Three Lancaster County high school seniors were named finalists at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which was held in Phoenix from May 9 to 15. This achievement was a first in the 73-year history of the North Museum Science and Engineering Fair (NMSEF), which served as the qualifier for the national competition.

ISEF is an international science competition for precollege students. The three Lancaster County students were among more than 1,700 students from 65 countries who participated this year. Greater than $7 million in awards and prizes were distributed at ISEF.

Lancaster Country Day School senior Benedikt Kienle earned first place in the Chemistry category, as well as receiving a full tuition scholarship to Westlake University, an all-expenses-paid trip to Sweden during Nobel Prize week, and two auxiliary awards: the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award and the second award from the American Chemical Society. Kienle's winning project, "New Green Chemistry Iridium Catalysts," had won Senior Champion at the NMSEF in March. Kienle is a German exchange student.

NMSEF Grand Champion Ethan Albright, from Hempfield High School, was awarded fourth place in ISEF's Materials Science category for his project, "Bugged Out: A Novel Approach to Reforestation."

Warwick High School senior Emily Stauffer was NMSEF's Senior Division reserve champion and captured fourth place at ISEF in the Animal Sciences category with "Rats on Roughage: The Effects of Dietary Fiber on Rattus norvegicus." Stauffer noted that her project was inspired by personal health problems. She plans to attend McDaniel College to major in biochemistry as the first step toward medical school and a career as a gastroenterologist.

The trip to ISEF was made possible by nearly $11,000 donated by more than 30 local businesses and individuals.

The NMSEF will be held at Millersville University on Thursday, March 11, 2027. It is one of six fairs in Pennsylvania associated with ISEF. Students from every public school district in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, as well as all private, charter, online, and home schools are invited to enter the competition. Registration for NMSEF will begin in early fall and is free of charge to all students. For additional information, email sciencefair@northmuseum.org.

The 2026 NMSEF was sponsored by Electron Energy Corporation, Kenvue, Eurofins, the Lancaster County STEM Alliance, Matt Glick, Lancaster Area Sewer Authority, the Stangl Foundation, and Millersville University.