YSEA Science & Engineering Fair Award Winners 2022-2023

YSEA is pleased to announce the 2022-2023 winners of the Yale Science & Engineering Association’s Award for “Most Outstanding Exhibit in Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, or Chemistry” at regional high school science and engineering fairs in the U.S. and around the world. These fairs are affiliated with the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF).

 This year’s awards went to 216 students from the U.S. and other countries.  Within the United States, 196 awardees represented 172 high schools at 162 fairs in 48 states and territories.  Internationally, 20 awardees represented 16 high schools at 16 fairs in 13 countries.

To see a complete list of our 2022-2023 awardees, visit this page.

To volunteer at a local ISEF-affiliated fair visit the Society for Science Website.

Many thanks to Rick Koster for coordinating the awards for YSEA. 

YSEA Supports Yale Africa Innovation Symposium (YAIS-IV)

Milton Young with Akim Daouda at YAIS-IV
Akim Daouda leading the Biodiversity Innovation Lab session at YAIS-IV
Yale Africa Innovation Symposium (YAIS-IV), Yale University, April 16–18, 2026
Biodiversity Innovation Lab at YAIS-IV
Students developing solutions during the Biodiversity Innovation Lab session

YSEA supported the Yale Africa Innovation Symposium (YAIS-IV) as a Gold Sponsor in 2026, following its support as a Silver Sponsor in 2025. The symposium convenes participants at Yale around sector-focused innovation labs across disciplines.

YSEA Board Member Milton Young participated in the Biodiversity Innovation Lab, which engages students from colleges and universities across the United States in developing solutions and focused on approaches to valuing and conserving biodiversity in the Congo River Basin rainforest—the second largest rainforest in the world. The session featured Akim Daouda, founder and CEO of Mwaana, who led the discussion.

Discussions emphasized not only conservation of natural resources, but also the importance of protecting and recognizing the knowledge of local communities who rely on the rainforest for their livelihoods and whose longstanding medicinal knowledge draws on the diverse plant, animal, and other natural resources of the rainforest, including consideration of how that knowledge is protected and fairly recognized.

YSEA continues to engage with initiatives that connect research, practice, and real-world problem solving.

Photos: Milton Young

Hailang Wang Presents at Yale Alumni in Energy Conference

Photo: Milton Young

Hailang Wang, Professor of Chemistry at Yale University, presented at the Yale Alumni in Energy Conference, discussing recent advances in catalytic processes and their implications for energy and sustainability.

His talk highlighted developments in fundamental chemistry related to carbon transformation and energy-relevant reactions, with a focus on improving efficiency and selectivity in catalytic systems.

The Yale Alumni in Energy Conference brought together alumni, faculty, and industry professionals to explore current challenges and innovations in the energy sector. Wang’s presentation reflected the continued importance of fundamental research in addressing complex, real-world energy problems.

Bulldogs Racing Unveils Latest Electric Vehicle at Tsai CITY

Team members present the vehicle’s electrical and high-voltage systems
Bulldogs Racing electric vehicle prototype ahead of competition
Vehicle chassis and design details

Bulldogs Racing unveiled its latest electric vehicle (EV) at Tsai CITY on Thursday evening, April 16, 2026, highlighting the team’s work in designing and building a competition-ready vehicle.

During the event, team members presented key elements of the car’s mechanical and electrical systems, including the battery pack, high-voltage architecture, and chassis design. The rollout brought together students, faculty, and guests to see the vehicle and learn more about the development process.

The car is scheduled to compete at the 2026 Formula Hybrid+Electric competition, to be held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway from April 26–30, 2026.

Photo credit: Milton Young

YSEA Presents Meritorious Service Award to Vincent Wilczynski

The Yale Science & Engineering Association (YSEA) presented the YSEA Award for Meritorious Service to Yale University to Vincent Wilczynski in recognition of his longstanding contributions to engineering education and innovation at Yale.

Wilczynski, Deputy Dean of the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science and founding director of the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design (CEID), has played a central role in advancing hands-on, project-based learning and fostering a culture of collaboration across the university.

The award was presented following the 2026 YSEA Annual Meeting and Awards Reception.

Presentation of the YSEA Award for Meritorious Service to Yale University to Vincent Wilczynski

Photo: Milton Young

YSEA Elects 2026–2027 Officers and Board

At its Annual Meeting on April 15, 2026, the Yale Science & Engineering Association (YSEA) elected its officers and board for the coming year.

 One-Year Term (Ending April 2027):

  • Executive Vice President: Elissa Levy ’09

Two-Year Terms (Ending April 2028):

  • Secretary: Catherine Planey ’09
  • Connecticut District VP: Jeffrey Katz ’89
  • East Asia & Southeast District VP: Hahn Chou ’04
  • Empire District VP: Christopher Carosa ’82
  • Metropolitan District VP: Erin Coffey ’09
  • Mid-Atlantic District VP: Tony Underwood ’87
  • New England District VP: Sun Fletcher ’09
  • Pacific Central District VP: Maxwell Micali ’12
  • Pacific Northwest District VP: Aunica Steele ’15
  • Pacific South District VP: Benjamin Ofori-Okai ’09
  • Southeast District VP: Jim Baird ’63

 Three-Year Terms (Ending April 2029):

  • Board Member-at-Large: Mehmet Baykara ’12
  • Board Member-at-Large: Shawn He ’93
  • Board Member-at-Large: Jonathan Mori ’04
  • Board Member-at-Large: Rick Koster ’82

The 2026–2027 leadership includes several newly elected officers and board members, whose perspectives and experience will strengthen YSEA’s engagement across the Yale science and engineering community.

Culpeper, VA Dinner Meetup between Victor Liu and Elissa Levy

A selfie of a very happy Victor Liu and Elissa Levy in Culpeper, VA, USA on June 14th, 2025 after a dinner meetup.

On June 14th, 2026, YSEA webmaster Victor Liu and YSEA secretary and former YSEA president Elissa Levy met in Culpeper, VA for a dinner catch-up. Victor’s short time in Charlottesville, VA and Elissa’s recent-ish move to Falls Church, VA meant that a hangout simply had to happen!

YSEA Science & Engineering Fair Award Winners 2023-2024

YSEA is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 winners of the Yale Science & Engineering Association’s Award for “Most Outstanding Exhibit in Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, or Chemistry” at regional high school science and engineering fairs in the U.S. and around the world. These fairs are affiliated with the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), which was held in Los Angeles, CA in May 2024.

 This year’s awards went to 218 students from the U.S. and other countries.  Within the United States, 204 awardees represented 173 high schools at 155 fairs in 46 states and territories.  Internationally, 14 awardees represented 11 high schools at 10 fairs in 7 countries. This year’s awardees will receive a certificate and a Yale University Press eBook.

To see a complete list of our 2023-2024 awardees, visit this page.

To volunteer at a local ISEF-affiliated fair visit the Society for Science Website.

A special thanks to the 165 judges who determined our awardees and to Rick Koster for coordinating the awards for YSEA. 

The Yale CubeSat: A Small Satellite with a NASA Launch Date (March 7, 2024)

 

Please join us for a special YSEA Connecticut District event in New Haven, featuring the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Association’s CubeSat project!

You’ll learn about how students will be launching their cosmic ray detector on a NASA rocket!

  • Overall science mission – characterizing cosmic rays in Low Earth Orbit
  • Attitude Determination and Control
  • Gravity Gradient Boom
  • Software
  • Radio – Yale IEEE Student Branch collaboration

 

The Details:

  • Thursday, March 7, 2024. 6:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Dunham Lab, 10 Hillhouse Avenue, room 220
  • RSVP required to jeffrey.s.katz@aya.yale.edu
  • Follow instructions on door, or student guide if present
  • Pizza will be served
  • Potential five-hour parking along Trumbull Street where it intersects Hillhouse Avenue

PS. The Yale Daily News recently profiled CubeSat’s activities.

 

Victor Liu BS ’24’s Journal Article Accepted in the Astrophysical Journal

After many months of hard work, my paper was recently accepted into the Astrophysical Journal for publication! It is on the supermassive black hole MCG-5-23-16 and studies of the X-ray emission spectra coming from the photons emitted near the black hole. It will still be a few weeks until the full paper is available, but here is a preprint on the arXiv!
https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.16354