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2026 Results - 72nd Annual GSDSEF (under construction)

Table of Contents


2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Student Directory



2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Award Results

Click here for the GSDSEF summary press release.

Category Place Awards

 Junior Division Place Award Results by Category:

Senior Division Place Award Results by Category:


Special Awards

Special Awards List:

Special Awards Slide Scroll:

Special Awards — Stage Awards Slides


Affiliated Fairs – Qualified and Nominated Students

California Science and Engineering Fair Qualified Students (JR and SR divisions):

Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominees (JR division):


2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Teacher of the Year


Tina Tom – Chula Vista Middle School

Over the past seven years, l've mentored approximately 350 students, with 70 of those young scientists ultimately representing Chula Vista Middle School at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, with some going on to the California Science and Engineering Fair. The true power of a science project lies in the fact that students have complete ownership of their work, while teachers like me serve as guides on this rewarding journey. This experience is particularly transformative at our Title I school because it provides exposure to the power of science that many might not otherwise encounter. By mastering the Scientific Method, time management, formal reporting, experimental design, and data analysis, students gain essential life skills that inspire them to pursue STEM at the university level and beyond.


2026 – 72nd GSDSEF Awards Ceremony Program



Pictures from the 72nd GSDSEF Awards Ceremony


Awards Ceremony Slides – Category and Grand Awards



Grand Award Winners

SENIOR DIVISION

JUNIOR DIVISION

Grand Award Winners: Life Sciences

Grand Award Winners: Life Sciences

Giles Del Priore and Ronald Wyatt 

  • Eastlake High School

  • Advisor: Amanda Williams

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: Design and Evaluation of a Behaviorally-Grounded, Caregiver Governed AI Companion for Individuals with Memory Impairment 


Jonah Figueroa 

  • The Rhoades School

  • Advisor:  Roxanne Hunker



Project Title: Quantifying Effects of Commercial Fertilizers on Cyanobacteria Growth 



Claire Lim

  • Canyon Crest Academy

  • Advisor: Ed Gerstin

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: Inducible TLR4 Decoy for Targeting Microglial Activation to Reduce Neuronal Degeneration in Parkinson’s Disease 

Uma Kattamuri

  • Oak Valley Middle School 

  • Advisor: Kristina Latonia-Wilson



Project Title: Elevated CO2 During Kalanchoe pinnata Growth Reveals Enhanced Antiproliferative and Synergistic Therapies 


Grand Award Winners: Physical Sciences

Grand Award Winners: Physical Sciences

Kayley Xu

  • The Bishop’s School

  • Advisor: Marcus Milling

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title:  Designing a Passive All-Dielectric Metasurface for Retinal Disease Intervention Through Beam Steering 


Paul Schnabl

  • The Bishop’s School

  • Advisor: Kelly Kleinertz



Project Title: ARGOS: Machine Learning Irrigation Reduced Water Usage and Improved Growth 



Ethan Hu

  • The Bishop’s School

  • Advisor: Benjamin Heldt

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: Configurable Electromagnetic Refreshable Tactile Display with FDM Printable Bistable Cam 

Aishah Siddiqui 

  • Bright Horizon Academy

  • Advisor: Najwan Naserelddin



Project Title: Joynt Quest - A Therapeutic Glove Integrated with a Digital Game-Based Rehabilitation System For Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis 


Grand Award Runners Up: Life Sciences

Grand Award Runners Up: Life Sciences

Charles Brum

  • Catholic Cathedral High School

  • Advisor: Jeanette Loptka

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: BeeCast: A Novel Predictive Model Using Neural Network to Predict Colony Collapse 


Shanmei Lee and Maya Goel

  • The Rhoades School

  • Advisor: Roxanne Hunker



Project Title: Investigating Regrowth in Coastal Sage Scrub Burned Habitat 


Janet Yang

  • Canyon Crest Academy

  • Advisor: Xiaohui Liu

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: Neuro-Behavioral Convergence: A Multimodal Approach to Stroke Risk Assessment 


Olivia Liu

  • La Jolla Country Day School

  • Advisor: Chris Uyeda 



Project Title: Soap, a Friend or Foe of Skin Bacteria? 


Grand Award Runners Up: Physical Sciences

Grand Award Runners Up: Physical Sciences

Shounak Ray Chaudhuri

  • Francis Parker School

  • Advisor: J.P. Pierce

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title: Novel Scalable Multiphase Autonomous Vehicle Systems for Emerging Markets 

 

Manas Pisipati

  • The Rhoades School

  • Advisor: Roxanne Hunker



Project Title:  A Study of the Effects of Salt Nucleation on Doped Amino Acids 


Ryan Rezaei

  • Canyon Crest Academy

  • Advisor: Albert Dul

  • ISEF FINALIST


Project Title:  Omni-Prot: Unifying Protein Function Prediction with PLM-Centric Fusion 


Joie Green

  • Muirlands Middle School

  • Advisor: Lori Trombley

 


Project Title:   Soon I will be Invisible: How to Direct Energy with Topological Metamaterials 




GSDSEF Student Results In Post-GSDSEF Competitions


2026 California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF)


Only one project in each CSEF Category is awarded a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Award. Each category may have more than one 5th Award (= Honorable Mention). Students at CSEF can also receive Sponsored Awards and Major Fair Awards.


At the 2026 CSEF, 36 GSDSEF projects (37 students) received an Award (see GSDSEF press release here):

  • 19 Junior Division projects received a Category Award (4 First, 4 Second, 3 Third, 5 Fourth, and 3 Fifth)

  • 17 Senior Division projects received a Category Award (3 First, 2 Second, 2 Third, 1 Fourth, and 9 Fifth)

  • 3 Sponsored Awards

  • 2 Major Fair Awards


CSEF Award Results of GSDSEF Junior Division Students:


CSEF Award Results of GSDSEF Senior Division Students:


CSEF Sponsored Awards Results of GSDSEF Students:


CSEF Major Fair Awards (SR) and additional TFSJIC nominations (JR):


2026 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)


At the 2026 ISEF, six GSDSEF projects received a Category Award in a competition with approximately 1700 other ISEF finalists from around the world:

  • Shounak Ray Chaudhuri, Second Award (Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics)

  • Emma Liu, Third Award (Computational Biology and Bioinformatics)

  • Ethan Hu, Fourth Award (Embedded Systems)

  • Claire Lim, Fourth Award (Cellular and Molecular Biology)

  • Ihan Sung, Fourth Award (Chemistry)

  • Kayley Xu, Fourth Award (Biomedical Engineering)


Ihan Sung also won a Second-place Aramco Special Award.



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