Nine students from Fairfax County Public Schools won awards at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona, according to a May 18 announcement. The event brought together more than 1,700 students from over 70 countries, regions, and territories to compete for about $9 million in awards and scholarships.
The achievements highlight the participation of local students on an international stage. These recognitions include both special organizational honors and category-specific awards across various scientific fields.
Bennett Huang and Jason Pan of Langley High School received the European Union Contest for Young Scientists Award, one of ISEF’s top ten distinctions. As part of this honor, they will travel to Germany to participate in the European Contest for Young Scientists later this year. Huang and Pan also took first place in Environmental Engineering with their project titled “Harnessing Methyl Jasmonate Epigenetic Defense Modulation Through an Autonomous Robotic Precision Spraying System for Targeted Pest Control.”
Other category award winners included Julia Hatcher from Madison High School (fourth place in Animal Sciences), Sarah Park from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (fourth place in Biomedical Engineering), Jack Gao from Thomas Jefferson High School (third place in Earth and Environmental Science), Benjamin Kwon and Utsav Das from Chantilly High School (third place in Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design), Parham Yeganeh from Marshall High School (third place in Physics and Astronomy), and Polina Anfilofyev from Marshall High School (fourth place in Translational Medical Sciences).
Anfilofyev also received an Outstanding Award from The Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications for her project on Alzheimer’s treatment modeling. This special award includes a cash prize, a complimentary one-year COMAP membership, and free entry into a mathematical modeling contest.
Fifteen FCPS students qualified to attend ISEF through regional or state science fairs. Their accomplishments reflect ongoing efforts by Fairfax County schools to encourage student involvement in science competitions at all levels.
