Fun Facts about the 2025 Thermo Fisher JIC Top 30 finalists
As we approach Finals Week of the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, taking place at the end of October, we are excited to welcome the Top 30 finalists to Washington, D.C. for an unforgettable week of collaboration, discovery and celebration of their original research. These Junior Innovators are among the nation’s brightest young minds, though their passions and talents extend far beyond the lab. Here are a few fun facts that showcase just how energetic, creative and well-rounded this year’s finalists are:
- 22 are actively engaged in community service.
- 25 play an instrument or sing in choir. The most popular instruments are piano, violin and flute, but the cohort also includes a melodica player, a tuba player, and even a hydraulophone, highlighting the finalists’ wide variety of musical talents.
- 21 play in sports such as swimming, soccer, basketball, tennis, dance, track, volleyball, martial arts and more. Some are also involved in unique activities such as equestrian riding, parkour, water polo, fencing and orienteering.
- 22 speak at least one additional language beyond English, including Bengali, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Telugu and Turkish. Two speak three additional languages!
- 14 participate in Science or Math Olympiads, while 12 are members of robotics clubs.
- 11 serve on their student council, others participate in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, 4-H, art clubs, computer clubs and school publications.
- Their research spans a range of fields, from energy and sustainability to engineering, medicine, behavioral sciences, physics, environmental science, robotics and beyond.
We are excited to meet this year’s finalists in Washington, D.C. in a few short weeks and to share more about their research and experiences at the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge!
