From science fair to family farm

Not everyone attends the Regeneron ISEF Pin Exchange looking to find the love of their life, but that’s just what happened for Scott Bye and Emily Mudder (now Emily Bye), who married in 2024. For those not in the know, the Pin Exchange is a favorite finalist-only event where students from around the world meet one another, make friends and trade pins.

“We first introduced ourselves at the Pin Exchange,” Emily shares. Their story started, however, when they first noticed each other in the airport in Minneapolis en route to ISEF 2012. “We were both waiting for our connecting flights, and coincidentally, we both took the same flight to Pittsburgh. We then even rode the same ISEF bus to our hotels.”

Their first impressions? Pure infatuation. “We were both excited to find out the other was from a rural farming community,” Emily recalls. “We had so many similar interests.”

The couple shared their first kiss outside of Heinz Field and Carnegie Science Center at the end of one ISEF’s evening activities. They spent every activity together and found their competitive sides coming out when they raced each other on the Olympic Sprint challenge track at Carnegie Science Center. (Scott won.)

Emily and Scott dated for three years after first meeting at ISEF, from 2013 to 2015, before life took them in different directions. They found their way back to each other in 2019 and welcomed their son, Griff, in 2022. Emily and Scott got engaged in 2023, were married in 2024 and are now expecting their second baby in February 2026.

“I think we both felt something very special in the other from the moment we met, and that feeling continued for us both throughout the years, whether we were together or apart,” Emily says. “Never in a million years did I think I would meet my future husband when attending ISEF as a junior in high school, but because of ISEF, we have a beautiful son and another baby on the way. The ISEF community is wonderful, but most of all it brought me the greatest blessings in life.”

Today, Scott and Emily live on a farm and ranch near Kevin, Mont., raising crops and cattle. Scott farms approximately 9,000 acres each year with his uncle. His crops mainly include wheat, green peas and chickpeas. He has farmed barley, oats, canola and mustard throughout the years as well. He runs approximately 150–200 heads of cattle that calve in the spring. Scott also coaches the high school football team at North Toole County High School in Sunburst, Mont., where he went to school.

“I love listening to Scotty talk about the science that goes into the everyday operations of the farm through agronomy and soil science.”

In her job, Emily also uses science every day to treat patients. She’s spent seven years working as a nurse in hospital settings on medical floors and critical access hospital emergency rooms. In March 2025, she switched careers, becoming a school nurse so that she could spend more time with her family. There, she loves learning about and building relationships with the students. Emily still works in the ER sporadically, when she’s needed.

“Starting science fair young and being highly involved with as many science classes as I could gave me a great love for science,” Emily says. “It guided me and helped me understand that I wanted to find a profession that was immersed in science. I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, and nursing felt like what I was led to do.”

Emily and Scott’s 2024 wedding became something of an ISEF reunion, with alumni from Sunburst and Avon, S.D. in attendance, including Paul Ehlers (ISEF 2016), Rachel Ehlers (DCYSC 2007, MSP 2008 and ISEF 2013), Alex (Watterud) Aschim (ISEF 2012), Claire Bucklin (ISEF 2021-22), Andy Ryan (ISEF 2014-15), Amanda (Reiff) Beeson (ISEF 2014) and Alyson (Roth) Powers (ISEF 2012). Scott’s science teacher, Amanda Nix, also attended the wedding.

“It was so much fun to see all of our friends who got to experience ISEF with us,” Emily adds. “We all shared one common thing, and it was that we each had a great science teacher who encouraged each of us to work hard and helped us earn amazing experiences and trips through science fair.”

Emily’s advice for future ISEF finalists? “Pick a project that you love and pour your passion and knowledge into it. Enjoy every aspect of science fair, including the science, the methodology, the social aspect, and the competition. It is truly a community of amazing students and will create memories that will last a lifetime.”