On December 7, 2025, Tsinghua University on the Chinese mainland hosted the ceremony for the 2025 S.-T. Yau High School Science Award. Sixty-two young innovators were recognized across six disciplines: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science and economic-financial modeling.
Michael Iofin from Trinity School in the United States achieved top honors, taking both the Mathematics Gold Medal and the Science Grand Award—the competition’s highest interdisciplinary accolade. Representing the Chinese mainland, Wang Ziwen of Shenzhen Middle School earned the Noether Mathematics Prize Gold Medal.
This year’s awards highlight a growing trend in cross-disciplinary research among high schoolers. From data-driven financial models to complex algorithms, these students demonstrate how young scientists are bridging theory and real-world impact. Organizers noted an uptick in projects that blend traditional sciences with computational methods, reflecting a global shift toward interdisciplinary problem-solving.
For these teens, the S.-T. Yau Award is more than a contest. It’s a launchpad—fueling ambitions for university research, international collaborations and breakthroughs that could shape our shared future. As 2025 draws to a close, these awardees remind us that the next generation is already racing ahead, pushing scientific frontiers beyond borders.
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China, U.S. teens push scientific frontiers at 2025 Yau Science Awards
cgtn.com
