Friday, October 16, 2026
The 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge began in June with a field of nearly 2,000 middle school students from across the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam. Last month, 30 finalists were announced, and Long Beach Middle School freshman Hanna Heitefuss is the only one from New York state. This is the first time in the history of the competition that a Long Beach student will advance to its final round of judging in Washington, D.C., to compete for $100,000 in awards.
The annual scientific challenge, now more than 15 years old and organized by the Society for Science, is considered one of the most distinguished contests in the nation, showcasing middle school students who excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the STEM subjects. From Oct. 23 to 28, Heitefuss, 14, will present her research project to a panel of seven judges, who will ask about her research, data and results.
She started her project, titled “Investigating Saltwater Intrusion on the Development and Growth of vigna radiata and Heart Modulation of daphnia magna,” at the beginning of her eight-grade year, examining the effects of increased salinity on plant growth and aquatic animals, using mung beans and crustaceans known as water fleas to test varying levels of salt concentration. With the research completed, Heitefuss’ goal in the next step of the competition is to be prepared to defend the research amid Ph.D.-level scrutiny, which researchers typically submit to in order to ensure high-quality data collection.
“The saltwater intrusion across Long Island waterways has resulted in major issues,” Heitefuss, who grew up in Long Beach, told the Herald, “including lack of safe and accessible public water supply and harm to aquatic ecosystems.” Current levels of saltwater intrusion into some Long Island waterways, she added, have affected public water supplies and harmed aquatic ecosystems.
In March, the project earned Heitefuss first place at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, in Woodbury, where students from more than 70 schools presented over 400 research projects. The Long Beach Middle School science research program is currently offered only to eighth-grade students, but Heitefuss’ research career is only just beginning.
“This is as far as Hannah can go right now,” Kristen Conklin-Kearney, the science research teacher at Long Beach High School, explained, “but since she’s in ninth grade research now, we do plan on having her compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair as she moves into her 10th, 11th and 12th-grade years.”
Heitefuss said she was inspired to research saltwater’s impact because of how directly it can affect Long Beach residents. She noted that saltwater intrusion is anticipated to steadily increase in the future, impacting both the public water supply and the food chain, and that addressing access to public water and aquifer degradation are two potential ways to mitigate the local impact.
“It’s the fact that we can tie it back to our local community,” Conklin-Kearney said. “And put that on a stage in Washington, to say, ‘Here’s Long Beach. This is what’s happening.’”
The challenge finalists’ research covers a range of topics, from robotics and artificial intelligence to environmental science, all of which offer potentially new perspectives on topics that can have an impact on the future.
“Every year, our Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge finalists remind us of what’s possible when curiosity meets courage — even in middle school,” Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of the Society for Science and executive publisher of Science News, wrote in a news release. “This year’s top 30 are already using science to tackle problems that matter to their communities and the world.”
