White House Photo Gallery

Beginning in 1942, the White House has welcomed finalists from the Society for Science’s renowned science research competitions. These finalists have had the opportunity to meet with presidents, vice presidents and first ladies who were eager to promote STEM education and honor our nation’s young talent for developing solutions to society’s most urgent challenges.

This gallery was created to tell the story of the extraordinary relationship the Society has with the White House and their shared commitment to STEM research and scholarship in America.

We hope you draw inspiration as you explore these extraordinary photos. If you would like to share a photo of your visit to the White House as a finalist, please email alumni@societyforscience.org with “White House Gallery” in the subject line.

Please visit our Regeneron ISEF, Regeneron Science Talent Search and Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) pages to learn more about the Society’s world-class science research competitions.

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white house science fair
2016
President Obama poses with young scientists at his Final White House Science Fair

President Barack Obama smiles with students at the 2016 White House Science Fair. 2016 STS finalist Yashaswini Makaram is pictured directly to the left of Obama. For her project, Makaram created a phone security tool that records a person’s distinctive arm and hand motions when lifting a phone.

Barack Obama Presidential Library
President Obama poses with young scientists at his Final White House Science Fair President Obama poses with young scientists at his Final White House Science Fair
President Obama poses with young scientists at his Final White House Science Fair
2016
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white house science fair
2016
President Obama shakes hands with White House Science Fair participants

President Barack Obama greets participants of the 2016 White House Science Fair as Society alumna Annie Ostojic (red jacket) looks on. Projects at the Fair ranged from homemade spacecraft to early cancer detection strategies to Ostojic’s project, which sought to increase microwave efficiency.

Barack Obama Presidential Library
President Obama shakes hands with White House Science Fair participants President Obama shakes hands with White House Science Fair participants
President Obama shakes hands with White House Science Fair participants
2016
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white house science fair
2016
ISEF finalist Olivia Hallisey meets President Obama

2015 ISEF finalist Olivia Hallisey meets President Barack Obama at the 2016 White House Science Fair. For her ISEF project, Hallisey developed an innovative way to detect the Ebola virus.

Barack Obama Presidential Library
ISEF finalist Olivia Hallisey meets President Obama ISEF finalist Olivia Hallisey meets President Obama
ISEF finalist Olivia Hallisey meets President Obama
2016
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white house science fair
2016
President Obama greets White House Science Fair participants

Broadcom MASTERS alumna Hari Bhimaraju (front middle) waits to meet President Barack Obama at the 2016 White House Science Fair. The president enjoyed hosting the event because he loved seeing “the unbelievable ingenuity and passion and curiosity and brain power of America’s next generation.”

Barack Obama Presidential Library
President Obama greets White House Science Fair participants President Obama greets White House Science Fair participants
President Obama greets White House Science Fair participants
2016
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science talent search
2019
STS finalists meet Senator Kamala Harris on Capitol Hill

2019 STS finalists from California pose with then-Senator Kamala Harris outside her office. During their week in Washington, the students visited Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress from their states.

Society for Science
STS finalists meet Senator Kamala Harris on Capitol Hill STS finalists meet Senator Kamala Harris on Capitol Hill
STS finalists meet Senator Kamala Harris on Capitol Hill
2019