Congratulations to the winners at the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair that was held in Lakeland, Florida March 25-27, 2025

The following students won Special Awards:

Sami Hatahet – a $50 South Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair award for outstanding creativity

Aakash Manaswi - a $500 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Innovation Award for an outstanding project investigating a problem involving agriculture

Aakash Manaswi - a $200 Sharon H. Suits Excellence in Animal Science Award and plaque for animal research that best demonstrates exemplary science and understanding

Mahie Patil – a Certificate and one-year membership from the American Psychological Association for an outstanding project in Behavioral and Social Sciences

Rianna Patel – received a River Ventures gift card to swim with the manatees from the Citrus Regional Science and Engineering Fair for an outstanding project demonstrating scientific and creative thinking relative to environmental monitoring

Malak Salem – a Certificate and $375 from Regeneron for an outstanding project in the Biomedical fields

Aditi Swain – the top award of $250 cash from the Florida Association of Water Quality Control for a project that best exemplifies the FAWQC’s mission of managing, improving, and protecting the quality of Florida’s waters

Aditi Swain - the top award of $500 from the Florida Society of Environmental Analysts for an outstanding Environmental Science project

Anishka Sharma - a $50 Tomorrowland Science Award for excellence in scientific research with a vision for the future

Sheyna Patel – the top award of $250 from the Florida Association for Water Quality Control for a project that best exemplifies the FAWQC’s mission of managing, improving, and protecting the quality of Florida’s waters

Abigail Merchant – a certificate and a laptop backpack package from the US Air Force for an outstanding science research project

Abigail Merchant – a certificate, medallion, and $75 to a Senior project that exemplifies outstanding research

Sadajit Swain – a certificate from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for a project that shows innovative problem solving and passion for future space travel

Stella Bialek – a $350 cash award and a one-year honorary membership in the Florida Association of Food Protection for an outstanding project in food sciences

The following won category awards:

Recognition:

Anahi Desai – Orlando Science Middle School

Eric Hsieh – Maitland Montessori School

Ashna Mathur – Lake Highland Preparatory School

Fourth Place:

Anya Bollineni  - Orlando Science Middle School

Aanvi Mathur – Orlando Science High School

Abigail Merchant - Orlando Science High School

Lucy Chong – Trinity Preparatory School

Third Place:

Ayaan Patel - Orlando Science Middle School

Anishka Sharma - Orlando Science Middle School

Sadjit Swain - Orlando Science Middle School

Stella Bialek – Maitland Middle School

Malak Salem – Leaders Preparatory School

Anya Shah – Lake Highland Preparatory School

Second Place:

Makenna Jane Venzon - Orlando Science Middle School

Anwesha Byadagi - Orlando Science Middle School

Shaoyan Evan Chen - Orlando Science Middle School

Anay Sonawane - Orlando Science Middle School

Sheyna Patel - Orlando Science Middle School

Aditi Swain - Orlando Science High School

Smera Rathee - Orlando Science High School

First Place: (pictured below from left to right)

Gauri Borkar - Orlando Science Middle School

Aakash Manaswi – Lake Highland Preparatory School

Mahie Patil - Orlando Science High School

Ying Scholar Grand Award Winners (includes trip to ISEF)

Aakash Manaswi – Lake Highland Preparatory School

Mahie Patil - Orlando Science High School

These six students will represent the Dr. Nelson Ying Orange County Science Exposition and the State of Florida at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio May 11-16, 2025. Good luck to all of them!

Top row from left to right: Aakash Manaswi from Lake Highland Preparatory School and Aditi Swain from Orlando Science High School. Second row, from left to right: Adrian Jose Alvarez from Orlando Science High School and Lucy Chong from Trinity Preparatory School. Third row from left to right: Mahie Patil from Orlando Science High School and Rianna Patel from Trinity Preparatory School.

The complete list of all winners is posted. Click on the “THIS YEAR’S RESULTS” button below.

Welcome to the Dr. Nelson Ying Orange County Science Exposition website. Use the buttons below to quickly navigate to where you want to go or click on the three bars in the upper right-hand corner and select where you would like to go.