Sophomore Advances to International Science Fair

Antara is one of only four students in the Pittsburgh region selected to advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for May 9-15, 2026, in Phoenix. Her award-winning project, “Identifying and Preserving Communities-of-Interest in Pennsylvania Congressional Maps via Graph Theory and Markov Chain Algorithms,” explores how advanced mathematical and computer science methods can help analyze and preserve community representation in congressional district mapping.

Upper St. Clair sophomore Aaron Jiang also delivered an outstanding performance, earning second place in the Engineering and Robotics Division along with three special awards for his research.

In addition to Antara and Aaron, 10 other Upper St. Clair High School students presented research projects spanning a wide range of disciplines, including biology, computer science, engineering, robotics and mathematics. Participating students included: Vedant Naik, Ilya Goryunov, Claire Dietiker, Hadley Maxwell, Aurick Mukherjee, Avik Pandey, Daniiar Zamirbekov, Sophia Henderson, Aanya Jha and Revanth Kompala. 

The Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair brings together top student researchers from across the region, providing opportunities for students to showcase innovative ideas, conduct original research and compete for advancement to international-level competition.

Upper St. Clair students’ strong showing reflects their commitment to academic excellence, innovation and real-world problem solving.