Texas Teen Myreen Ahsan Wins Science Award for AI-based Dementia Research
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Four students with names of potential interest to the Indian-American community — Myreen Ahsan, Ishaan Dokania, Ankith Burki and Shrikari Punjala — are among the winners of the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a prestigious US middle school science competition that recognized young researchers for projects spanning artificial intelligence, medical research, mathematics and environmental science.
Myreen Ahsan, a 14-year-old student from Friendswood, Texas, received the $10,000 Citadel | Citadel Securities Innovation Award for using machine learning to investigate potential treatments for frontotemporal dementia, a neurological disorder that affects brain function.
The winners were announced by Society for Science and Thermo Fisher Scientific on October 27 following the competition's awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Thirty finalists, selected from nearly 2,000 applicants across 47 states and five US territories, shared more than $100,000 in awards.
## Texas Student Uses AI to Investigate Dementia Treatments
Ahsan's research focused on tau, a protein associated with frontotemporal dementia when it folds abnormally.
Motivated by her grandfather's dementia diagnosis, she applied machine-learning techniques to identify molecules that might interact with the protein and offer promising directions for future drug development.
According to Society for Science, Ahsan evaluated four molecules, identifying one called CNS-11 as the most promising candidate for further investigation.
Her project earned the Citadel | Citadel Securities Innovation Award, which recognizes students who use data-driven decision-making to develop innovative solutions.
The research represents an early-stage scientific investigation rather than a clinically established treatment. The identified molecule would require substantial additional research before its potential therapeutic value could be determined.
## Oregon Student Recognized for Lithium Research
Ishaan Dokania of Beaverton, Oregon, received the second-place Mathematics Award for his project, Eye in the Sky: From Pixels to Predictions for Lithium and Beyond.
The project explored the application of image-based analysis and predictive mathematical techniques to the investigation of lithium resources.
Lithium is an important material used in rechargeable batteries, making research into identifying and understanding potential resources relevant to energy technology.
Dokania received a $2,500 educational stipend for his mathematics achievement.
The competition's first-place Mathematics Award went to Isabel Rossi of Williamsburg, Virginia, for research on optimizing earthquake sensor placement using game theory.
## Ankith Burki and Shrikari Punjala Share Team Honors
Two other students, Ankith Burki and Shrikari Punjala, were among the five members of the team that received the competition's Team Award.
The winning team comprised Myreen Ahsan, Ankith Burki, Linden Hunter-Pinsky, Shrikari Punjala and Isabel Rossi.
Unlike the individual research awards, the Team Award recognized students for their performance in collaborative scientific and engineering challenges during Finals Week.
Judges evaluated how effectively participants communicated, made decisions, solved problems and worked together.
Each member of the winning team received a $200 gift card for science supplies.
Ahsan's inclusion in the team meant she earned both a major individual award and recognition for collaborative performance.
## Florida Student Wins Competition's $25,000 Grand Prize
The competition's highest honor, the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND Award, went to Bailey Quinn Frank, 15, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Frank developed an inexpensive environmental DNA sampling device using a small fan and filter paper to collect airborne bacteria.
The device was designed as an affordable approach to environmental monitoring, with potential applications in communities where conventional monitoring resources are limited.
The award recognized both her research and her performance during the competition's team challenges.
## Nearly 2,000 Applicants Compete for National Recognition
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics competition organized by Society for Science.
The program reaches approximately 60,000 students annually through its affiliated science fair network.
In 2026, the 30 national finalists participated in research evaluations and collaborative challenges involving coding, public health, artificial intelligence and environmental protection.
Each finalist's school also received a $1,000 grant to support STEM education.
The competition provides young researchers with an opportunity to demonstrate scientific creativity and problem-solving abilities well before entering college.
For families in the Indian-American community, the achievements of students such as Ahsan, Dokania, Burki and Punjala offer examples of the research opportunities available to middle school students across the United States.
Their recognition also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence, computational methods and interdisciplinary research in science education.
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