Research in Action
Celebrating 10 years of science fair achievements
USAID believes in the power of youth and science and technology to drive development.
For 10 years, USAID has partnered with the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), providing over $300,000 in student science awards. Annually, the science fair gathers more than 1,800 high school students from 75 countries to showcase ingenuity and innovation through their science projects.
As USAID marks its tenth year of fostering the next generation of innovators, we celebrate the journey of past student award winners by sharing highlights from recent interviews.
Rahul Ramesh (USA, 2016 First Place) shared that he loves research because the process of identifying challenges and testing solutions encourages lifelong learning. Winning the USAID award for his project on an algorithm for detecting malaria parasites in blood samples introduced Rahul to international development and the exciting ways research can be applied in the world. Conversations with USAID representatives helped him envision how his theoretical research project could positively impact lives.
Today, Rahul is a software engineer at Capital One, and because of his love of research, he is considering future graduate studies in math and computer science.
Anjali Vasisht (USA, 2014 Honorable Mention) was particularly inspired after interacting with other young people at the science fair, learning how they were motivated by their own surroundings and experiences, and how they creatively used limited resources. The same challenges occur in countries all over the world, and Anjali views technology as an important mechanism for connecting people and driving sustainable global development.
“I think for young innovators, it’s just important to realize that innovation is all around you and it’s really to a global level,” Anjali said.
Anjali is now a software engineer at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure working on user experience to empower engineers to work more efficiently in front-end development.
Muhtaza Aziziya Syafiq (Indonesia, 2014 First Place) recalled how eye-opening it was to participate in this event with young scientists from diverse backgrounds and countries all over the world. Global challenges cannot be solved by one person alone — they require collaboration and learning. Muhtaza won an award for her project on a green refrigerant box. Inspired by the science fair’s collegial atmosphere, Muhtaza founded Asosiasi Peneliti Muda Indonesia, a research empowerment foundation for Indonesian youth.
These days, Muhtaza works in change management at a startup facilitating direct grocery purchases from rural farmers. She continues to work with Asosiasi Peneliti Muda Indonesia to address research education equality and diversity challenges through networking opportunities, training, and coaching.
Dhuvi Karthikeyan (USA, 2014 First Place) emphasized USAID’s important role in supporting young innovators in science and technology. Winning the USAID award for his project on microbial fuel cells provided Dhuvi with a concrete “early success” in science. It was the positive reinforcement he needed to pursue science as a career. According to Dhuvi, the context within developing countries presents a unique opportunity for young innovators to be creative and find solutions to global challenges, and USAID’s support helps introduce these challenges to larger audiences.
Today, Dhuvi is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Personalized Immunotherapy Research Lab, developing cancer immunotherapies tailored to patients’ specific immune systems.
Alon Millet (USA, 2014 First Place) expressed how winning the USAID award validated his passion for research and confirmed that he was on the right life path. His high school continues to receive inquiries from companies interested in licensing the patent he obtained for his USAID award-winning project related to agricultural and biofuel production. Alon has developed subsequent scientific proposals that he believes improve upon his initial ideas presented at the science fair.
Now, Alon is a Ph.D. student at the Rockefeller University in the Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology, where he is studying metastasis, the spread of cancer through the body.
Alecia Brits (South Africa, 2018 Third Place) said winning USAID’s award “acted as a rocket…to give me that last amount of energy that I needed to really follow my dreams.” Her science fair project focused on a more cost-effective way of determining antibiotic resistance of bacterial skin infections. The experience solidified her career path in medicine. After winning the award, Alecia visited the USAID Southern Africa Regional Mission, which was her first exposure to Pretoria and greatly contributed to her decision to study at the University of Pretoria’s medical school.
Alecia is now a medical student at the University of Pretoria. She is interested in pediatrics and strives to be the best medical doctor that she can possibly be for her patients.
These highlights from past winners underline USAID’s impact through the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair: introducing youth to the applications of research for development, supporting problem-solving through collaboration, and encouraging future scientists by recognizing their innovative ideas from the start.
We look forward to many more years of empowering and investing in young scientists, giving them the resources and confidence to change the world.
About the Author
Myesha Green is a Program Analyst II for the Research Division in the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub at USAID.
