Skip To Main Content
Gwinnett County Public Schools

2026 Gwinnett County Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair: Inspiring the next generation of science and engineering leaders from the classroom to career

Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair
  • GCPS News

     Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is celebrating the achievements of 62 student projects that earned first place at the Gwinnett County Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair. These projects are now advancing to the 78th Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF) at the University of Georgia in Athens, March 26-28, representing outstanding work from students across the district who continue to explore ideas, ask questions, and design solutions for our community.

   The Gwinnett Regional Science Fair—the largest and most competitive regional science fair in the nation—gives GCPS students a unique, Pre-K through 12th‑grade opportunity to develop advanced scientific research and engineering skills. “This sustained, multi-level opportunity has led students to produce cutting‑edge projects that are already influencing STEM fields by the time they reach high school,” says GCPS Director of 6-12 Science Jessica Holden.

Science Fair Awards stats

     This year, nine high school projects will advance to the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Arizona—an increase from six in previous years—with all travel expenses sponsored through community partnerships.

     “Recognizing the growing strength of our students’ work, the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) has awarded the Gwinnett Regional Science Fair additional advancement slots this year,” Holden shares. “More GCPS students than ever will now have the chance to share their original research on a global stage, competing with peers from more than 70 countries at the world’s largest pre‑college STEM competition. This honor reflects the dedication of our students, the support of our schools, and the strong family and community partnerships that inspire innovation and empower students to create projects that positively impact our world.”

The following is a list of the student winners.

 

Middle School First‑Place Winners Advancing to GSEF

  • Bay Creek MS
    • Meelom Njesada
       
  • Dacula MS
    • Gautham Vijay
    • Moses Varughese
       
    Middle School science fair presentation
  • Gwinnett Online Campus
    • Gilliandra Pham
       
  • Hull MS
    • Yuzuki Takeshima
    • Mingqi Zhao
    • Anaya Itchhaporia
       
  • Jones MS
    • Ana Castano
    • Eileen Rehman
    • John Bart-Addison
    • Addison Wamsley
       
  • North Gwinnett MS
    • Krishna Natarajan
       
  • Pinckneyville MS
    • Annika Mazumdar
       
  • Richards MS
    • Jayden Tong
    • Myolie Pham
    • Tien Huynh
       
  • Trickum MS
    • Ayaan Babwani
       
  • Twin Rivers MS
    • Chloe Crooks
    • Helena Alemu
    • Nicole Para

 

High School First‑Place Winners Advancing to GSEF

  • Brookwood HS
    • Jieya Leng & Jacob Nguyen
    • Waniya Vikhar Syeda, Ansley George & Aoife Jomon

       

  • Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST)
    High School science fair presentation
    • Ariane McDermott
    • Minju Suh
    • Sirish Subash
    • Damola Fabayo
    • Susanna Kim & Annika Pathak
    • Lamis Diab
    • Ethan Montoya
    • James Abarca
    • Harshithaa Santhosh
    • Kumar Janarthanan
    • Yujin Kim
    • Michelle Diep
    • Kason Lai
    • Aarmaan Singh
    • Ethan David Escario
    • Daye Kebe
    • Charis Abraham
    • Sama Nazimi & Haley Nguyen
    • Nailah Paul
    • Bori Kim
    • Andrew Guo
       
  • McClure Health Science HS
    • Aryan Pathak, Siddarth Pathak, & Jason Tran
    • Sofia Escobar
    • Jaqueline Gomez Negrete
    • Wahid Ahmed & Taheem Khondokar
       
  • North Gwinnett HS
    • Elisha Yoon
    • Vivian Tang & Elisabeth Yam
    • Keshvee Sekhda
    • Madelyn Nguyen & Tiffany Yuan
       
  • High School science fair presentation
    Paul Duke STEM HS
    • Sharika Dorai
    • Leah Hairston
    • Abigail Abraham
    • Brighton Kleiber
    • Maya Botelho
       
  • Peachtree Ridge HS
    • Nova Nguyen
    • Joyce Lee
    • Ashwika Soundar, Lauren Im & Harsh Patel
    • Aaron Vigil & Nikhil Srinivas
    • Julia Lee
    • Alex Han & Eric Shu
    • Alexis Choi
    • Boris Todorov
       
  • Seckinger HS
    • Adam Masaitis
    • Joyce Francis
    • Kyle Dirius, Paul Yoon & Elijah Kim
    • Zachary Orwin
    • Robert Hall


The top nine high school projects that qualified for the ISEF are as follows:

Ariane McDermott (GSMST) - CNOT9/DBN1 Actin Dysregulation in QNBC Metastasis & Heterogeneity

Sirish Subash (GSMST) - MicroMCED: A Novel PoC SERS PNA-Probe Multicancer Early Detector

Lamis Diab (GSMST) - Preventing Cough Syrup Poisonings with Color-Changing Polymer Films

Bori Kim (GSMST) - Astaxanthin Treatment on Iron-sensitized Oxidative Stress

Keshvee Sekhda (North Gwinnett HS) - Novel Irreducible Regulatory-Metabolic Coupling Cancer Detection

Abigail Abraham (Paul Duke STEM HS) - Investigating the Long-Term Pulmonary Function of Cornu Aspersum Through Household VOC Exposure

Maya Botelho (Paul Duke STEM HS) - Investigating the Effects of Straws on Inherited Epigenetics in C. elegans

Eun Jae “Julia” Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Muting Messages: Boronic Acids Reduce Quorum Sensing and Associated Fitness in E. coli

Nova Nguyen (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Comparative Analysis of Nanoplastic Toxicity on C. elegans Fecundity