Capital Regional Science and Engineering Fair

Shaoxuan Ma from Lawton Chiles High School, Tallahassee, FL was awarded $3,000 by the National Anti-Vivisection Society and $500 by the Patent and Trademark Office Society for her science fair project “Human Stem Cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease”.

Shaoxuan Ma was joined by Rakesh Raj and Vemireddy Nayana from James S. Rickards High School to represent the Capital region of Florida to the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona. From May 9 to May 15, 1,727 young scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors met at the Phoenix Convention Center for a week of events, connecting with their peers and global STEM leaders, and more than $7 million in awards and prizes.

James S. Rickards High School's Rakesh Raj and Vemireddy Nayana presented their project “The Rubble Robot: AI-Augmented Robot Snake for Terrain Classification, Hotspot Detection, and Autonomous Navigation”. Chiles High School's Shaoxuan Ma presented her project “Human Stem Cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease”. Both projects were the grand prize award winners at the 2026 Capital Regional Science and Engineering Fair in Tallahassee, FL.

All three students were sponsored by Florida State University's Office of STEM Activities, Tallahassee Scientific Society, and Leon County Schools to attend the world's largest pre-collegiate STEM competition. Student winners are ninth through twelfth graders who earned the right to compete at Regeneron ISEF 2026 by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state or national science fair.

Our Capital Champions have entered the Exhibit Hall and are now in judging. Send them cheers and encouragement!

Representing the Capital region of Florida, Chiles High School's Shaoxuan Ma is presenting her project “Human Stem Cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease”, while James S. Rickards High School's Rakesh Raj and Vemireddy Nayana are presenting their project “The Rubble Robot: AI-Augmented Robot Snake for Terrain Classification, Hotspot Detection, and Autonomous Navigation”.

From May 9 to May 15, more than 1,700 young scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors are convening at the Phoenix Convention Center for a week of events, connecting with their peers and global STEM leaders, and more than $7 million in awards and prizes.

Regeneron ISEF is heating up in Phoenix! Phoenix temperatures may be soaring into the triple digits, but so is the excitement as more than 1,700 finalists from…

Between VIP and press meetings, symposium panels, puzzles, and IB testing, our Capital Champions are having a busy day at ISEF! Wish them luck!

Thank you FSU for your immense support of our Capital Champions and our Fair!

Let’s go Team Florida!

Congratulations to our incredible Florida ISEF Finalists. Your hard work, creativity, and passion for science has earned you a spot on the world stage. We are so proud of the innovation and dedication you have shown. Best of luck as you represent FLORIDA at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

Our Capital Champions Nayana Vemireddy, Shaoxuan Ma, and Rakesh Raj met up with the rest of the Florida ISEF Finalists and attended the ISEF Opening Ceremony! They are the finalists from the Capital region of Florida, competing for more than $7 million in awards and prizes for science and engineering fair projects from 365 affiliate fairs in more than 60 countries, regions, and territories. Cheer them on!!

The 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition.

Our Capital Champions Rakesh Raj, Shaoxuan Ma, and Nayana Vemireddy visit the ISEF STEM College and Career Fair, speaking with colleges from all around the country about their future goals and ambitions!

Our Capital Champions begin setting up their projects at the Exhibit Hall of the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona!

Representing the Capital region of Florida, Chiles High School's Shaoxuan Ma will be presenting her project “Human Stem Cell Derived Extracellular Vesicles for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disease”, while James S. Rickards High School's Rakesh Raj and Vemireddy Nayana will be presenting their project “The Rubble Robot: AI-Augmented Robot Snake for Terranin Classification, Hotspot Detection, and Autonomous Navigation”.

From May 9 to May 15, more than 1,700 young scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors are convening at the Phoenix Convention Center for a week of events, connecting with their peers and global STEM leaders, and more than $7 million in awards and prizes.