the overall picture.

congratulated the students, telling them that no matter the outcome, they should be proud of what they accomplished in just an hour.

She also reminded them they had a special tool if their contraption didn鈥檛 work: the finger push.

And so, it began. The large Rube Goldberg contraption began its journey from one end to the other. With the push of a few hands, the final ball set off the reaction, ending the challenge with a bang!

Finalists roared with cheers and applause; even though the process wasn鈥檛 perfect, they persevered and had fun along the way.

The finalists to debriefed after the challenge, sharing shoutouts to team members on displayed sticky notes.

Common themes emerged in the: 鈥淧atience is key when it doesn鈥檛 work out the first time鈥� or giving recognition to team members who stuck with it through repeated failures.

Overall, the top 30 2025 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists left smiling and celebrating both the challenge and teamwork, a perfect boost of energy for their second challenge of the day with the Smithsonian Education Research Center!

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Though this year鈥檚 cohort gathered in Washington, D.C., the competition鈥檚 first day of challenges whisked them away to the fictional town of Eureka Heights, where a high-stakes mystery awaited them. Led by (SFA), a 快播视频 快播视频 Action Grantee with the mission of nurturing curiosity and collaboration through interactive workshops, the finalists stepped into the role of public health investigators.

SFA founder and executive director Jeanita Pritchett Clay set the stage: 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a problem. Something in Eureka Heights is making people sick. No one knows exactly why, but most people suspect it has something to do with the water.鈥�

An introductory video played for the finalists like a news report, featuring interviews with Eureka Heights residents who described brown water coming from their taps as well as health issues ranging from skin irritation to gastrointestinal issues. The report concluded with a plea from the mayor: 鈥淲e are looking for innovators and the brightest minds to help solve this crisis.鈥�

The Junior Innovators set to the task. Equipped with water samples from homes, businesses and treatment plants across Eureka Heights, they set out to uncover possible sources of the problem. Thermo Fisher Scientific provided water quality testing equipment for the challenge, and their scientists were on the scene to show the finalists how to use the equipment. The finalists also had access to a trove of community data such as infrastructure maps, official memos and testimony from residents, helping them connect how social factors of the crisis intersect with environmental origins.

The six finalist teams adopted different strategies to pinpoint the possible sources and causes of the invisible menace threatening Eureka Heights.

The purple team focused on listening, zeroing in on residents鈥� comments and concerns to better understand the community鈥檚 challenges. Meanwhile, the orange team focused on geography, attempting to understand every variable of the landscape.

The gold team carefully considered how socioeconomic factors could be driving the public health crisis. With limited time to test all their samples, the green team made a point to be as meticulous as possible with each step of their analyses.

To address all the dimensions of the crisis, the silver team assigned its members roles such as forensic scientist, environmental justice organizer and public health advocate, with each taking the lead on an important aspect of the problem. Communication was key for the blue team. In addition to collaborating with each other during the challenge, they also catalogued their findings visually to effectively track, and later present, the full breadth of their results.

After completing their investigations, each team presented their findings to the judges in a town hall format. Sharing their process, conclusions and recommendations to reverse the crisis, the finalists ensured that solutions were in sight for the people of Eureka Heights.

Though each team presented independently, one common refrain emerged: if they had more time, they would have liked to collaborate with the other teams to combine their findings into even stronger recommendations. In this challenge, finalists discovered firsthand how collaboration can drive 快播视频 impact.

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and 快播视频 today announced the winners of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC), the nation鈥檚 leading middle school science, technology, engineering and math (快播视频) competition. Miles Wu, 14, from New York City, won the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND (Aspiring Scientists Cultivating Exciting New Discoveries) Award, the top prize in the competition.

Exploring the power of origami-inspired engineering, Miles tested 54 variations of the Miura-ori fold, a geometric pattern that packs flat and unfolds in one smooth motion. His research revealed that designs with smaller panels and steeper angles weren鈥檛 just stronger, they were remarkably resilient. Using dumbbells, he discovered they could support more than 9,000 times their own weight. Miles hopes to apply these insights to develop strong, lightweight shelters that can be rapidly deployed in areas affected by natural disasters.

The Thermo Fisher JIC, a program of 快播视频, reaches 60,000 middle school students nationwide, inspiring them to pursue their 快播视频 interests and explore exciting college and career paths. The 30 finalists, who were selected from nearly 2,000 applicants representing 48 states, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico; are counted among the nation鈥檚 brightest students, with several, including Miles, collectively receiving more than $100,000 at tonight鈥檚 award ceremony in Washington, D.C. Winners were chosen by a panel of distinguished scientists, engineers and educators and the finalists鈥� schools also received a $1,000 grant to support 快播视频 programming.

Each of the 30 finalists participated in team challenges in addition to being judged on their research projects. The challenges incorporated project-based learning to test critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration skills across a variety of 快播视频 fields. They included coding with Micro:Bit processors to address climate change, conducting environmental forensics to solve a public health issue, exploring physics and engineering through building chain reactions and applying biomimicry in the design of a blue crab hydraulic claw.

鈥淢iles鈥� remarkable blend of scientific creativity, leadership and collaboration highlights the type of talent 快播视频 is proud to support,鈥� said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO, 快播视频 and Executive Publisher, Science News. 鈥淚 look forward to seeing the innovative ideas he will contribute in the future.鈥�

The other top winners included:

Akhil Nagori, 15, from Santa Clara, CA, won the $10,000听Broadcom Coding with Commitment听庐 Award听for combining 快播视频 learning with coding to solve a community problem they care about that aligns with the 17 Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations. For his project, Akhil worked as part of a team to develop an inexpensive pair of glasses that can translate text to speech, to help visually impaired students have wide access to reading materials.

Peter Fern谩ndez Dulay, 15 from Jacksonville, FL, won the $10,000 DoD 快播视频 Talent Award听for demonstrating excellence in science, technology, engineering or math; along with the leadership and technical skills necessary to excel in the 21^st听Century 快播视频 workforce and build a better community for tomorrow. Peter had four image-generating AI platforms make images of five different types of scientists and found that because the AI tools learned from limited data, the tools perpetuated stereotypes about male bias in science.

Evann Sun, 14, from Santa Clara, CA, won The Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention of $10,000, which is given to a young inventor creating promising product-based solutions to real-world problems. Evann worked as part of a team to develop a pair of glasses that can translate text to speech, to help visually impaired students have wide access to reading materials.

Camila Isabel Gonzalez-Thompson, 14, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, won the $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement, which recognizes the student whose work and performance shows the most promise in health-related fields and demonstrates an understanding of the many social factors that affect health. Camila examined blood samples from Puerto Ricans for antibodies to dengue virus, and showed that the virus is endemic to Puerto Rico, helping public health officials target interventions.

Thermo Fisher鈥檚 sponsorship of the Junior Innovators Challenge reflects the company鈥檚 longstanding commitment to broadening access to 快播视频 education. For decades, it has invested in school-based 快播视频 programs, and employees across the company volunteer thousands of hours each year to support education initiatives around the world.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 winners embody the ingenuity and perseverance that drive progress in 快播视频 and improve lives,鈥� said Dr. Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. 鈥淲e are honored to celebrate these remarkable young thinkers as they advance their scientific research and inspire students of all backgrounds to explore the world through 快播视频.鈥�

In addition to the top prizes, Thermo Fisher and the 快播视频 announced first- and second-place winners in each 快播视频 category (science, technology, engineering and math), as well as the competition鈥檚 Team Award.

First- and second-place 快播视频 Award winners demonstrated exceptional skill and promise in science, technology, engineering or math. First-place winners received $3,500 and second-place winners received $2,500 to support their choice of a 快播视频 summer camp experience in the U.S.

Science Award:

• First place: Pranshi Mehta, Austin, TX, 鈥�Machine Learning-Mediated Computational Modeling of FK506-Binding Protein 12 (FKBP12)-Enhanced CAR T-Cell Therapy for Targeted Glioblastoma Treatment鈥�
• Second place: Christine Wang, San Jose, CA, 鈥�Peel To Purify: An Innovative Fruit Waste-Based Solution for Contaminated Water Treatment鈥�

Technology Award:

• First place: Caden Terence Pohlkamp, Friendswood, TX, 鈥�Is More Green Better? Does Littoral Vegetation Enhance Habitat Suitability of Local Retention Ponds?鈥�
• Second place: Alice Feng, Fresno, CA, 鈥�Transforming Waste Into Value: The Impact of Grape Pomace Variety and Extraction Parameters on Grape Seed Oil Yield and Physicochemical Properties鈥�

Engineering Award:

• First place:听Brady Ryan Sage, Rapid City, SD, 鈥�Optimizing Driver Flight Distance and Accuracy鈥�
• Second place:听Luca McGill, Tucson AZ, 鈥�ALTO-CO鈧�: Low-Cost Drone-Based Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Monitoring Across Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas in Southern Arizona鈥�

Mathematics Award:

• First place:听 Tobias Lam, Austin, TX, 鈥�The Effect of Nintendo鈥檚 NES Tetris Theme Music and 28 Hertz High Beta-Frequency Binaural Beats on a 233 Hertz Carrier on Attention Span鈥�
• Second place:听 Siddharth Sudharshan Vazhkudai, Cedar Park, TX, 鈥�AIM-BASE: AI-Integrated Model To Predict the Energy Consumption of Extra-Terrestrial Colonies鈥�

Team Award, sponsored by听Teaching Institute for Excellence in 快播视频 (TIES):听Each member of the Finals Week challenge team that best demonstrates an ability to work together and solve problems through shared decision making, communication and scientific and engineering collaboration received a $200 science supply company gift card to support their interests in 快播视频. The winning team members are Lia Camil Gonz谩lez, Tobias Lam, Yookta Pandit, Sam Daniel Solhpour and Bhavya Uppalapati.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Leadership Award:听Bestowed upon one finalist, this award recognizes the student elected by their peers to speak on behalf of their Thermo Fisher JIC class at the Awards Ceremony. The Class Speaker demonstrates the collegiality and spirited leadership that has earned the collective esteem of the class and united them around common goals. The 2025 awardee is Akhil Nagori from Santa Clara, CA.

Media Kit:听/thermo-fisher-jic-2025-media-kit

听About 快播视频
快播视频 is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, 快播视频 is best known for its award-winning journalism through听Science News听and听Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its 快播视频 outreach programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in 快播视频. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, 快播视频 is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at听听and follow us on , /X, and .

About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit听.

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The Top 30 finalists in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC) are here in Washington, D.C., taking part in the nation鈥檚 premier science competition for middle school students. Dressed in their best, the finalists gathered Saturday at the Planet Word Museum to present their research to judges and the public at the Science and Engineering Project Showcase. After a night of teaming up and befriending their 快播视频 peers, the students returned with their project boards to compete for more than $100,000 in prizes.

At the Public Exhibition, we caught up with six finalists and learned more about their research. With projects covering a wide range of topics, the students were filled with a mix of nerves and excitement as the competition week started!

Rajsi Choudhary, 14, from Riverside, Conn., drew inspiration for her project from a mango tree in Ahmedabad, India, where she was born. Her energy and sustainability project, Thermo-Responsive Orange Peel Hydrogel for Moisture Retention in Soil, explores a better way to hydrate crops and maintain moisture using less water. She shares that crops like corn require 9,000 gallons of water per acre per day, and she estimates her orange peel gel could potentially save 1,134 gallons per day.

鈥淚 would love to experiment further with this project,鈥� Rajsi says. 鈥淚 want to test how it will promote crop growth. What essential nutrients does it provide to the soil? How often would the orange peel need to be replenished in the soil? There’s so much work to be done, and I can’t wait to begin.鈥�

Alice Feng, 13, of Fresno, Calif., explored how we could make the most out of the food we eat in her research project. Growing up in the Central Valley, Alice noticed the diverse offerings of the region鈥檚 agriculture and learned that it produces 75 percent of the state鈥檚 wine. Though this was a cool fun fact, this also meant that the region generated large amounts of grape pomace waste. Her project investigated creating oil from this waste, giving farmers the opportunity to profit from both wine and oil production.

鈥淚 was really surprised when I found that cold-pressed oil from Pinot Noir seeds could generate about $1,500 in profit,鈥� Alice says. 鈥淐entral Valley produces 2.6 million tons of pomace per year; that’s per ton of pomace! That’s a lot of money and could be a new source of income for farmers.鈥�

From Ponce, Puerto Rico, Camila Gonzalez-Thompson, 14, was concerned about public health in her hometown and is investigating ways to reduce the burden of dengue, a disease impacting many areas of the world, including Puerto Rico. Testing blood samples from local residents, Camila found that people over 50 had more IgG antibodies, indicating they had had dengue infections in the past. Individuals younger than 50 had IgM antibodies, indicating a first-time exposure.

鈥淵ou really have to take it one step at a time,鈥� Camila says when giving advice to other students. 鈥淕etting overwhelmed is one of the easiest ways to fail.鈥�

Owen Thomas McGeeney Park, 14, of Louisville, Kentucky, developed a physics project focused on reducing the buildup of loose rocks and dust, known as regolith on Mars. While the use of an electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) is not new, Owen tested whether a low-voltage EDS could be a more efficient alternative for Martian conditions. He found that at even very low voltages, which are significantly less expensive to power on Mars, his design was able to repel more than 70 percent of dust in both Earth and simulated Martian environments.

鈥淒on’t give up,鈥� Owen encourages his fellow young scientists. 鈥淚t took two days before I got measurable results. I was 100% convinced that my project was not going to go anywhere. I was sure of it, but I decided that I was going to still try to get some data, no matter what the chances were, and I ended up getting measurable data.鈥�

Drone pilot, Luca McGill, 14, of Tucson, Ariz., 听became interested in monitoring atmospheric carbon dioxide after a summer trip to Germany, where guests were warned about air pollution while wading in an outdoor pool. This prompted him to become more curious and examine the air quality in his hometown. He used a drone to take measurements and found that rural areas had the highest CO鈧� levels close to the ground, while urban areas showed relatively even CO鈧� concentrations across altitudes. Suburban areas, he discovered, had elevated CO鈧� levels at both high and low altitudes, with a dip in the middle.

鈥淚t feels unreal to be here,鈥� Luca says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going great, and I love my team.鈥�

Meanwhile, Sanhita Tummala, 14, from Brookings, S.D., is thinking about women around the world and pregnancy in her microbiology project. Her project is a kit aimed at combating rural vitamin A deficiency, especially during pregnancy and early childhood. Sanhita wondered if she could create a way for people to produce their own vitamin A at home. She developed a fermentation kit to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, using a microbe called Blakeslea trispora in tapioca.

鈥淚t feels really nice to see my work actually being recognized,鈥� Sanhita says. 鈥淢eeting other people with the same goal, to make the world a better place, is really motivating.鈥�

Stay tuned for the Thermo Fisher JIC winners鈥� announcement this upcoming Tuesday evening, October 28, 2025. Learn more about all the finalists and their projects听here.听

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