Society for Science Recognizes Top 300 Middle School Innovators in Nation’s Premier STEM Competition
A new generation of STEM stars—tackling topics from sustainability and artificial intelligence to disease detection—has been named to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Top 300
WASHINGTON, Sept. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Society for Science is proud to announce the Top 300 Junior Innovators in the 2025 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.
“These young innovators embody the most promising science and engineering talent in the nation,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “They are taking on complex challenges and demonstrating a passion for STEM that can lead to impactful change. I am thrilled to celebrate their achievements.”
The Thermo Fisher JIC, a program of Society for Science, inspires young scientists, engineers and innovators to solve the grand challenges of the future. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s sponsorship of the competition reflects its longstanding commitment to broadening access to STEM education. For decades, the company has invested in school-based STEM 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’ names and a state-by-state breakdown of the Top 300 can be found here.
“We are inspired by the creativity and determination of the Top 300 Junior Innovators, whose projects reflect a true passion for solving real-world challenges,” said Dr. Karen Nelson, Chief Scientific Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Recognizing 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.”
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 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. 17, Society for Science 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® Award; $10,000 DoD STEM 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 STEM. With this prize, the Department of Defense is working to develop a STEM talent pool ready to serve our Nation and evolve the DoD’s 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 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, Twitter/X, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
Contact Information:
Gayle Kansagor
Society for Science
gkansagor@societyforscience.org
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