Young scientists win top honors, $7M, at 2026 Regeneron international science fair

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and the Society for Science have announced the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair awards, $7 million distributed  to pre-college science students, highlighting breakthroughs in environmental engineering, mathematics, materials science, and AI-driven technologies. The awards distributed at the fair in Phoenix, Arizona, were led by Hikaru Kuribayashi (17 years old from Sapporo, Japan), who received the $100,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for a simulation model of complex folding systems. Lakshmi Agrawal (18, Bellevue, Washington) for water purification innovation and Nikola Veselinov (17, Sofia, Bulgaria) for a mathematical theorem on equation solvability, each receiving $75,000. Additional top honors included Evan Budz (15, Ontario, Canada) for AI microplastic detection and Anusha Arora (15, Bellevue, Washington) for an AI-powered music therapy device, each receiving $50,000. The competition drew over 1,700 students from 67 countries.