STS Public Exhibition Day brings D.C. community together at the Conrad Hotel
After panel judging, time spent getting to know one another and meeting Society for Science alumni, the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2026 finalists woke up bright and early for one of the most anticipated events during Finals Week: The Public Exhibition of Projects.
The event gives members of the public a chance to meet the brilliant young minds at Regeneron STS 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 STS 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 STS 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 STS 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 STS 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 bookmark this link 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.
