May 26th, 2026

Recognizing the 2026 Genes in Space Honorable Mentions

Genes in Space is excited to announce this year’s Honorable Mentions.

This year, a historic 980 teams from 369 schools across 40 states and territories submitted proposals for audacious biotechnology experiments in space. Reviewing this unprecedented volume of work was a humbling challenge for our judges, making the achievements of this year's awardees all the more remarkable.

The Honorable Mention distinction recognizes teams that have displayed outstanding innovation and compelling communication within our highly competitive application pool. While these ten teams will not be presenting at the Countdown to Discovery in Houston this summer, their forward-thinking ideas have earned them a permanent spot in the Genes in Space legacy.

To honor their achievement and support their continued scientific journeys, each awardee's educational institution will receive a complete miniPCR DNA Discovery System, which includes scientific equipment similar to that aboard the ISS.

2026 Genes in Space Honorable Mentions

Please join us in celebrating the extraordinary students behind this year’s Honorable Mentions:

  • Arjun Ananda (14) & Akhil Chunduri (14) — Alliance Academy for Innovation, Cumming, GA
  • Reggie Castro (19) — Marianas High School, Saipan, Marianas Islands
  • Vibhav Chinta (17) & Devansh Sharma (16) — Marquette High School, Chesterfield, MO
  • Alex Han (17) — Stuyvesant High School, New York, NY
  • Arjan Khadka (16) — Paris High School, Paris, TX & Rithik Satarla (17) — Lambert High School, Cumming, GA
  • Daniel Li (16) & Lisa Burdi (16) — Stuyvesant High School, New York, NY
  • Kelly Lock (16) — Mission San Jose High School, Fremont, CA
  • Rujul Loura (14) & John Anantha (15) — Lawrence E Elkins High School, Sugarland, TX
  • Bella Srivastava (14) — Monroe Township High School, Monroe, NJ
  • Nidhi Veerendra (15) — Downingtown S.T.E.M. Academy, Downingtown, PA

The historic engagement in this year's competition reinforces an evident truth: the next generation of scientific pioneers is already here. Genes in Space remains committed to fueling this spark of discovery. We are proud to support these students as they continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, both on Earth and among the stars.