UK-mentored MSTC students shine at international science fair
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 24, 2025) — Four students from the Math, Science, and Technology Center (MSTC) program at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington have earned top honors at the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Columbus, Ohio.
The students, all seniors in the MSTC program for gifted math and science students, placed 4th in their respective categories. Their award-winning projects emerged from the rigorous 360-hour research requirement completed under the guidance of expert mentors from the University of Kentucky. There were more than 1,300 projects from 68 countries, regions and territories at the ISEF.
MSTC ISEF finalists:
- Grace Sun, biochemistry; Mentor: Hunter Moseley, College of Medicine
- Clara Fuller, materials science; Mentor: Julius Schoop, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
- Ari Horikawa-Strakovsky, robotics and intelligent design; Mentor: Yuan Wen, College of Medicine
- Thomas Yuan, translational medical science; Mentor: Zhiguo Li, College of Medicine
“What Grace Sun and similar MSTC students have taught me is the value of science fairs in training high school students. These students love to learn, but the science fair provides a high bar to reach in terms of understanding, describing and defending the science of their project,” said Hunter Moseley, Ph.D, professor in the UK College of Medicine and Sun’s mentor. “Grace is a truly exceptional high school student. She competed at ISEF two years in a row, winning top prize in 2024 and then 4th place in her category in 2025, which was in a different category dealing with completely different science from her project in 2024.”
Sun, Fuller and Yuan qualified for ISEF through outstanding performances at the Kentucky State Science Fair. Horikawa-Strakovsky advanced after earning 2nd place overall at the Central Kentucky Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
All four students have been accepted to the University of Kentucky’s Lewis Honors College.
The MSTC program is a selective admission program for students that are identified as gifted in Math or Science and is led by Elizabeth Pelphrey, MSTC facilitator and Dunbar High School teacher. While in the program, students take accelerated math, science and computer science classes. In their junior year, students begin collaborating with research mentors at UK to develop an independent project. They write a research paper, design a poster and present their work at science fairs and research symposiums.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.