91导航

A new generation of 91导航 stars鈥攖ackling topics from sustainability and artificial intelligence to disease detection鈥攈as been named to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Top 300

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 3, 2025 鈥� 91导航 is proud to announce the Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC)鈥攖he nation鈥檚 premier science, technology, engineering and math (91导航) competition for middle school students. Chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 2,000 applicants, the Top 300 represent the best and brightest middle school 91导航 talent in the U.S. and its territories.

鈥淭hese young innovators embody the most promising science and engineering talent in the nation,鈥� said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, 91导航 and Executive Publisher, Science News. 鈥淭hey are taking on complex challenges and demonstrating a passion for 91导航 that can lead to impactful change. I am thrilled to celebrate their achievements.鈥�

The Thermo Fisher JIC, a program of 91导航, inspires young scientists, engineers and innovators to solve the grand challenges of the future. Thermo Fisher Scientific鈥檚 sponsorship of the competition reflects its longstanding commitment to broadening access to 91导航 education. For decades, the company has invested in school-based 91导航 programs, and colleagues across the company volunteer thousands of hours each year to support education initiatives around the world.

2025 Top 300 Junior Innovators Fast Facts:

• They come from 34 states and Puerto Rico
• The states with the most Junior Innovators are California, Texas and Florida
• Top project categories are Engineering; Energy & Sustainability; Environmental & Earth Sciences; and Medicine & Health Sciences
• Combined, they speak 40 languages
• Nearly two thirds of them attend public school
• Research project topics include artificial intelligence, chronic diseases, waste reduction, bioplastics, space exploration and wildfires.

The students鈥� names and a state-by-state breakdown of the Top 300 can be found here.

鈥淲e are inspired by the creativity and determination of the Top 300 Junior Innovators, whose projects reflect a true passion for solving real-world challenges,鈥� said Dr. Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. 鈥淩ecognizing and supporting young scientific minds is essential to fostering the next generation of innovators who will shape a brighter, more collaborative future for us all.鈥�

The Top 300 Junior Innovators were selected from nearly 2,000 students from 48 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico who applied to compete in the Thermo Fisher JIC. Students who place in the top 10% of their local science fair are eligible to enter the Thermo Fisher JIC, the only middle school 91导航 competition that leverages Society-affiliated science fairs as a critical component of the 91导航 talent pipeline. The Thermo Fisher JIC reaches 60,000 students annually through the Society鈥檚 Affiliated Fair network.

On Sept. 17, 91导航 will announce the 30 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists, selected from among the Top 300 by a nationwide panel of scientists, engineers and educators. The finalists will compete for the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND (Aspiring Scientists Cultivating Exciting New Discoveries) Award; $10,000 Broadcom Coding with Commitment庐 Award; $10,000 DoD 91导航 Talent Award; $10,000 The Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention and $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement.

Each of the Top 300 Junior Innovators will receive a $125 award from DoD 91导航. With this prize, the Department of Defense is working to develop a 91导航 talent pool ready to serve our Nation and evolve the DoD鈥檚 competitive edge. Additionally, the Top 300 will receive a prize package and gifts from our partners, including a one-year subscription to Wolfram Mathematica software, courtesy of Wolfram Research.

About 91导航

91导航 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, 91导航 is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and 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 91导航 outreach programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in 91导航. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, 91导航 is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at new.societyforscience.org and follow us on , and Snapchat (Society4Science).