Breakthrough Junior Challenge Announces 2024 Finalists

Sixteen Student Finalists Will Continue in the Tenth Annual Global Science Challenge.

SAN FRANCISCO – Sept. 21, 2024 – The Breakthrough Prize Foundation today announced the Finalists for the tenth annual Breakthrough Junior Challenge – 16 remarkable students from around the world who created short videos illustrating major science concepts in the areas of life sciences, physics, and mathematics.

This group includes the top scorer of the online ‘Popular Vote’ portion of the global competition, which accounts for voting from the public.

The finalists are:

  • Evelynn Moorman, 18, United States
  • Chetan Yenigalla, 17, United States
  • Arabelle Elliott, 15, United States
  • Emilie Efendy, 17, United States
  • Jasmine Eyal, 16, Czech Republic
  • Alessandra Storm Mauricio, 16, United States
  • Grace Yihua Lee, 16, United States
  • Mathew Ruggieri, 18, United States
  • Conner Sisemore, 18, United States
  • Joylin Song, 16, United States
  • Lauren Park, 17, United States
  • Rephael Torrence S. Raagas, 18, Philippines
  • Yipu Wang, 18, Australia
  • Addison Shea, 17, United States
  • Mikayla Young, 14, Singapore
  • Lehnaaz Rana, 17, India

All videos can be viewed at breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/winners.

Lehnaaz Rana, 17, of India, was the overall top scorer in the Popular Vote contest with more than 16,000 likes for her video on OHP cancer treatment. As a result, Lehnaaz will receive automatic entry into the final round of judging that determines the winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.

The winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will be awarded a $250,000 college scholarship. The science teacher who inspired the winning student will also win a $50,000 prize and the winner’s school will receive a state-of-the-art science lab valued at $100,000.

Additionally, Popular Vote Regional Champions were named for each of the seven geographic regions. They are:

  • Qudsiya Badri, 16, United Arab Emirates (Middle East / Africa)
  • Alessandra Storm Mauricio, 16, United States (North America)
  • Alejandro Polo, 18, Panama (South / Central America)
  • Rephael Torrence S. Raagas, 18, Philippines (Asia)
  • Lehnaaz Rana, 17, India (India)
  • Gurdit Singh, 18, United Kingdom (Europe)
  • Tali Whiteridge, 17, New Zealand (Australia / New Zealand)

The Popular Vote contest ran from September 5 to September 20 on the Breakthrough Prize Facebook and YouTube pages, and invited the public to vote for their favorite semifinalists by “liking” the videos. Collectively, during the 16-day contest, the 30 videos reached more than 500,000 people, helping to teach and inspire minds across the globe.

This year the Breakthrough Junior Challenge attracted more than 2,300 applicants. Since its launch in 2015, the Challenge has received almost 30,000 submissions from more than 200 countries. Submissions were narrowed down to 30 semifinalists, which represented the top submissions after two rounds of judging: first, a mandatory peer review, followed by an evaluation panel of judges.

Past Breakthrough Junior Challenge winners have hailed from Canada, India, Mauritius, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.

The finalist videos will be reviewed by the Selection Committee, comprising of: Ian Agol, professor of mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, and Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics laureate; Rachel Crane, former space and science correspondent, CNN; Pascale Ehrenfreund, PhD, president, Committee on Space Research COSPAR; John Grunsfeld, PhD, NASA astronaut and administrator; Mae Jemison, science literacy expert, former astronaut, and principal, 100 Year Starship; Jeffrey W. Kelly, professor of chemistry, Scripps Research Institute and Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences laureate; Scott Kelly, retired NASA astronaut; Salman Khan, founder and CEO, Khan Academy; Ijad Madisch, CEO, co-founder, ResearchGate; Samaya Nissanke, University of Amsterdam, Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics laureate; Nicole Stott, NASA astronaut; Andrew Strominger, professor of physics, Harvard University, and Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics laureate; Terence Tao, UCLA professor and Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics laureate; Esther Wojcicki, founder, Palo Alto High Media Arts Center; Richard Youle, National Intitutes of Health, and Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences laureate; and Pete Worden, chairman, Breakthrough Prize Foundation and executive director, Breakthrough StarShot.

For the tenth year, students ages 13-18 were invited to create original videos (up to two minutes in length) that illustrated a concept or theory in the area of life sciences, physics or mathematics. The submissions were evaluated based on the students’ ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in the most engaging, illuminating and imaginative ways.

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global initiative to develop and demonstrate young people’s knowledge of science and scientific principles; generate excitement in these fields; support STEM career choices; and engage the imagination and interest of the public-at-large in key concepts of fundamental science. Submissions are judged on the student’s ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in engaging, illuminating and imaginative ways.

Contact

For press inquiries only, please contact:
Kristen Bothwell, kbothwell@rubenstein.com
Direct: +1-212-843-9227