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Awards

Recognition That
Means Something.

Awards are determined by the judge panel after four rounds of judging and a final discussion, then announced at the closing ceremony.

Award Categories

Recognition Across Every Division

Each division's awards are entirely independent, no competitor is ever ranked against a division other than their own.

The SciFest 2026 awards display table, set with ribbons, trophies, certificates, and prize baskets in the Robbinsville High School gymnasium.
The SciFest 2026 awards display table, set up in the RHS gymnasium ahead of the closing ceremony
MS

Middle School, Grades 5 to 6

First, Second, and Third Place
Honorable Mention

MS

Middle School, Grades 7 to 8

First, Second, and Third Place
Honorable Mention

D1

Division 1, Grades 9 to 10

First, Second, and Third Place
Honorable Mention

D2

Division 2, Grades 11 to 12

First, Second, and Third Place
Honorable Mention

Special Recognition Awards

SciFest Spotlight Award

Open to all divisions

Awarded to the presentation the judge panel highlights as an outstanding overall example of SciFest's mission, regardless of category or division.

Best Visual Display

Open to all divisions

Awarded to the competitor whose tri-fold and table demonstrate the most effective, purposeful, and professional visual communication of scientific content.

Most Innovative

Open to all divisions

Awarded to the competitor whose work demonstrates the most original thinking, in research question, methodology, or synthesis.

What Award Recipients Receive

  • Formal award certificate signed by SciFest organizers and the RHS Science Department
  • Recognition at the closing ceremony
  • Permanent feature on the Past Competitions archive
  • Physical awards and trophies, to be confirmed
Past Winners

SciFest 2026 Award Recipients

SciFest 2026 ran with two divisions, Division 1 and Division 2. The middle school split begins with SciFest 2027.

Division 1, Grades 9 to 10

Arthi Meiyyammai Subramanian holds her 1st Place Division 1 trophy and certificate in front of the SciFest banner.
1st Place: Arthi Meiyyammai Subramanian, Caffeine & Adolescent Heart Response
Ruhana Dhillion, Urba Adeel, and Minha Imran hold their 2nd Place Division 1 trophy, ribbon, and certificate in front of the SciFest banner.
2nd Place: Ruhana Dhillion, Urba Adeel, & Minha Imran, AI's Impact on Student Thinking
Yana Chauhan and Alis Onat hold their 3rd Place Division 1 ribbons, certificate, and trophy in front of the SciFest banner.
3rd Place: Yana Chauhan & Alis Onat, Melanoma: Risks & Prevention

Division 2, Grades 11 to 12

Ethan Neagle holds his 2nd Place Division 2 trophy, ribbon, and certificate in front of the SciFest banner.
2nd Place: Ethan Neagle, Supersonic & Hypersonic Flight
Swetha Subramanian and Mritula Boubalan hold their 3rd Place Division 2 trophy, ribbon, and certificate in front of the SciFest banner.
3rd Place: Swetha Subramanian & Mritula Boubalan, Bioelectronic Medicine & Inflammation

1st Place: Ayse Yasin & Jennie Han, Metastatic Breast Cancer: Mental & Physical Impact

Special Recognition

Kashvi Roushan, Svecha Bavipati, Shanaya Kalra, and Nived Narendran receive the SciFest Spotlight Award certificate from advisor Mr. Genovese in front of the SciFest banner.
SciFest Spotlight Award: Kashvi Roushan, Svecha Bavipati, Shanaya Kalra, Nived Narendran, & Niloofer Narendran, G64Education under the G6PD Deficiency Foundation
Swetha Subramanian and Mritula Boubalan hold their Best Visual Display certificate in front of the SciFest banner.
Best Visual Display: Swetha Subramanian & Mritula Boubalan, Bioelectronic Medicine & Inflammation

Most Innovative: Sanjita Ethiraj & Siritanvi Chennupati, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

See the full SciFest 2026 recap and photo gallery →

Beyond the Podium

What Every Competitor Takes Home

A competition with a handful of formal awards and dozens of competitors won't capture every piece of exceptional work presented on a given event day. Judges are trained to leave thoughtful written comments on every rubric they score, not just the ones that place.

Feedback is available to every competitor after the event, regardless of placement. Reach out through the Contact page after SciFest 2027 to request yours.