Thermo Fisher Scientific
Junior Innovators Challenge
The nation's premier STEM research competition for middle school students
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Global Leader in Science
Thermo Fisher Scientific is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.
Comprehensive Solutions
Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them.
Global Team
With a team of more than 130,000 colleagues, we share our customers' passion for discovery and resolution to global challenges.
Judging Day at the 2023 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge
Society for Science/Lisa Fryklund
2025 OCSEF Fair Awards
Celebrate excellence in science and engineering! View this year's 2025 OCSEF Fair Awards, including a complete list of awardees and nominees who are shaping the future of scientific research.
View 2025 AwardsAbout the Challenge
Annual Competition
Society for Science conducted the inaugural Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge in 2023. With the support of sponsor and partner Thermo Fisher Scientific, this is the nation's premier STEM research competition for middle school students.
Selection Process
The top 10% of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders competing at Society for Science-affiliated science fairs around the country are nominated by fair officials to compete in the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge. From the pool of nominees, 30 finalists are selected to compete at the National Finals where they win up to $25,000.
Thermo Fisher JIC by the Numbers
National
Competition
Nationwide STEM research competition
Grades 6-8
Middle School
Exclusively for middle school students
1,800+
Participants
Top 10% from affiliated fairs
$100K
In Prizes
Total prize pool for finalists
The Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge represents the pinnacle of middle school STEM competitions, bringing together the brightest young minds from across the nation to showcase their innovative research and problem-solving skills.