75th Annual LA Science Fair Names Top Young Innovators In Local Schools
The 75th Annual Los Angeles County Science & Engineering Fair (LACSEF) has concluded, recognizing top young scientific minds from across the region. The event, held March 9-10 at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, brought together approximately 1,150 students from grades 6-12, representing more than 140 schools throughout Los Angeles County.
The competition, which is divided into a Senior (high school) and Junior (middle school) Division, provides students with the opportunity to showcase their innovative research projects in various scientific fields. First and second-place winners in each category have earned invitations to compete at the California State Science & Engineering Fair, scheduled for April 12-13, 2025, in Thousand Oaks, California.
Several students from Brentwood-area schools achieved first-place honors in their respective categories:
- Charles Wittnebel (St. Martin of Tours School) – Animal Biology (Junior Division)
- Project: “Antagonizing Ant Repellants”
- Maya Kurc (The Archer School for Girls) – Non-Human Behavioral Science (Junior Division)
- Project: “Fit Flies: How Does Exercise Improve Motor Symptoms in Drosophila with the LRRK2 Gene Mutation Leading to Parkinson’s Disease?”
- Sophia Spencer (Brentwood School) – Chemistry – Applied (Junior Division)
- Project: “Improper Storage of Sunscreen Might Decrease Its Effectiveness”
- Isabel Kromwyk (The Archer School for Girls) – Pharmacology (Junior Division)
- Project: “Sleepless Nights: How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Reproductive Health”
- Eric Gu & Jolie Friedman (Brentwood School) – Behavioral/Social Sciences (Senior Division)
- Project: “A Telebot: Evaluating the Efficacy of Thought Patterns in an Electroencephalographically-Controlled Mobile Robotic Manipulator”
At the Senior Division level, Zichen Wei from The Webb Schools (Claremont) earned the coveted Sweepstakes Award, while Willow Wehage from Sierra Madre Middle School took home the Junior Division Sweepstakes Award.
Additionally, Zichen Wei (The Webb Schools) and Neil Hu (Temple City High School) were selected as Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) designees. These outstanding students will receive a fully funded, chaperoned trip to Columbus, Ohio, to compete in the 2025 Regeneron ISEF, taking place May 10-16, 2025.
All LACSEF award winners and participants were honored in a virtual awards ceremony, which is now available for viewing on the LACSEF YouTube channel:
A full list of 2025 category winners and special award recipients can be found at lascifair.org.
