18-year-old builds AI system to track particle collisions, wins $40,000

Every year, nearly 1,900 high school seniors submit groundbreaking research to the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the prestigious competition that spotlights young scientists tackling society’s most urgent challenges. The competition has a rich history of discovering future STEM leaders, having started as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search in 1942.

Among the top ten winners of the 2026 edition was Seth Nabat, an 18-year-old from Winnetka, California, who secured the tenth position and a $40,000 prize for his pioneering AI system. His invention aimed to accurately analyze the results of high-energy particle collisions, a critical aspect of physics.