Society for Science Announces Top 300 for the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge

A new generation of STEM stars—tackling air quality, renewable energy, disease risk, artificial intelligence and more—has been named to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Top 300

Key Takeaways:

• Society for Science named the Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC), the nation's premier middle school STEM research competition.
• The Top 300 were chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 2,000 applicants and represent the best and brightest middle school STEM talent in the U.S. and its territories.
• The Thermo Fisher JIC reaches 60,000 students annually through the Society's Affiliated Fair network; students qualify by placing in the top 10 percent of their local science fair.
• 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.
  
  

WASHINGTON, Sept. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Society for Science is proud to announce the Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Thermo Fisher JIC)—the nation's premier science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) 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 STEM talent in the U.S. and its territories.

The Top 300 Junior Innovators are addressing challenges, including designing a solar-powered air purifier, identifying the best materials to generate electric power from friction, using machine learning to predict asthma risk and using artificial intelligence to improve aviation safety.

“I am incredibly proud of this year’s Top 300 Junior Innovators. Their curiosity, creativity and determination to tackle some of our most pressing challenges—from clean water to chronic disease—show what’s possible when young people are empowered to pursue their ideas. They remind us why investing in the next generation of scientists and engineers is so important, and I can’t wait to see where their research and ingenuity take them next,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News.

The Thermo Fisher JIC, a program of Society for Science, is the nation's premier STEM competition for middle school students, inspiring young scientists, engineers and innovators to solve the grand challenges of the future. Thermo Fisher's sponsorship of the competition reflects its longstanding commitment to broadening access to STEM education. For decades, the company has invested in school-based and community STEM programs, and colleagues across the company volunteer thousands of hours each year to support education initiatives around the world.

2026 Top 300 Junior Innovators Fast Facts:

• They represent 34 states, Puerto Rico and Guam.
• The states with the most Junior Innovators are California, Texas and Florida.
• The Top 300 projects cover 15 categories, from animal science to robotics. Top project categories are engineering, earth & environmental sciences and medicine & health sciences.
• Combined, they speak 34 languages.
• 64 percent of them attend public school.
• Research project topics include building earthquake-proof bridges, understanding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, improving bicycle safety and removing microplastics from water.
  
  

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

“Every year, these students remind us that meaningful science starts with caring deeply about a problem and having the curiosity to ask whether there is a better way,” said Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “This year’s Top 300 are taking on challenges that will shape our future by questioning assumptions and testing new ideas. Their passion and bold thinking make us optimistic about the impact this next generation of innovators will have on the world.”

The Top 300 Junior Innovators were selected from nearly 2,000 applicants across 47 states and five territories. Students who place in the top 10% of their local science fair are eligible to enter the Thermo Fisher JIC, the only middle school STEM competition that leverages Society-affiliated science fairs as a critical component of the STEM talent pipeline. The Thermo Fisher JIC reaches 60,000 students annually through the Society's Affiliated Fair network.

On Sept. 16, Society for Science will announce the Top 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 Award; $10,000 Broadcom Coding with Commitment^® Award; $10,000 Citadel | Citadel Securities Innovation Award; $10,000 DoW STEM Talent Award and $10,000 The Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention.

Each of the Top 300 Junior Innovators will receive a $125 award from DoW STEM. With this prize, the Department of War is working to develop a STEM talent pool ready to serve our Nation and evolve the DoW's competitive edge. Additionally, the Top 300 will receive a prize package and gifts from our partners.

What is Society for Science?

Society for Science 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, Society for Science 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 STEM Outreach programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Gayle Kansagor, Society for Science 
703-489-1131, gkansagor@societyforscience.org