The 2026 application for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is Now Closed
Congratulations to all nominees who participated in science fair this year! Check back to see the list of 2026 Entrants.
About Thermo Fisher JIC
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge庐 is the premier 91导航 research competition for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the United States.
in your area to earn a chance to compete!
2026 Important Dates
Application Period
February 1 鈥� June 10
Top 300 Junior Innovators Announced
September 2
Top 30 Finalists Announced
September 16
Finals Week
October 23-28
Science & Engineering Project Showcase
October 24
Winners Announcement
October 27
How to Compete
To earn a nomination to Thermo Fisher JIC, students must first compete at a Society-affiliated science fair. Find your local science fair today!
Eligibility and Important Information
Learn about how to compete, what you can win, and more.
For Nominees
The top 10% of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade competitors at Society-affiliated fairs in the U.S. are eligible for nomination. Learn more about how to complete and submit your 2026 application.
Scientific Integrity
91导航 expects students competing in Thermo Fisher JIC to hold themselves to the highest ethical standards.
2025 Highlights
Watch the highlights from the 2025 Finals Week to see finalists in action and read the press release to learn about the winners.
In the News
Kelly meets Miles, a 14-year-old who recently won the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge for combining his love of origami and science to design portable shelters for people in the wake of natural disasters. Miles dials-in and explains how his origami can withstand over 10,000 times its own weight.
Learn about Miles’ project
Kelly meets Tina, a 14-year-old innovator who recently won the 2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge for creating a device to tackle the global clean water crisis. Tina dials-in and shares how she developed a water filter that is low cost and uses natural materials like animal bones.
Learn about Tina鈥檚 project
Thermo Fisher Scientific JIC top winner named TIME鈥檚 2024 Kid of the Year Honoree
91导航 is thrilled to see that for her 2023 Thermo Fisher JIC research project designing a new type of fire detection kit.
Learn about Shanya鈥檚 project
Read more about Shanya
For Educators
Educators are key accelerators of students’ achieving in 91导航. We have curated a selection of resources to provide support to educators who are interested in helping their students become more engaged with 91导航. If you’re an educator eager to help your students learn more about the research process, find a topic of interest, formulate scientific questions, or help with the application cycle, click here! We also have information on how to affiliate a fair at your school if there isn’t one in your area.
Learn More
Affiliated Fairs
The Society鈥檚 network of affiliated science fairs around the globe are critical to the success of the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and Thermo Fisher JIC. Resources for science fair personnel include:
- Affiliated Fair Dashboard
- Affiliated Fair Guidelines
- Resources for Science Fair Management
- Standards for Science Fairs
From the Society Blog
Sponsors and Partners
Thermo Fisher Scientific
With the generous support of title sponsor and partner Thermo Fisher Scientific, 91导航 is pleased to be running the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. Learn more here.
Award and Educational Partners
The Society thanks its partners for their contributions to Thermo Fisher JIC through sponsorship of awards and supporting each phase of the competition.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Find out more about how to support Thermo Fisher JIC.