For Nominees
The application for the 2023 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) is now open! The deadline is June 14, 2023 at 8 PM Eastern Time. Nominees are chosen among the top 10% of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade competitors at a Society-affiliated science and engineering fair in the United States.

The online application asks questions about your science or engineering fair project and your understanding of science and engineering in everyday life. Students must complete and submit their online application and parental/guardian permission form by the June 14, 2023 deadline to officially enter the national competition.
All nominees who submit an application will receive a T-shirt and other prizes, including a special edition booklet of Invention and Innovation articles from Science News Learning, courtesy of The Lemelson Foundation. Entrants join the Society alumni network and are officially Thermo Fisher JIC alumni!
Entries are judged during the summer and 300 top projects will be announced on September 6, 2023. From these Top 300 students, 30 finalists and one parent/guardian will win an all-expense-paid trip to the national finals week in Washington, DC to showcase their projects, compete in teams and visit sites that celebrate innovation through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Finalist Experience
Check out the highlights video to hear from the 2022 finalists about their experience!
Key Dates for Thermo Fisher JIC 2023
Application Open:
February 1, 2023 to June 14, 2023
Top 300 Announced:
September 6, 2023
Finalists Announced:
September 20, 2023
Finals Week:
October 2023
Science & Engineering Project Showcase:
October 2023