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Students who participate in competitions become more inquisitive, develop research skills, and learn to work with others. These skills equip young minds with some of the tools that can be useful in their careers. Yuri Milner’s Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual science contest that’s held every year. The competition is designed to allow participants to present an idea related to science. Each participant gets a 90-second video of a new idea or original concept on a topic related to physics, mathematics, and life science.
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a global initiative for young people, was introduced by Yuri Milner, who is a businessman , philanthropist, and former physicist. Yuri believes that the competition offers young people a great opportunity to enhance their intellectual ability and understanding of math and science. Any student aged 13 to 18 can participate in this competition from any corner of the world. Every year, there are winners, finalists, and regional champions in this contest.
Participants in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge must present a scientific concept in a concise, convincing, and engaging manner under a certain time constraint. Yuri Milner founded this platform as he understands the importance of providing young minds with exposure to big ideas in science. Yuri himself got bit by the science bug when he was young. With that in mind, the idea of a high school video contest was launched to provide a platform to communicate important scientific concepts, theories and principles.
To fulfill their Giving Pledge, Yuri Milner and Julia Milner established the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. This Breakthrough Prize was designed by the Foundation to recognize and honor exceptional contributions to science and mathematics. In parallel, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge aims to help foster the next generation of scientists and encourage scientific understanding among young people at large.
This program continues to have a significant impact on motivating today’s youngsters to pursue a career in science and research. The Breakthrough Junior Challenge acts as a way to boost awareness of research and the sharing of scientific discoveries.
The reward package not only gives monetary benefits but some titles as well. The winner will get a post-secondary education prize worth $250,000. A $50,000 prize is dedicated to the champion’s instructor, who has mentored and supported them. This reward system is beneficial for the champions’ school as well, as it grants a $100,000 Breakthrough Science Lab award for remodeling or modifications to the school. To encourage and motivate its participants, this competition offers multiple titles to win. There are winners, finalists, and regional champions as well.
Some of the prominent regional winners of Yuri Milner’s Breakthrough Junior Challenge of the last three years are mentioned below:
2019 Regional Champions of Breakthrough Junior Challenge
A 17-year-old Saudi Arabian boy named Deram Tamir AlTabbaa won the title of Middle East Regional Champion, explaining the “Glucose Mechanism” in a logical manner. The European Regional Champion is 13-year-old Ishaan Vohra from the UK, who discussed the “Quark Theory of Hadrons” engagingly and interestingly.
2020 Regional Champions of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
The 17-year-old girl Navya Sinha from the USA was the Semifinalist and the North American Regional Champion. She has highlighted the “Science Behind Music.”
2021 Regional Champions of Breakthrough Junior Challenge
The finalist and Asian Regional Champion was Gornekk Suwattanapong, 17 years old, from Thailand. In his enthralling video, he described the topic, “What Do Black Holes Have to Do With Time Travel?” The 17-year-old boy Farid Chomali Castro from Chile was the finalist and the Central/ South America Regional Champion. He made a video on the topic, “The Fifth State of Matter.”