Young winners of the 2025 S.-T. Yau High School Science Award were announced recently. The ceremony was held on December 7 at Tsinghua University, announcing 62 awards 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, winning both the Mathematics Gold Medal and the competition's highest interdisciplinary honor, the Science Grand Award. Wang Ziwen of Shenzhen Middle School earned the Noether Mathematics Prize Gold Medal.

Iofin, who won both the Science and Mathematics Gold Medals, was honored for his research titled "Quasiconformal Normalization of Random Meromorphic Functions." In his acceptance speech, he said scientific exploration extends far beyond exam scores. Its true value, he noted, lies in raising questions, developing ideas and exchanging insights with experts. Behind each finalist project are countless hours of dedication, sustained passion and a deep love for science, he said.

The Physics Gold Medal was awarded to Mou Tianhao and Luo Haiyi from Chongqing Yucai High School for their project "Phase Transition in a Mechanical System: Rotation-Induced Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking and Hysteresis Loop." Their research was inspired by the physical mechanisms behind visual cognition. Reflecting on their experience, Luo said the journey involved repeated experiments, numerous setbacks and demanding theoretical work. "We nearly gave up many times, but those setbacks taught us what scientific research truly is. It requires imagination, but even more, rigorous experimental verification. Ultimately, research is a lifelong process of learning and exploration."

Simon Leonardo Liu from Shanghai High School International Division received the Computer Science Gold Medal for an interdisciplinary study integrating artificial intelligence and brain science. His project proposed an AI-assisted solution combining wearable EEG sensing and visual context analysis to support elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment. He described his journey from a desire to "solve a small problem" to confronting complex real-world challenges. "The value of scientific research lies not only in solving problems but also in building our capacity to care for others, strengthening our perseverance and cultivating the calmness to move forward amid uncertainty," Liu said.

Wang Ziwen, winner of the Noether Mathematics Prize Gold Medal, recalled her own path from early curiosity to commitment in mathematical research. "In the pursuit of truth, talent and passion have no gender. They depend only on love, courage and perseverance," she said.

Fields Medalist and Chairperson of the Competition, Shing-Tung Yau, expressed his pleasure at seeing so many middle school students engage in research and produce meaningful results. Now in its 18th year, the competition has seen constant growth in academic quality, he said, adding that many former participants have since become influential scholars. Yau emphasized that the award aims to inspire young people around the world to pursue scientific inquiry, adding that scientific research should not be driven solely by economic interests but by the ideals of truth, beauty and service to society. Yau said he hopes Chinese scientists will work closely with global peers to advance scientific development.

More than 350 participants attended the ceremony, including Huang Xiaowei, vice president and the first member of the secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, Wu Huaqiang, vice president of Tsinghua University, as well as teachers and students from participating schools.

Launched in April, the competition drew more than 2,800 teams from over 700 domestic and international schools. Over an eight-month period, 1,278 valid papers were submitted. After four rounds of evaluation from regional preliminary reviews, letter reviews, desk reviews and semi-final interviews, 95 teams advanced to the global finals, with 86 teams and more than 200 teachers and students ultimately participating. Hosted by the Yau Mathematical Sciences Center at Tsinghua University, this year's competition established 15 sub-regions across China, Asia and North America, with support from institutions including The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Zhejiang University and Fudan University during the regional evaluation phase.