RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s young scientists secured 12 special awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, underscoring the Kingdom’s growing presence in global scientific research and innovation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Competing against more than 1,700 students from 70 countries, the Saudi delegation earned honors from international scientific and academic institutions for projects recognized for their research quality, practical application and relevance to emerging scientific fields.
Saudi Arabia has participated annually in ISEF since 2007 through the partnership of the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Giftedness and Creativity Foundation, widely known as Mawhiba, and the Saudi Ministry of Education.
Medical sciences
This year’s delegation included 40 students, with 23 competing in person in Phoenix and 17 participating remotely from Riyadh. The students presented research projects spanning areas such as engineering, medical sciences, energy, and advanced technologies.
On the sidelines of the event, Mawhiba organized a specialized seminar to showcase Saudi Arabia’s approach to identifying and developing talented students and preparing them for international scientific competitions.
The seminar focused on strategies for building scientific exhibitions, preparing students for global contests, and training personnel to support innovation programmes, as part of the Kingdom’s broader effort to strengthen its scientific ecosystem.
Ambassadors of ambition
Dr. Tahany Albaiz, Saudi cultural attaché to the US and Canada, said the team’s participation reflected Saudi Arabia’s commitment to investing in its youth and empowering them to compete at leading international scientific forums.
According to SPA, Albaiz said the students’ projects addressed national priorities, including energy, engineering, medical sciences, and future technologies, areas seen as vital to enhancing the Kingdom’s competitiveness and supporting economic diversification goals.
She added that the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in the US oversees more than 1,500 Saudi scholarship students studying at the world’s top 30 universities, expressing confidence that many ISEF participants would go on to join those institutions.
Calling the students “ambassadors of ambition,” Albaiz encouraged the delegation to continue achieving new milestones for the Kingdom on the global scientific stage.
