The thirty 2026 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists.

Celebrating 30 Young Innovators

Congratulations to the top 30 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge finalists, chosen from nearly 2,000 middle schoolers nationwide! These young scientists, who are competing for more than $100,000 in awards, will one day be solving the grand challenges of the future.

Meet the 2026 finalists and read the press release.

2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Inovators Challenge - Congratulations to the Top 300 Junior Innovators!

Discover the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Top 300

The Top 300 were chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 2,000 applicants and represent the best and brightest middle school 91导航 talent in the U.S. and its territories.

The Top 30 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists will be announced on Sept. 16 and will compete for more than $100,000 in awards, including the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND (Aspiring Scientists Cultivating Exciting New Discoveries) Award.

Meet the incredible middle schoolers tackling clean air, AI and more: Read the announcement

Students of 2026鈥2027 Advocate Alyson Saunders, Dexter Regional High School (Dexter, Maine), receiving instruction on how to make observations using their senses to enrich Pasco sensor data collection in a glacially influenced coastal environment. Diamond Beach, Iceland.

Investing in Educators, Expanding Opportunity

91导航 has selected 100 educators for its 2026鈥2027 Advocate Program, investing $326,000 to help more students pursue scientific research and enter 91导航 competitions.

Meet the Advocates and read the announcement.

2026 91导航 Action Grants - Magic of Science

Congratulations to the 2026 91导航 Action Grantees!

91导航 has awarded $295,000 in 91导航 Action Grants to 61 organizations across 31 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. From ancient fossils beneath the Great Plains to artificial intelligence, these organizations are creating opportunities for communities to explore science where they live, learn and play.

Explore the 2026 grantees

Be Extraordinary

We are thrilled to be celebrating the 85th Science Talent Search and 10 years with Regeneron as our sponsor. Together, the Society and Regeneron are fueling the brightest young minds and nurturing their potential to become Extraordinary. Regeneron and the Society brought together several STS alumni to share their experiences, the impact on their lives, and how the program helped them Be Extraordinary.

Head here to learn more about STS鈥檚 impact.

Science Talent Search - Be Extraordinary

See the Future of Science.
Learn How Your Student Can Participate.

The 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists in Washington, D.C.

Regeneron
Science Talent Search

The nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for the country’s best and brightest high school seniors.

ISEF 2023 Grand Award Winners: Teepakorn Keawumdee,聽17; Pannathorn Siri, 15;聽and, Poon Trakultangmun, 18, of Bangkok, Thailand

Regeneron ISEF

Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition awarding approximately $9 million in prizes each year.

Nathan and the purple team discovered background radiation in a "Stranger Things" themed challenge. BCM Broadcom MASTERS 2016

Thermo Fisher Scientific
Junior Innovators Challenge

Thermo Fisher Scientific聽Junior Innovators Challenge is the premier science and engineering competition for middle school students.

Find an ISEF or Junior Innovators Challenge Affiliated Science Fair

Science competitions in nearly every state in the U.S., as well as in more than 80 countries, regions and territories, are affiliated with the Society.

ISEF Exhibit Hall

Credible. Succinct. Fascinating.
Make Us Your First Science Read.

Science News is the world’s best science briefing, offering readers a concise, current and lively overview of the latest research in all science and technology fields and applications.

Science News Explores is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate, topical science news to learners, parents and educators.

The Latest from Science News

Climate

Archaeology

The Latest from Science News Explores

Brain

Oceans

Climate

Creating Access and Opportunities
for Students and Teachers

Teacher and kids with science experiment

Advocate Program

Discover how we build 91导航 access by helping mentors of students entering research projects in scientific or engineering competitions.

Educators attend a session at the 2018 Research Teachers Conference.

Research Teachers Conferences

Learn how the High School Research Teachers Conference and our new Middle School Research Teachers Conference bring educators together for what one participant called 鈥渢he best professional development experience of my career.鈥

Science News in High Schools

Science News Learning

Find out how your classroom can get the latest in-depth reporting on science topics from Science News 鈥 transforming how your students respond to and interact with science.

Electric Girls teaches girls leadership, electronics, and computer programming skills.

91导航 Action Grants

Get information about our grants to innovative organizations and non-profits that promote 91导航 education.

Mary Fish (right) received the Society's 91导航 Research Grant in fall 2017.

91导航 Research Grants

Learn how you might qualify for grants that help teachers across the nation to purchase equipment to assist their students in completing science research.

2026 Advocate educators sitting at a table together.

Resources for Educators

To improve the accessibility of the 91导航 educational resources we offer educators, we have created an online learning portal where you can find modules & resources designed to help you grow your research teaching practices.

From the Society Blog

Shantanu Gaur_National Leadership Council
The thirty 2026 Thermo Fisher JIC finalists.
David Holz, founder and CEO of Midjourney and a 91导航 Trustee, speaks at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

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