Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators: My Experience as a Grand Award Judge at ISEF 2025

This May, I had the distinct honor of serving as a Grand Award Judge in the Technology That Enhances the Arts (TECA) category at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

For context, ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college STEM research competition, bringing together more than 1,600 high school students from 60+ countries, regions, and territories. Students compete for nearly $9 million in awards, scholarships, and internships. The 2025 edition marked ISEF’s 75th anniversary, making the event a historic milestone in STEM education.

A Global Stage for Creativity and Technology

The TECA category focuses on how technology can ignite creativity, enhance accessibility, and transform how we experience art, culture, and design. I reviewed 20 projects from around the world, each tackling unique challenges and opportunities at the intersection of STEM and the arts.

Some projects stood out for their ingenuity and relevance:

• AI-powered accessibility tools that use computer vision and speech recognition to make performing arts more inclusive for people with visual or hearing impairments.
• Immersive media platforms leveraging VR/AR to reimagine how cultural heritage could be preserved and experienced globally.
• Generative AI art frameworks designed by high school students that not only produced stunning visuals but also included explainability features, addressing real concerns about transparency in creative AI systems.
• Sustainable technology for the arts, such as low-cost, solar-powered lighting systems for rural performing spaces showing how innovation can thrive even with resource constraints.

Each project reflected not just technical execution but a deep sense of social impact, highlighting how young innovators see technology as a tool for equity, inclusion, and human connection.

Judging with Rigor and Responsibility

Judging at ISEF is a serious responsibility. Each entry was evaluated against established criteria, including creativity, scientific thought, engineering goals, clarity of presentation, and global applicability.

As a data and AI professional, I paid special attention to projects that demonstrated:

• Responsible AI design — addressing bias, transparency, and fairness.
• Interdisciplinary thinking — blending computer science with psychology, design, or cultural studies.
• Scalability — solutions that could move beyond a prototype into real-world use cases.

Through interviews and project reviews, it became clear that many of these high school students were already grappling with challenges we face in industry today: ensuring AI trustworthiness, balancing user experience with technical depth, and designing with accessibility in mind.

Collaborating with Distinguished Judges

I had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary panel of fellow judges:

• Herbert Schilling, Team Lead, Scientific Computing & Visualization / Manager, GVIS Lab, NASA Glenn Research Center.
• Shalom J. Yabilsu, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design & Foundations, Grand Valley State University.
• Michael Pacchioli, Senior Software Engineer, NASA; Space Apps Pittsburgh Lead.
• Shrinivass Arunachalam Balasubramanian, Full Stack Developer, Fidelity Investments.
• Pradeep Bhosale, Senior Software Engineer, Splunk.
• Carrie Shaw, CEO and Founder, Embodied Labs.

The diversity of backgrounds—spanning aerospace, academia, enterprise software, entrepreneurship, and design—enriched our discussions and helped ensure that finalists were recognized not only for their technical skill but also for their potential to impact society through the arts.

Why This Experience Matters

For me, this judging opportunity reaffirmed that data and AI are not just about efficiency or automation, they are enablers of creativity, accessibility, and human expression.

In reviewing projects, I was reminded that:

• Innovation knows no border finalists came from every corner of the globe, yet shared common aspirations.
• Future STEM leaders are already thinking inclusively, tackling issues of access, sustainability, and equity head-on.
• Mentorship and recognition matter. The encouragement we give today can shape the careers and confidence of tomorrow’s innovators.

Closing Reflection

Serving as a Grand Award Judge at ISEF 2025 was not only a professional honor but also a personal milestone. Seeing the brilliance of young minds at the intersection of technology and the arts gave me hope for a future where innovation is both technically sound and socially meaningful.

As an IEEE Senior Member, I believe experiences like these are critical in bridging the gap between established professionals and the next generation of engineers, data scientists, and creators. I am deeply grateful to Society for Science and Regeneron for providing this platform, and to my fellow judges for their collaboration.

The ISEF 2025 experience will stay with me for years to come not as a competition judged, but as a glimpse into the future of human-centered innovation.

I share this experience to encourage my fellow members to consider participating in future ISEF judging opportunities. The next fair will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, in May 2026, and I cannot think of a better way for IEEE professionals to contribute their expertise, mentor the next generation, and experience firsthand the global impact of STEM education. https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/grand-award/