Aramco Elevates Emerging Scientists at World’s Premier STEM Competition

The world’s most promising young scientists, engineers, and inventors convened in Phoenix, Arizona May 9 -15, transforming the city into a global hub of curiosity, creativity, and ambition.

More than 1,700 finalists competed for $7 million in awards at the 2026 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Hosted by Society for Science, ISEF remains the world’s most elite research competition for high school students. Only the top 3 percent of competitors advance to the main stage from millions who compete.

Aramco played a prominent role throughout the week, serving as a major event sponsor, exclusive sponsor of the Excellence in Science and Technology Panel, and presenting an ISEF Special Award.

STEM Spotlight: Aramco’s First ISEF Special Award

Students, guests, and presenters gathered on May 14 for the ISEF Special Awards ceremony. For the first year, Aramco partnered with Society for Science to create its own award titled Excellence in Energy and Environmental Stewardship.

“Supporting ISEF’s Special Awards allows Aramco to champion young innovators who are reimagining the future of energy and environmental stewardship turning bold ideas into real-world solutions,” said Raed AlThubaiti, Human Resources Director, Aramco Americas. “Having attended ISEF and celebrated these remarkable students, I’ve seen firsthand the creativity and determination that give us confidence in the future of energy.”

The ISEF Special Awards ceremony highlights dozens of professional organizations across government, industry, and academia. The ceremony provided an important platform to recognize exceptional STEM students beyond ISEF’s main competition. Aramco’s award recognized students pushing the boundaries of energy efficiency, advanced storage technologies, and next-generation power systems.

“Throughout the week, we engaged directly with students as they demonstrated the depth of their scientific thinking with their research,” said May Almansour, Academic & Training Programs Manager, Aramco Americas. “Aramco’s very first ISEF Special Award recognizes outstanding students across three research categories, and we are proud to support their remarkable work and continued growth.”

The company’s inaugural ISEF Special Award recognized students across three categories. Aramco awarded nine cash prizes across three domains:

• Energy: Materials & Design
• Environmental Engineering
• Chemistry/Materials Science
  
  

Each domain included:

• First Place: $5,000
• Second Place: $3,000
• Third Place: $2,000
  
  

Grand Awards Ceremony: Honoring STEM Students

The week culminated with the Grand Awards Ceremony celebrating the students’ outstanding achievements. Japan’s seventeen-year-old Hikaru Kuribayashi won the $100,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award.

ISEF by the Numbers

• 1,700+ finalists showcasing research with real-world impact
• $7 million in awards and scholarships
• 60 countries, regions, and territories represented
• 22 scientific categories

Expert Panel Provides a Rare Opportunity for Finalists

One of the week’s most anticipated events: the Excellence in Science and Technology Panel, was exclusively sponsored by Aramco. From Nobel laureates to leaders in innovation and space exploration, the panel connected finalists with some of the world’s most distinguished scientific minds:

• W.E. Moerner, PhD – 2014 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry
• Sethuraman Panchanathan, PhD – Former Director, National Science Foundation
• Sarah Stewart, PhD – 2018 MacArthur Fellow
  
  

Moderated by science correspondent Joe Palca, the session offered finalists a chance to ask questions, explore scientific frontiers, and gain insight into careers at the highest levels of research. Panelists emphasized the most important problems are found at the boundary between fields and encouraged students learn from interdisciplinary collaboration.

“Mindsets are even more important than skillsets as you walk the journey into the future. The collaborative team mindset and welcoming interdisciplinary inspirations is how you find real solutions to global grand challenges,” said Panchanathan.

Beyond the Competition

ISEF also hosted Education Outreach Day, Aramco along with other companies and universities welcomed thousands of local middle and high school students to meet finalists and participate in STEM activities. The activities were designed to spark curiosity and expand access to STEM pathways.

Aramco continues to help shape a generation ready to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through awards, mentorship, and global engagement. The next ISEF will take place May 8–14, 2027, in Los Angeles, California.