Jesuit High School Has Best Showing Yet At International Science And Engineering Fair (Photo) -05/28/25

Portland, Oregon - Jesuit High School had its strongest showing to date at the 75th Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), with four of the school’s five student finalists earning prestigious Grand Awards. The international competition, held May 10-16, 2025, hosted nearly 1,700 students from more than 60 countries across 22 categories. 
 

Since 2016, Jesuit students have consistently placed among the top young scientists in the world, and 2025 was Jesuit’s best showing yet, with four students winning Grand Awards. 
 

The award-winning science projects tackle pressing issues from early wildfire detection to cancer screening to assistive technology for the visually impaired.The winning projects include:
 

Earth and Environmental Sciences – Fourth Award
 

A Multilayer Perceptron Based Neural Network Model to Identify Optimal Camera Locations for Early Detection of Wildfires
 

• Sohan Govindaraju ’26
   

Computational Biology and Bioinformatics – Third Award
 

Spatial Transcriptomics and Adaptive Multi-Modal Encoding: A Novel Approach to Early Metastasis Profiling and Therapeutic Targeting Treatment
 

• Nidhi Yadalam ’26

Robotics and Intelligent Machines – Third Award
 

IntelliCane: An Agentic Approach to Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance and Intelligent Decision-Making for the Visually Impaired Through a Monocular Servo-Guided Cane Using Deep Learning-Based Environmental Mapping
 

• Akash Ragam ’26

• Tanay Chitlur (research partner from Westview High School)
   

Microbiology – Fourth Award
 

Leveraging Microbiome Data and Machine Learning for the Identification of Novel Biomarkers in Early Detection and Classification of Pancreatic Cancer

• Vrushab Karthik ’26
   

In addition, Vrushab won a Westlake University Special Award, and Akash and Tanay won an Advancement for Artificial Intelligence Special Award.
 

“Every one of these young scientists put so much hard work, effort, and creativity into their projects,” said Jesuit’s Director of Student Science Research, Dr. Lara Shamieh. “Each of them saw a unique problem in the world, whether it be cancer, or a neurological disease, or navigation for people who are visually impaired, or the threats of climate change, and sought to solve it. Here at Jesuit, we talk so often about forming men and women for others. These young scientists are truly men and women for others. It’s not that they’re going to change the world – they have already changed the world.”

Of the 30 Team Oregon students, four of the category awards came from Jesuit. Two were from Westview, and one each from Sunset, West Linn, and South Eugene. 
 

The path to ISEF has been impressive from the start. Jesuit had 30 students compete in the Gresham Barlow Science Expo (GBSE), the regional science fair. 17 Jesuit students then went on to Northwest Science Expo (NWSE), the state science fair. Five went on to ISEF, along with 25 other students from Team Oregon. 
 

“My first science fair at JHS was in 2016 and we had two students participate. We have grown every year since then,” said Dr. Shamieh. “Our team is truly a team – these young scientists cheer each other on, help each other out, and want the best for each other. They find joy not only in their own work, but in the work of their teammates. The scientific process is long and difficult. There’s a lot of trial and error, and sometimes even some tears, but it takes a team to find this level of success.”
 

For more information about Jesuit High School’s science research program, visit jesuitportland.org.