Regeneron STS, Young & Amazing
Regeneron STS finalists celebrate Public Day in person for the first time since 2019

For the first time since 2019, the top 40 Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists gathered in person to showcase their projects during a virtual Public Exhibition of Projects at the Showroom in Washington, D.C. Finalists participated in two live streamed events, responded to the publicās questions and comments in Project Board, and learned about each otherās research projects. What was it like for the finalists to be back in person? Find out below!Ā

Claire Andreasen
The Charter School of Wilmington (Wilmington, Delaware)
āItās exciting to be at an in-person science competition. Iāve never been at an in-person science fair before because of COVID, so itās a very exciting and new experience,ā said Claire. āMy favorite part of the week so far has been meeting all the finalists and making friends.ā And what advice does Claire have for future Regeneron STS applicants? āKeep doing your research, continue with your science passions and put a lot of time into your application and essays. Do what you love doing.ā

Victor Cai
Parkland High School (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
āItās just so exciting to meet judges and talk about what Iām passionate about, especially after two years of virtual judging,ā explains Victor. āMy favorite part of Finals Week so far has been project judging; itās really interesting to hear all the questions the judges ask and how much they want to learn about us.ā And when it comes to filling out the STS application Victor has some recommendations: āI would say start early because itās a really long application ā mine came out to around 90 pages. Twenty of them are your research paper, but there are lots and lots of questions.ā

Theo Jiang
Palisades Charter High School (Pacific Palisades, California)
āI really like the down time during Finals Week and doing random things, itās fun,ā Theo shared. āIt feels refreshing to be back at an in-person competition; itās better than Zoom.ā His advice for the next generation of STS applicants? āFor future STS applicants, the most important thing would probably be to find a project youāre actually interested in, one that can sustain your interest through your project.ā

Krystal Li
Coral Reef Senior High School (Miami, Florida)
āIt feels good to be back. I think something that was lacking last year was that you couldnāt really communicate with other people, other competitors and so this year Iām thankful we were all able to come together and meet in D.C.,ā said Krystal. āItās much more interactive being able to speak with the judges one-on-one. Also, getting together with the other finalists has been an enriching experience.ā Her advice when it comes to applying for STS? āApplicants shouldnāt be too worried about competition; I know I was worried I would feel Impostor Syndrome, but youāll really find that STS is what you make of it, and youāll make plenty of friends and have many unique experiences.ā

Roberto Lopez
Brentwood High School (Ross Center, Brentwood, New York)
āIt feels so relieving to be in person,ā Roberto shared. āIt feels amazing to talk to a person in real life and explain my project using my presentation board.ā Roberto said he loved visiting Washington D.C. and wants future applicants to āenjoy their time at the competition and make as many friends as possible.ā He says it was the experience that was the most rewarding part of the competition. āDonāt focus too much on judging, just focus on the interactions with the other 39 finalists.ā

Ethan Wong
Arcadia High School (Arcadia, California)
āBeing back in person feels more stressful but also more personable and exciting,ā said Ethan. āMy favorite part of Finals Week so far has been the food.ā Ethanās advice for people applying to STS? āDonāt be afraid to try something thatās new and might seem really hard. Even if you donāt think you can do it, just donāt be afraid.ā
You can continue to visit the Project Board site to learn more about the finalistsā impressive projects. Stay tuned for the Regeneron Science Talent Search winnersā announcement on the evening of March 15.āÆBookmark the linkāÆto watch the awards ceremony livestream when we will announce the winner of the $250,000 top award.