ISEF winners & awards
ISEF awards more than $7 million in prizes each year — through category Grand Awards, headline top awards, and Special Awards from dozens of professional organizations.
Two tracks of recognition
Grand Awards are given within each of the 22 categories, with first through fourth place recognized — so strong projects compete first against others in their own field.
Special Awards are presented by more than 45 professional organizations, government agencies, and companies, who choose projects that align with their missions — adding scholarships, internships, and cash prizes on top of the Grand Awards.
The top awards
A handful of the strongest projects across the whole fair earn ISEF’s most prestigious awards.
Yancopoulos Innovator Award
The George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award — ISEF’s top prize, given to the single most outstanding project.
Regeneron Young Scientist Awards
Two awards of $50,000 each, recognizing exceptional projects from across the fair.
Gordon E. Moore Award
For positive outcomes for future generations — honoring work with broad real-world impact.
Craig R. Barrett Award
The Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation, recognizing inventive engineering and design.
H. Robert Horvitz Prize
For fundamental research — celebrating deep, curiosity-driven science.
Peggy Scripps Award
For science communication — rewarding finalists who explain their work with exceptional clarity.
Awards by the numbers
Looking for a specific year’s results? Official Grand Award and Special Award winner lists are published each year by Society for Science. Award amounts are subject to change between seasons — always confirm against the official source.
Aiming for the podium?
It starts with a strong project. See how to prepare, or ask us for guidance on your path to ISEF.