For Connor Hill, winner of the top award at the 2026 , a program of �鶹����, that question centered on a class of geometric objects known as noble polyhedra. These shapes are defined by symmetry and structure and rooted in mathematical traditions that trace back to Plato and the early study of geometry. What began as an open-ended geometric question ultimately led to a complete classification of noble polyhedra, identifying two infinite families along with 146 isolated examples.

At first glance, this kind of research may feel far removed from the work of developing new medicines. To explore how abstract mathematics connects to real-world discovery, Connor recently spoke with, Executive Director, Development Innovation at Regeneron who is a physician-scientist working at the intersection of biology and medicine. As Connor looks ahead to attending MIT this fall, an opportunity supported partly through his winnings at Regeneron �鶹���� this year, their conversation brought a clearer connection into focus.

What links a centuries-old geometry problem to modern medicine is not the shape itself, but the mindset behind it. In both fields, researchers must turn complexity into something finite and solvable. That same approach underpins discovery in biology, medicine and beyond. Dr. Wei and Connor discuss how abstract mathematical ideas can drive real-world breakthroughs, and why curiosity-driven research continues to unlock what’s possible.

Q&A: Where Foundational Math Meets Clinical Science

Dr. Wei: Connor, what first sparked your interest in mathematics, and how did this research take shape?

Connor: I’ve been interested in math for as long as I can remember. A big part of that is patterns—once you start noticing them, you realize they show up everywhere. Math gives you a way to understand those patterns more deeply.

My Regeneron Science Talent Search project didn’t start as one big breakthrough. I was part of an online community exploring geometry, and I came across this question about noble polyhedra. At first, I thought I might find a few new examples, but over time, step by step, it grew into a full proof.

That’s how math usually works. It builds on what others have done, or what Newton described as “standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Dr. Wei: For those less familiar, what are noble polyhedra? Why have mathematicians been interested in them for so long?

Connor: They’re geometric shapes defined by symmetry. All the faces are identical, and all the vertices are identical.�� A cube is a simple example since every face, and every corner is the same. Noble polyhedra extend that idea, but they relax some of the stricter rules found in classical shapes like the Platonic solids.

What makes them interesting is this question of how much can you loosen the constraints while still preserving the structure.

Dr. Wei: Your work introduces the powerful idea of turning an “infinite” problem into a finite one. What does that mean in practice?

Connor: In geometry, there are often many possibilities. For example, there are infinitely many ways to arrange points in space. The challenge is figuring out how to reduce that to something manageable. I connected the geometric problem to algebra—specifically, to polynomials. By translating the problem into a different mathematical framework, I could narrow it down to a finite set that could actually be solved.

Dr. Wei, that idea of reduction feels central to scientific discovery. How do you see it show up in your work?

Dr. Wei: In biology and medicine, we’re constantly working with incredibly complex systems such as how proteins fold, how diseases progress, or how treatments interact with the body.

The challenge is making those systems understandable. When you can reduce complexity in a meaningful way, you move from approximation to something more precise. That’s where mathematics becomes essential. It gives us a way to focus on what actually matters.

Connor, you’ve said the methods behind your work may be more important than the result itself. Why is that?

Connor: A lot of mathematics ends up being useful in ways you can’t predict at the time. For this project, the key idea is connecting different areas of math like discrete geometry and algebraic geometry and using that connection to solve problems more effectively.

That kind of approach could apply to many different problems, anywhere you have structure, symmetry, or a large number of possibilities that need to be narrowed down.

Dr. Wei, can you share an example of how that kind of thinking applies to biomedical science?

Dr. Wei: One example is protein structure. Proteins can take on an enormous number of possible configurations, but only a small number are stable or biologically meaningful. The challenge is figuring out which ones matter.

Mathematics helps us reduce that complexity. Instead of trying everything, we can focus on a much smaller set of possibilities. That’s critical in areas like drug discovery.

Connor: Your conversation also touched on the idea of moving from approximation to exact solutions. Why does that matter?

Dr. Wei: In many areas of science today, especially with machine learning, we rely on approximation through models that can be very good, but never exact. Mathematics gives us another pathway. When you can describe a system precisely, you can sometimes solve it directly rather than estimate it.

That shift—from approximation to deeper understanding—is where breakthroughs can happen.

How do you think about the role of mathematics in solving larger challenges?

Connor: Math is the language that makes scientific ideas usable.

Science gives us the concepts, but math allows us to formalize them and apply them. When we’re solving big problems, the key is breaking them into smaller pieces that math can address.

Often, breakthroughs happen when someone connects ideas across disciplines.

Dr. Wei: What advice would you give to future scientists?

Connor: Follow what you’re genuinely interested in. The most meaningful work comes from curiosity, not outcomes. Find people who share your interests and focus on small contributions—they build into something bigger over time.

Why Foundational Math Matters

Connor Hill’s work reflects a broader truth: scientific progress depends on simplifying complexity and connecting disciplines.

Interested in competing? Learn more about applying to the Regeneron Science Talent Search:

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Growing up during the Great Depression and World War II, Thorp attended what he described as one of the worst high schools in the Los Angeles school system, a place where shop classes outnumbered academic ones. He taught himself science through library books, funded experiments by delivering newspapers at two in the morning and received a subscription to��Science Newsletter��(now��Science News) from a retired engineer neighbor.

It was in Science Newsletter that Thorp discovered the Science Talent Search. “Nobody in my high school goes to college, but maybe I can,” he recalled thinking.

Thorp submitted an essay titled��Some Original Calculations������ his Science Talent Search application and promptly forgot about it until he found a telegram on his doorstep. “It couldn’t be for me. I’d never seen a telegram,” he said. That telegram sent him to Washington, D.C., where he met President Harry Truman, heard from Nobel Prize-winning physicist I.I. Rabi, toured a 60-inch cyclotron and won $100.

Thorp went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from UCLA, teach at MIT and UC Irvine, and authored six books, including Beat the Dealer, the first scientific system ever devised for a major casino gambling game, which transformed how the world plays blackjack.

Thorp explained that his blackjack story began almost by accident. Just before Thorp and his wife headed to Las Vegas, a colleague mentioned a strategy for the game. Intrigued, Thorp dug up a research paper showing that optimal play could reduce the house edge from 2% to about two-tenths of a percent. Armed with just $10 and a small reference card outlining the strategy, he sat down at a blackjack table. The other players laughed at him, convinced he was a fool. Then, he drew a seven-card 21, a rare and highly favorable hand.

That moment sent Thorp back to the academic literature with fresh eyes. “I knew how to beat this game,” he said, describing the mathematical insight that struck him almost immediately upon re-reading the original paper. The key was understanding what happens to the odds as cards are removed from the deck, which is something no one had systematically studied.

Thorp was teaching at MIT at the time. He spent his days teaching and his nights running calculations on a Monroe electric calculator, only to estimate it would take him 10,000 years to finish by hand.

Thorp then taught himself Fortran, a programming language for the IBM 704, and after about six months of trial and error began getting results. The system worked.

One of the unexpected benefits of cracking the problem, Thorp noted, was that he had never taken a course in probability before tackling it. He wasn’t burdened by the widespread belief that casino games simply couldn’t be beaten. “One of the benefits of being ignorant,” he said.

Later, when he first began investing in the stock market Thorp knew nothing about it. “I made terrible investment mistakes,” he said. “After I made many mistakes, I sat down and read book after book after book.” Thorp then received a financial newsletter in the mail called the RHM Warrant Survey. Warrants are the forerunner of what we call options today, and Thorp realized he could “mathematicize” warrants. This discovery led to Thorp’s follow-up book, Beat the Market, which, in turn, led him to establish the first market-neutral hedge fund in 1969.

Inspired by Thorp’s story of curiosity, persistence and mathematical thinking? The Regeneron Science Talent Search 2027 application is now open and will be accepted through 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Students with original research projects are encouraged to apply and take the next step in their own scientific journey.

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From touring the and the to visiting in Ashburn, Virginia and in Greenbelt, Maryland, the finalists got a nice behind-the-scenes tour of scientific institutions across the nation’s capital

Janine Stevens, Senior Director of Scientific Programs, says a core part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Janelia Research Campus’ mission is to cultivate the next generation of scientists by broadening their access and exposure to cutting-edge research environments. “Learning about the development of innovative tools and methods, and engaging with active scientists sparks student curiosity, builds their confidence, and helps prepare them for scientific careers,” Janine says. “In time, these talented high school students grow into skilled researchers who bring new ideas and fresh perspectives to institutes like Janelia.”

Jashvi Desai, 18, of Yorktown Heights, NY, echoes that sentiment, saying, “It is important that young scientists visit institutions like Janelia to see what opportunities there are to continue science and scientific research,” Jashvi says. “These opportunities also help us make valuable connections to individuals in our field.”

Other fun visits across the Potomac included the National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art.

Vallabh Ramesh, 18, from Louisville, Kentucky, says he was fascinated by how materials science was used in art preservation and photography.

“It really goes to show how �鶹���� is so interdisciplinary, and you can truly pursue any of your passions in tandem with multiple fields,” Vallabh says. “I thought it was especially interesting to see how gels are used for studying art, as my project was about gels too. I also really enjoyed getting to see timeless pieces of art and how scientists are working behind the scenes to restore them to their original form.”

Ananya Nagendra, 18, of Plano, Texas, really enjoyed the time spent at the National Museum of Natural History.

“My favorite part of the trip was seeing the insect collection, as I’m very passionate about entomology,” Ananya says. “For young scientists, it’s incredibly valuable to learn about current topics across different fields, and the Museum of Natural History was a perfect place to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the current research questions across our society!”

Finally, over in Maryland, some finalists went behind the scenes at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Frank Lucci, 18, from Castle Hills, Texas, says he was over the moon to touch a part of the moon.

“My favorite part of the field trip was getting to touch part of the moon and when I mean touch a part of the moon, we all got to hold a lunar rock!” Frank says. “I also loved getting to hear from a scientist who worked on Helio physics satellites for over 30 decades!”

Learn more about and the winners of the competition here.

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The seeds of those lasting connections are planted every spring, when all forty finalists converge in Washington, D.C. for an action-packed finals week. They have the chance to meet scientific leaders, present their work to the public and, perhaps most importantly, make unforgettable memories with one another.

Here are some of those memorable moments of bonding, as told by the 2026 finalists.

“I recall bonding over panel judging. We would bond over the pressure and the judges’ questions. Once judging was finally over on Saturday night, there was an air of relief and celebration that felt particularly genuine and heartwarming. For a competition, it was intensely open and collaborative.” — Edward Kang

“During the monuments tour, my friends and I synced up some music for a few hours. As we explored D.C. together, I felt an invisible connection between the four of us, as if our shared music was bringing us all closer together. We started talking later that night, and in this way, I found �鶹���� to be a starting point for what may end up being lifelong friendships.” — Siddharth Pasari

“The best bonding moment during �鶹���� week was blackjack. Let’s face it, we’re all competitive. True personality comes out when you’re in fun competition with others, so this helped us bond a lot. A huge thank you to all the blackjack dealers who gave their time to teach us how to play!” — Kaya Parikh

After enjoying a fireside chat with Dr. Edward Thorp (�鶹���� 1949), who is notable in part for using mathematical insights to develop a system to “” in blackjack, the finalists tried their hands in a blackjack tournament of their own.

“Singing karaoke in the lounge was one of my favorite informal moments during �鶹���� week. Our group was made up of incredible singers and amateurs, but somehow, we all sounded very good together, forming a harmony none of us expected.” — Uma Sthanu

“Hanging out in the finalist lounge was a highlight of my �鶹���� experience. In particular, I really enjoyed playing with fellow finalists, as it was a great way to unwind after an intense day. Ironically, some of my closest �鶹���� friends were made while in the midst of Cambio rivalries.” — Leon Wang

“My favorite memory was sitting backstage at the and distracting each other from the nerves and stress. It was a really special moment because I knew that everyone was truly supporting each other.” — Natalie Muro

“My favorite bonding moment during �鶹���� week was probably the final night. We had a dance party with all the finalists after the awards gala, and we all danced and sang the night away. It felt so freeing to be with the group of friends I had made over the past week, and I cherished the last night that we would spend together in the near future.” — Vallabh Ramesh

All in all, Claire Jiang may have summarized the week best, saying:

“What surprised me most about the connections I’ve formed here is how quickly they’ve begun to feel lasting. It’s exciting to realize that many of us may end up at the same universities or cross paths again throughout our careers. Being surrounded by so many curious and driven peers puts things into perspective and reminds me that the future of science is something we will shape together.”

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Their promise as scientific leaders is reflected not only by the quality of their research and their unquestionable ability. But their potential is also written in the stories of the finalists who have stood in their shoes over the last 84 years.

This year, ��finalists heard from one such �鶹���� alum, Marcian “Ted” Hoff (�鶹���� 1954), ��the twelfth employee at Intel and inventor of the microprocessor. ��He is a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

Ted sat down with the finalists for a fireside chat, where he shared his journey and answered finalists’ questions. Below are some excerpts from the conversation.

When you began at Intel, what problem were you trying to solve that led to the invention of the microprocessor?

“When I first got involved with that project, we had agreed to build a set of custom chips for a calculator company. Three engineers came from Japan with a design they wanted built, and the more I looked at it, the more concerned I became. They had separate control chips for the keyboard, display, printer, memory and arithmetic.

“The idea I came up with was that instead of building all these different chips, we could make a general-purpose processor and put the complexity into memory, instead of wiring it into the chip itself. You can write the code for that memory on a piece of paper, and then there’s a standard way of putting it into the memory, so you don’t need a new chip layout every time.

“That meant the same hardware could be used for many different applications. What started as a solution to designing the calculator turned out to have many other uses. One thing I learned is that ideas often come from things you did earlier that didn’t seem connected at the time. Some of these disconnected experiences can turn out to be very useful in the long run.”

As someone who laid the foundation for modern computing, what questions and considerations do you think are most urgent as we advance AI systems today?

“We’re building more powerful processors, smarter processors, where the artificial intelligence can get well beyond the typical human intelligence. An important question becomes, ‘What is the role of the human in that society?’

“I think one of the things future generations really have to think about is not just what we can do, but the impact of what we do. There are many problems in the world, and it isn’t always obvious what the best solution is. You have to be careful about putting technology into use before it’s ready. It may be a great development eventually, but when something is introduced before all the details are worked out, that can be hazardous.

“When I went to engineering school, Rensselaer, was an all-male school. I think the year I graduated, there were only two women in the entire school body,” Ted said. “Well, our youngest granddaughter is now at Cal Poly, studying mechanical engineering.”

He pointed to that contrast with today, where far more women are entering and leading in �鶹����. For Ted, that shift underscores the importance of “broadening the view,” and bringing more perspectives to not just what we build, but how we think about its impact.

How did it feel to join Intel when it was still a very young company, and what advice do you have for navigating risk or the unfamiliar?

“When I joined Intel, there was definitely some risk. I was at Stanford at the time in what looked like a very secure position, supported by government research contracts, and things seemed to be going well. Leaving that to go to a brand-new company was not an obvious decision. Sometimes you have to make your best guess and accept that there are no guarantees.

“Interestingly, not long after I left, there were protests at Stanford about government-supported research, and the university decided to move a lot of that work off campus. If I had stayed, I might have been looking for a job anyway.

“That was eye-opening. Things that seem secure may not be, and things that seem risky can work out very well. My advice is to make the best decision you can with the information you have, and don’t be afraid of something simply because it’s new or uncertain. That’s often where the most interesting opportunities are.”

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This Women’s History Month, �鶹���� is applauding the women who have pushed the barriers open in �鶹���� and helped inspire today’s young scientists. We spoke with several top winners in the Society’s 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 �鶹����.

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.

“To me, being a woman in �鶹���� means being confident, determined and having the courage to pursue �鶹���� fields with curiosity. It also means inspiring other women and encouraging people to believe in their abilities and pursue their dreams with confidence.”

“My woman in �鶹���� 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 �鶹���� or in life.”

Pranshi Mehta
“Women’s History Month is a powerful reminder that progress in �鶹���� 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.”

Christine Wang
“My woman in �鶹���� 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 �鶹����, I hope to follow her example and help shape a future in technology that is both innovative and open to everyone.”

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

“So 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 �鶹���� 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��the innovative, creative and determined mindset of the women before me.”

“When it comes to �鶹����, I’ve never thought of myself as different from any guy. I’ve never thought something would be harder to achieve because I’m a girl, and I’ve never limited myself because of my gender. At their core, science and mathematics don’t depend on gender. For example, bacteria don’t grow differently depending on who inoculates them. That mindset has allowed me to approach challenges as just challenges, not as proof that I didn’t belong.

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

This doesn’t mean barriers and bias don’t exist. However, you can acknowledge challenges without letting them define your limits. In �鶹����, 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’t need to prove you deserve your seat at the table more than anyone else. You belong because you’re willing to learn, to do the work and love what you do.”

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
“One of my women in �鶹���� 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 �鶹���� fields. In 2019, she was also featured on the $1 coin!”

Rivka Lipkovitz
“Although 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’m glad that we’ve made so much progress over the past century, especially in K–12 education, but I still think there’s room to improve. I hope that one day it feels completely normal to see women everywhere in �鶹����. I don’t 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.”

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�� (NASDAQ: REGN) and �鶹���� (the Society) announced that Connor Hill, 17, of State College, Pennsylvania, won the top award of $250,000 in the 2026 (�鶹����), the U.S.’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

Key Takeaways:

• This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Science Talent Search and Regeneron’s 10^th year as the title sponsor; Regeneron is extending its title sponsorship through 2036, pledging $150 million to fuel the next generation of science and technology leaders.

• Forty finalists were honored at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., receiving more than $1.8 million in awards recognizing groundbreaking research, exceptional analytical rigor, exceptional problem-solving skills and potential to shape the future of �鶹����.

• Top Three Winners:
  • Connor Hill, 17, of State College, Pennsylvania won first place and $250,000 for discovering a way to identify all the possible “noble polyhedra,” highly symmetric shapes with flat sides and straight edges. He wrote a computer program to do the computations and proved there are two infinite families of noble polyhedra, as well as 146 isolated examples.

• • Second place and $175,000 went to Edward Kang, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey for using retinal images to train AI models on subtle patterns linked to autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to create a screening tool called RetinaMind. He also created retinal cell models to study gene changes that may help explain why these differences occur.

• • Third place and $150,000 went to Iris Shen, 17, of The Woodlands, Texas, for testing a potential cancer drug in clams to see if they could serve as an animal model for blood cancer drug discovery. In the clams, the drug had a similar effect to what researchers observe in human cells. She also tested a mix of other potential cancer drugs, which slowed the clams’ tumor growth.

• Media Resources:
  • High-resolution photos, winner bios, project summaries, b-roll, and video interviews are available in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search Media Kit: /2026-regeneron-science-talent-search-media-kit

• • Media may also access the full list of 40 finalists and detailed project descriptions at: /regeneron-sts/2026-student-finalists/

• • The Science Talent Search represents a long-term commitment to the next generation of scientific leadership. It supports students’ educational pursuits and research while recognizing young scientists whose intellectual rigor and bold thinking position them to shape the future of innovation.

• • Together, all��40��finalists join��a distinguished group of��Science Talent Search alumni, many of whom have gone on to��achieve��world-changing careers in���鶹����, including earning��esteemed honors such as 13 Nobel Laureates, 23 MacArthur Fellowships and 14 winners of the National Medal of Science.

“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, �鶹���� and Executive Publisher, Science News. “Their bold vision and perseverance reveal what the next generation of problem solvers truly looks like—and why our future is in capable hands. Their creativity, ambition and courage to confront the world’s toughest challenges are exactly what this moment demands.”

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is committed to providing a national platform for high school seniors to showcase original, innovative �鶹���� research that proposes novel solutions to real-world issues. Finalists are evaluated for their scientific rigor, originality, critical thinking, leadership potential, and commitment to creating meaningful impact in crucial �鶹���� fields.

“Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search, and to all the finalists who participated in this year’s competition. These students represent exactly the kind of extraordinary talent scientific progress depends on,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chairman, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and a 1976 Science Talent Search winner. “From my own experience as a Science Talent Search winner, I know the transformative power of this competition. That’s why Regeneron is deepening our commitment and extending our title sponsorship for another decade. Through our support of Science Talent Search and our title sponsorship of the Regeneron International Science Fair, the world’s largest high school science competition, we will invest more than $300 million from 2017 to 2036. We may never know where the next great scientific leader will come from, but we do know it’s our responsibility to find that talent, fuel it, and give it every chance to change the world.”

Other top honors from the competition include:

• Fourth Place and $100,000: Rachel Chen, 18, of Los Angeles, California for developing a concrete, visual way to describe systems of many quantum particles using Temperley-Lieb diagrams, expanding on a 1997 finding. Rachel illustrated how a magnetic field influences the entire quantum system using these simple point-and-line diagrams.

• Fifth Place and $90,000: Jerry Xu, 17, of Lexington, Massachusetts for building an AI program that compresses the features of protein molecules into strings of numbers. He showed that his model enabled a more efficient comparison of protein structure without the loss of important features. This could speed up genetic research and drug discovery.

• Sixth Place and $80,000: Leanne Fan, 18, of San Diego, California for building a device to simulate microgravity in order to study how wounds heal in space. With the device, she tested red light on injured flatworms and found that it sped up tissue regeneration by 95.2%. She also found that red light treatment speeds up wound repair in human models in normal gravity.

• Seventh Place and $70,000: Claire Jiang, 18, of Wyckoff, New Jersey for developing a cellular model of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). She treated cells used to study rheumatoid arthritis with bone morphogenetic protein 4, a protein linked to JIA joint damage. Her experiments showed they acted like JIA cells in their growth and gene expression.

• Eighth Place and $60,000: Leon Wang, 17, of Stamford, Connecticut, for finding two FDA-approved drugs that may also be effective against Alzheimer’s disease. Both drugs reduce the activity of a cellular signaling pathway linked to an Alzheimer’s gene. In lab-grown brain cells, the drugs reduced signs of damage due to the pathway.

• Ninth Place and $50,000: Jonathan Du, 18, of Mountain View, California for investigating the unrestricted finite factorization property. Factorization breaks down mathematical objects into simpler parts. Jonathan’s work explores complicated algebraic systems where some elements have several factorizations, and others do not factor at all.

• Tenth Place and $40,000: Seth Nabat, 18, of Winnetka, California for building a machine learning program to quickly and accurately track particle collisions without sacrificing accuracy by favoring symmetry. Seth’s program uses an unconstrained network to catch errors, and another network to find patterns in them.

• Colin Jie Chu, 18, of��Palo Alto, California was named the Seaborg Award winner and��selected��to speak on behalf of the Regeneron Science Talent Search Class of��2026. The 40 finalists chose��Colin��as the person who��best��exemplifies their class and the��legacy��of nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1951 and served on the Society’s Board of Trustees for 30 years.

• The remaining 30 finalists received $25,000 each. In total, Regeneron awarded $3.1 million in awards, including $2,000 to each top scholar and their school. Since the start of Regeneron’s sponsorship in 2017 through this year’s competition, Regeneron and the Society have engaged and inspired more than 20,000 of the nation’s top young scientists, recognized 3,000 as Regeneron scholars, and awarded over $31 million in prizes.

Resources:

• 2026 Winner Media Kit (photos, bios, research summaries, b-roll, video)
• Virtual Project Showcase (All 40 finalist projects)
• Full List of 40 Finalists
• Top 300 Scholars
• Notable �鶹���� Alumni

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The event gives members of the public a chance to meet the brilliant young minds at Regeneron �鶹���� and learn about the research that brought them to the nation’s capital.

We caught up with a few busy finalists to hear about how their week in Washington, D.C. has been going so far.

Rachel Chen
Marlborough School (Los Angeles, California)

For her �鶹���� project, Rachel expanded on a 1997quantum system research paper, using Temperley-Lieb diagrams to describe how an entire system of quantum particles acts under the influence of a magnetic field. This may be useful as an intuitive framework for researchers to understand the structure and connections among different quantum-mechanical states.

“I just feel so lucky to be here and be able to present my research to the world,” Rachel says. “I just really want to thank everyone at Regeneron �鶹���� for making this possible for us. It’s just truly such a meaningful experience. Thank you.”

Connor Hill
Delta High School (State College, Pennsylvania)

Connor’s mathematics project produced a complete list of the mathematical shapes called “noble polyhedra.” A polyhedron is a three-dimensional shape with flat sides and straight edges, such as a cube or a pyramid. For his project, Connor wrote a computer program that systematically works through all the possible ways a noble polyhedron could be constructed.

“Being able to explain my work to people who are experts in the field and also getting to see the other cool projects in depth has been special at Public Day”, Connor says. “You get to explore and explain something in so much more detail.”

Khushi Karthikeyan
Ardsley High School (Ardsley, New York)

Khushi utilized a series of detailed black hole simulations for their project. Using open-source space simulation software, Khushi tested their hypothesis in a series of virtual experiments. The results suggest that huge, metal-poor stars could explain the current sizes of some supermassive black holes that we can observe.

“I’ve been interested in space and black holes for as long as I can remember. So, I’ve always loved this,” Khushi says. “Seeing everyone else’s projects and the great work they’re doing gives me hope for the future of science.”

Jaeho Lee
Spring Branch Academic Institute (Houston, Texas)

Jaeho studied a collection of rules, called permutations, that shuffle around elements of a set of numbers, called the affine permutations which are a specific class of permutations that use a simple formula of multiplication and addition in his mathematics project.

“I’ve really gotten to know a lot of people and what they even do outside of research,” Jaeho says. “Even though it’s a competition, we still cheer each other up and we say hi to each other when we pass by each other and it just reminds me that together, we can really accomplish great things.”

Sophia Liang
Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland)

For her medicine and health project, Sophia researched and studied a potential new treatment for “wet” age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a leading cause of blindness in older adults and causes abnormal blood vessels and scarring in the back of the eye that leads to permanent vision loss. Sophia tested an investigational drug called runcaciguat, which is currently being tested as a treatment for chronic kidney disease and diabetic eye disease.

“I was incredibly surprised to be named a scholar and even more shocked to be named a finalist,” Sophia says. “Don’t doubt the work you do and just always give it your best shot, because you never know what will happen and what opportunities lie ahead.”

Natalie Muro
William J. Palmer High School (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

In her environmental �鶹���� project, Natalie developed an eco-friendly way to mitigate harmful algal blooms. Algal blooms are rapid overgrowths of cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, that can produce toxins that sicken humans and animals and impede water treatment. For her project, Natalie designed a device that used wind-driven waves to disperse 3% hydrogen peroxide, which is safe for the environment but kills cyanobacteria.

“One of my favorite parts was probably our ping pong ball tournament,” Natalie says. “You really got to see everyone’s competitive side come out differently. I’m also really excited for the D.C. monument tour tonight. I think D.C. at night is very beautiful.”

Siddharth Pasari��
Hunter College High School (New York, New York)

In his biochemistry �鶹���� project, Siddarth developed a surface that could be used to test viruses. Viruses attach to their host’s cells by binding to sugar molecules called glycans on the cell surface. Different viruses can have distinct glycan-binding proteins that bind to specific sugars.

“I’ve never been in such a concentration of highly curious and interesting individuals in my life. I’m not sure if I ever will in my life again,” Siddharth says. “It’s just a great experience being surrounded by great people.”

Congratulations to all of this year’s top 40 finalists!

Learn more about all the finalists on our website. Be sure to  to watch the awards ceremony tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 10, when we will announce the winner of the $250,000 top prize.

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Now a freshman at MIT, Rivka is continuing to pursue the kinds of quantitative questions that first drew her to research. Outside the classroom, she’s also a competitive speedcuber who can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 10 seconds.

We asked Rivka about her advice for this year’s finalists, what she learned through her research, and what she’s been exploring during her first year at MIT.

What advice would you give this year’s �鶹���� finalists about exploring new topics or trying unconventional approaches in their research?

“My advice to this year’s finalists would be to stay curious throughout your time in college. Even if your academic focus stays mostly the same, go to seminars outside your niche and explore adjacent fields.” Rivka says that approach has already shaped her own academic interests. “I stayed in quantitative social science, but branching out a bit made me realize that I’m increasingly interested in labor economics.”

Your project analyzed trends in voter turnout using statistical modeling. What did you find most interesting about the patterns you discovered?

“This project made me appreciate how rarely policy impacts are clear-cut,” Rivka said. Turnout appeared to increase in midterm elections after voter ID laws were implemented, “but only in some models.”

Because of that complexity, she focused on what the data could reliably support rather than drawing sweeping conclusions.

“I didn’t conclude that voter ID laws increase turnout. Instead, I used this information to conclude that it’s very unlikely they decrease turnout in midterms.”

She was also surprised by how much the timing of the laws mattered.

“I was surprised by how much the effects seemed to depend on when a state adopted the laws, which suggested that context matters a lot. More broadly, when the results aren’t definitive, the best we can do is weigh the evidence carefully and make the most reasonable decision based on what we know.”

Rivka continued refining the project after the competition and submitted it to a journal, where it was published this past December.

What was your most memorable experience from the Regeneron Science Talent Search?

“One of my most memorable moments was the very first day, when the finalists from my region arrived and we all met in person,” Rivka recalled. “It felt surreal to be in D.C. with people I’d only known online before the competition.”

She also remembers how quickly the finalists fell into deep conversations.

“The dinner conversation was really lively,” she said. “We were debating big questions, like whether AI could create bioweapons and what a workable regulatory framework would be if that scenario became plausible.”

You moved from San Francisco to Cambridge to attend MIT. What has the transition been like, and what have you been exploring so far?

“The transition was easier than I expected,” Rivka said. “Boston is similar to San Francisco in that both are large cities on the water.”

She quickly built a community with classmates and dormmates.

“I’ve been fortunate to make friends in my dorm and classes, and we’ve spent some weekends exploring Boston.”

The biggest adjustment has been the weather. Like fellow �鶹���� 2025 top ten winner, Logan Lee, Rivka is “…still getting used to needing a heavy jacket and gloves,” she said. “At the same time, playing in the snow is fun, and we even had a blizzard last week that was severe enough that we built a huge igloo and hung out together inside for an hour.”

Academically, she has been taking both core requirements and more advanced courses. “I’ve been taking some of my graduation requirements, such as chemistry and physics, along with more specialized electives, including graduate probability and labor economics.” The probability class in particular pushed her mathematically. “Probability was one of the most abstract and challenging classes I’ve taken, and it linked together almost all of the math I had learned previously. At the same time, completing the problem sets was very rewarding, and I feel the class helped me grow into a more capable mathematician.”

She has also begun assisting with research on applying machine learning to causal inference with MIT econometrician Whitney K. Newey.

If you could have dinner with any �鶹���� professional, living or past, who would it be and what would you want to ask them?

Rivka says she would choose American economist Thomas Schelling, whose work she encountered in an class during her first semester at MIT. Schelling, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his work applying game theory to understand conflict and cooperation, stood out to her for the way he approached economics almost like a natural science.

“What I found so compelling about Schelling is how he explained complex social outcomes using really simple assumptions about human behavior,” Rivka says. “For example, small preferences, like not wanting to be in the minority, can end up producing large patterns such as segregation and often inefficient equilibria.”

If she had the chance to speak with him, Rivka says she would want to explore how those ideas apply today. “I’d want to ask what modern problems he thinks are still driven by these kinds of population dynamics,” she says, “and then brainstorm what it would look like to design policies that could shift systems toward better equilibria.”

To learn more about this year’s incredible finalists and their hard work, join us on Sunday, March 8, at the Conrad Hotel from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the��Public Exhibition of Projects��during �鶹���� Finals Week.�� More information about the students can also be found��here.

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In this year’s cohort alone, one student redirects unused school lunches to homeless shelters. Another organizes makeover sessions for women in nursing homes. Others are helping small businesses craft ��websites, teaching girls to code, supporting hospice patients or organizing efforts to address food insecurity. The impetus behind these efforts is the same one that drives their research: notice a problem, ask questions and build something that helps.

Colin Chu
The Nueva School (San Mateo, California)

Colin Chu has founded not only one, but three organizations, making an impact in a variety of ways. He launched , a nonprofit that redirects unused school lunches to local shelters and food banks, addressing food insecurity and waste. He also founded his school’s Ethics Club to create space for structured discussions on real-world dilemmas. He also established the Sustainable San Mateo County Youth Advisory Council to advance youth-driven environmental initiatives.

“I always enjoy being in the company of others and strive to bring energy to each of the conversations and communities that I’m a part of,” he says.

That focus on practical solutions extends to his research. “Electric vehicles are one of the most transformative alternatives to traditional, gas-powered cars,” Colin explains. His work improves how EV battery health is predicted, helping make clean energy technologies safer and more reliable.

Frances Liang
The Nueva School (San Mateo, California)

“I founded ChallengHers to encourage girls not only to learn �鶹���� skills, but to apply them as tools for addressing challenges within their own communities,” Frances Liang says. Growing up, she was often one of the only girls at coding and science camps. “That experience really shaped how I saw �鶹���� education,” she explains. Competing in the Congressional App Challenge in eighth grade reinforced that perspective. “The challenge emphasized building technology to serve community needs. That approach resonated deeply with me.” She had already started a girls’ coding club at her middle school but wanted to expand her footprint. Through ChallengHers, she now connects students with mentors, resources and role models, including past competition winners who share feedback and guidance.

Ashka Shah
Jericho Senior High School (Jericho, New York)

Ashka builds community with the same energy she brings to the lab. Living with her grandparents, she began thinking about older adults who rarely get visitors and decided to do something tangible about it. “I live with my grandparents and am blessed enough to come home every day and play games with them,” she says. “Around my sophomore year, I realized not all the elderly have that.”

She founded , collecting unused makeup from beauty salons across Long Island and bringing it to nursing homes and memory care facilities for “makeover sessions” with residents. “Combining my love for makeup with my secret passion for recycling, I decided to take initiative,” she says. “This turned into a monthly event at a different facility each time, with numerous volunteers,” she adds. “It is one of my favorite things to do, and I’ve learned so much from the women there.”

Leon Wang
King School (Stamford, Connecticut)

Leon Wang co-founded Weblift, a nonprofit that builds free websites for small, local businesses. “I was inspired by the stories I heard from the business and community members that I spoke with,” he says. Many lacked the digital presence needed to compete in an increasingly online economy.

Through Weblift, Leon works directly with small business owners to design websites and expand their digital outreach and e-commerce capabilities. “We wanted to make sure that cost wasn’t the reason a business couldn’t grow,” he explains. By offering services for free, Weblift helps entrepreneurs reach new customers and strengthen their visibility in the community.

For Leon, the work is about more than coding. It is about listening. “Helping them expand their business through digital outreach” starts with understanding their goals and challenges. In building Weblift, he is not just creating websites. He is helping local businesses tell their stories.

Jonathan Yan
Sage Hill School (Newport Beach, California)

After being hit by a car while biking on a family trip, Jonathan remembers lying on the pavement thinking, “How can I make biking safer? How can I help cyclists stay aware of their surroundings?” That question became . Jonathan developed a computer vision-enabled app that alerts riders to dangerous objects approaching from behind, along with a hardware prototype that delivers vibration warnings through the handlebars. “There is no reliable way to see what’s coming from behind,” he says. “I need to stop this from happening to others.” What began as a frightening accident grew into a funded social entrepreneurship project with workshops and community partnerships.

His empathy extends beyond technology. After visiting his grandmother’s sister in a rural Chinese village, he noticed she had little companionship. He founded a chapter of the at his high school to help fulfill end-of-life dreams for hospice patients, bringing comfort and connection to seniors. “My restless mind is a gift that I’ve learned to harness to look out for others,” he says.

Audrey Zheng
North Allegheny Senior High School (Wexford, Pennsylvania)

Audrey Zheng traces her nonprofit work back to something simple: “I love cooking and trying new foods,” she says. What began as weekends experimenting with new recipes eventually grew into something larger. Wanting to translate that passion into action, she founded the , a student-led nonprofit focused on addressing food insecurity in her community.

Through partnerships with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Audrey helps organize food distribution events that allow families to “choose groceries best suited to their dietary needs and preferences.” She also coordinates volunteers to prepare and serve hot meals at community kitchens. One initiative especially meaningful to her involves leading wonton-making nights for seniors at a local living center, where a shared meal becomes more than nourishment. It becomes a way to connect.

To learn more about this year’s incredible finalists and their hard work, join us on Sunday, March 8, at the Conrad Hotel from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the��Public Exhibition of Projects during �鶹���� Finals Week. More information about the students can also be found��here.

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