From Her Garage to Stockholm: A young scientist’s fairy tale week at the Nobels
“It felt like stepping into a fairy tale,” says Aarushi Pandey, reflecting on her week in Sweden attending the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) and the Nobel Prize ceremony. At just 18, the freshman at Johns Hopkins University had the extraordinary opportunity this past December to present her research, meet Nobel Laureates, and experience the grandeur of Nobel Week, firsthand, a journey few people ever get to take.
Aarushi was one of three winners of the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award in 2025, which provides finalists an all-expense-paid trip to Sweden. The award, named for 1986 Nobel Laureate Dudley R. Herschbach, celebrates outstanding young scientists and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend Nobel lectures, visit scientific institutions and connect with peers from around the globe. This year’s other winners included Pragathi Kasani-Akula from Georgia, who researched nanosystems for cancer detection, and Vrishank Chandrasekhar from California, who focused on early pan-cancer prognosis prediction.
Aarushi’s own Regeneron ISEF project, “Tropic Cue Integration in Allium fistulosum Under Microgravity,” explored how plants grow when gravity, their natural guide, is removed, with potential applications for growing food on long-duration space missions.
Here, she shares her experience at SIYSS along with her passion for research:
Q: What were the most memorable moments or places from your trip to Sweden?
One of the most surreal moments was presenting my research to a massive auditorium of Swedish high school students. Their curiosity and thoughtful questions made me realize how universal the language of science really is. Outside of the academic events, walking through Stockholm with the other SIYSS participants (who came from 18 different countries) was unforgettable. We bonded over everything from our research struggles to our freezing cold hands!
Q: What was it like to attend the Nobel Prize ceremony and related events?
It was like stepping into a fairy tale for scientists. Watching the Laureates receive their medals from the King of Sweden while the orchestra played gave me chills. The banquet afterward in the Blue Hall, the entertainment, the energy, and the sheer presence of the world’s greatest minds, was overwhelming in the best way. It felt like the Oscars of science, and I was lucky to have a seat.
Q: Was there a person you met who especially inspired you?
Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, two of the 2025 Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine, deeply inspired me. They discovered the FOXP3 gene’s role in immune tolerance, starting from a puzzling mouse mutant. Hearing them talk about their journey showed me that perseverance is just as important as intelligence. They were so humble and approachable; it made the idea of winning a Nobel Prize feel achievable through years of hard work.
Q: How did this experience shape or deepen your interest in STEM?
This trip humanized science for me. Often, we read about these giants in textbooks and they feel unreachable. Meeting them showed me that breakthroughs are driven by real people who face failures, doubts, and long years of uncertainty. It also reinforced how interdisciplinary collaboration—across chemistry, physics and physiology—can address the world’s biggest problems.
Q: How did this trip influence what you want to pursue in the future?
Attending SIYSS solidified my commitment to researching bioregenerative life support systems. I want my work to leave the lab and help people, whether that’s astronauts on Mars or urban farmers on Earth. It also inspired me to continue science communication; explaining my research reminded me that science is only powerful if it’s shared and understood.
Q: What aspects of this trip will stay with you moving forward?
SIYSS isn’t just about prestige; it’s about community. You meet other young scientists who are just as passionate, nerdy and curious as you are. You make friends from across the globe who become future collaborators. And, of course, wearing white-tie attire to dine with royalty and Nobel Laureates is an experience you simply cannot get anywhere else. It changes how you see yourself and your potential as a scientist.
Learn more about the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and about the awards presented at ISEF.
