site.btaBulgarian High-School Student Wins Regeneron Young Scientist Award

Nikola Veselinov, an 11th-grader from the Sofia School of Mathematics, received the Regeneron Young Scientist Award of USD 75,000 for describing a new theorem in mathematics that specifies conditions under which certain equations cannot be solved using basic math functions, the Society for Science reported on its website on May 15. The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair this year was hosted by Phoenix, Arizona, as reported by the Bulgarian Ministry of Science and Education on Monday.

As the competition organizers point out, mathematicians have found that equations that follow f(x) = a can be solved with basic math functions, except in a few specific cases. Nikola analysed those isolated cases of unsolvability to find a common thread. He combined several advanced mathematical concepts, ideas from topology, symmetry and Galois theory, and he used these approaches to analyse exactly when equations become impossible to solve. By doing this, he described the conditions under which the equation f(x) = a cannot be solved using basic math functions. His work may impact equations used in physics and in describing how objects move through space.

Veselinov, the youngest member of the Bulgarian team, was awarded two additional special prizes. Mu Alpha Theta, an international mathematics honour society for high school and two-year college students awarded him USD 1,500, while the American Mathematical Society awarded him USD 1,000. Veselinov's research advisor is Miroslav Marinov.

The Bulgarian team was comprised of two more high-schoolers – Stefan Kuyumdzhiev from the Natural Sciences and Mathematics High School in Veliko Tarnovo and Bozhidara Puhaleva from the Sofia School of Mathematics. Kuyumdzhiev presented a project on optimizing large language models in terms of both loading time, volume, and accuracy. Puhaleva's project focused on the genes regulating the expression of protamines, which are crucial for reproductive health.

Regeneron ISEF is the world's largest pre-college STEM competition. It brings together over 1,000 participants from nearly 80 countries. Bulgaria’s participation is funded through the national Education with Science programme.