Muscat – Student teams from Oman secured top honours at Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026 held in Phoenix, United States underscoring the country’s growing presence in global research and innovation.

Ward bint Badr Al Balushi and Remas bint Qais Al Balushi from Al Amal School, affiliated to the Directorate General of Education in South Batinah, won fourth place worldwide in environmental engineering. Their project, titled ‘Photocatalytic Ophiolite Based Passive System for the Treatment of Oilfield Produced Water’, proposes a method to address environmental challenges linked to the oil sector.

In a separate category, Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Zarouni and Abdul Rahman bin Khalid Al Balushi from Saad bin Abi Waqas School in North Batinah received a special award and student membership from the American Psychological Association in social and behavioural sciences. Their project focused on an artificial intelligence-based system designed to analyse and support student interaction in classrooms.

Held from May 9 to 15, ISEF 2026 brought together around 1,700 young scientists and innovators from more than 60 countries. Participants competed across 22 scientific disciplines, including engineering, computer science and social sciences. The annual event is regarded as one of the world’s largest platforms for pre-university research.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education said, ‘These achievements are a reflection of the ministry’s efforts to support scientific innovation and enable students to participate in international competitions.’

The ministry added that such participation enhances the presence of Oman in global scientific forums and confirms the ability of Omani students to compete and achieve excellence.

It further stated that international exposure contributes to strengthening students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and equips them to develop solutions to contemporary challenges.

The fair also provides opportunities for students to exchange research experience with peers from around the world, broadening academic and cultural engagement.