This May, I had the distinct honor of serving as a Grand Award Judge in the Technology That Enhances the Arts (TECA) category at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
For context, ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college STEM research competition, bringing together more than 1,600 high school students from 60+ countries, regions, and territories. Students compete for nearly $9 million in awards, scholarships, and internships. The 2025 edition marked ISEF’s 75th anniversary, making the event a historic milestone in STEM education.
A Global Stage for Creativity and Technology
The TECA category focuses on how technology can ignite creativity, enhance accessibility, and transform how we experience art, culture, and design. I reviewed 20 projects from around the world, each tackling unique challenges and opportunities at the intersection of STEM and the arts.
Some projects stood out for their ingenuity and relevance:
AI-powered accessibility tools that use computer vision and speech recognition to make performing arts more inclusive for people with visual or hearing impairments.
that use computer vision and speech recognition to make performing arts more inclusive for people with visual or hearing impairments. Immersive media platforms leveraging VR/AR to reimagine how cultural heritage could be preserved and experienced globally.
leveraging VR/AR to reimagine how cultural heritage could be preserved and experienced globally. Generative AI art frameworks designed by high school students that not only produced stunning visuals but also included explainability features, addressing real concerns about transparency in creative AI systems.
designed by high school students that not only produced stunning visuals but also included explainability features, addressing real concerns about transparency in creative AI systems. Sustainable technology for the arts, such as low-cost, solar-powered lighting systems for rural performing spaces showing how innovation can thrive even with resource constraints.
Each project reflected not just technical execution but a deep sense of social impact, highlighting how young innovators see technology as a tool for equity, inclusion, and human connection.
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