In a remarkable achievement, Saudi Arabia has secured 24 awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in Phoenix, Arizona, from May 9 to 15. The Kingdom topped the global rankings in computational biology and bioinformatics, and ranked second worldwide for the number of grand awards for the third consecutive year, only behind the United States.
Outstanding Performance by Saudi Delegation
The Saudi delegation comprised 40 students, with 23 competing in person and 17 remotely from Riyadh. They faced stiff competition from over 1,700 students representing 70 countries. The team won 12 grand awards, including one first place, four second places, five third places, and two fourth places, along with 12 special awards. Their projects spanned engineering, medical sciences, energy, and advanced technologies.
Mohammed Nasser Al-Asmari from the Royal Commission Education Administration in Jubail secured first place in computational biology and bioinformatics. Second-place awards were granted to Dalin Badr Qadeer (earth and environmental sciences), Munira Suleiman Al-Roumi, Imran Omar Al-Turkistani, and Jumanah Talal Bilal (materials science). Third-place winners included Jouan Rayan Hindi (biomedical and health sciences), Abdulrahman Basel Jamal (chemistry), Fatimah Mohammed Al-Saleem (energy), Yara Youssef Al-Qadi (environmental engineering), and Abdullah Ahmed Al-Rashid (materials science). Fourth-place awards went to Lana Abdullah Abu Talib (energy) and Fatimah Hussein Al-Moqren (environmental engineering).
Strategic Partnerships and National Support
This achievement brings Saudi Arabia's total tally at ISEF to 209 awards since it began participating in 2007 under the supervision of King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education. The students were selected from over 357,000 participants who submitted more than 34,000 research projects nationwide, underscoring the Kingdom's growing role in pre-university research and global innovation.
Mawhiba Secretary-General Abdulaziz Al-Karidis praised the results, stating they reflect the Kingdom's continued investment in education, giftedness, and innovation. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia's leadership empowers national talent to compete at the highest international scientific levels. Al-Karidis added, "The Kingdom's strong presence at the competition reflects the strategic partnership between Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education, which plays a key role in identifying, nurturing, and preparing gifted students for international participation." He also highlighted the support from Saudi Aramco, the National Cybersecurity Authority, and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
Parental Support and Student Dedication
Ahmed Al-Rashid, father of award-winner Abdullah Ahmed Al-Rashid, shared his son's journey. Abdullah developed his skills through competitions, intensive training programs, and personal initiative. Al-Rashid noted, "Abdullah showed strong personal initiative and built a network of contacts and friends who encouraged him to take part in competitions. The family's role was limited to providing moral and logistical support." Abdullah had participated in ISEF last year without winning but made exceptional efforts this year, leading to his success.
Seminar and Cultural Attache Remarks
On the sidelines of the event, Mawhiba organized a specialized seminar to highlight Saudi Arabia's approach to identifying and developing talented students for international competitions. The seminar focused on strategies for building scientific exhibitions, preparing students, and training personnel to support innovation programs.
Tahany Al-Baiz, Saudi cultural attache to the US and Canada, said the team's participation reflects the Kingdom's commitment to empowering youth and investing in their future. She noted that students' projects addressed national priorities such as energy, engineering, medical sciences, and future technologies, which are vital for enhancing competitiveness and supporting economic diversification. Al-Baiz added that the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission oversees over 1,500 scholarship students at top universities worldwide and expressed confidence that many ISEF participants would join them. She called the students "ambassadors of ambition" and encouraged them to continue achieving milestones for the Kingdom on the global stage.
