KACST Launches Inaugural Awards to Boost Scientific Talent at ISEF 2026
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) introduced special awards for the first time during its participation in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2026, held in Phoenix, United States. The global event brought together around 1,600 talented students from more than 70 countries, and the new awards aim to recognize and support emerging scientific talent worldwide.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by KACST, in collaboration with Academy 32, to empower gifted students by helping them advance their research projects and prepare for international competitions. Through providing a stimulating scientific environment, the program seeks to enhance students’ capabilities and readiness in science, technology, and innovation.
Apprenticeship Program
KACST participated with 10 students from its Apprenticeship Program, a specialized initiative designed to nurture and qualify talented youth within the Saudi Science and Engineering Team. These students presented their research projects at one of the world’s largest science competitions for school-level participants.
The students achieved notable success in the Grand Awards. Mohammed Al-Asmari secured first place for his work in computational biology and informatics, while Jowan Hindi earned third place for her project in biomedical and health sciences.
In addition, participants from the program received four special awards. Tamim Khan was recognized for his work in microbiology, Mazen Murad for translational medical sciences, Jana Al-Dosari for energy innovation, and Aljawhara Bin Zarah for her chemistry project. These accomplishments highlight the strong capabilities of Saudi students and their competitiveness on the international stage.
Saudi student Lana Al-Akkad was honored in the Future Economies category. She developed COF-based memristors for neuromorphic computing. This is a brain-inspired technology designed to make AI faster and more energy-efficient.
Jordanian student Joanna Tbeileh received an award in sustainability and environment. Her project focused on capturing and analyzing airborne microplastics, helping improve air quality and public health. She also won the Virtual Mentorship Award as the top qualifier.
Another Saudi student, Lana Abu Talib, was recognized in energy and industry for developing seawater batteries using biomaterials and carbon nanodots, offering promising solutions for sustainable energy storage.
In the health category, Swedish student Carl Bringel won for his project applying machine learning to analyze voice patterns for Parkinson’s disease detection, enabling earlier diagnosis and easier monitoring through non-invasive methods.
Advancing Innovation
KACST’s participation included a knowledge session with Academy 32 titled “Empowering the Next Generation of Scientific Leaders in Emerging Technologies.” Dr. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Fuhaid, Secretary of the ISEF Special Awards Committee, delivered the lecture, discussing emerging technologies and highlighting the role of research institutions in boosting national innovation capabilities.
The Regeneron ISEF is widely regarded as a premier global platform for research and innovation, where students compete across more than 20 scientific disciplines for numerous awards, including a $100,000 grand prize. The event also fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the building of international scientific networks.
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