Kentucky Junior Academy of Science
All young scientists are welcome!
Middle & High School students who are doing research and want to present it are invited to submit their abstract when registering, and present their research as a talk or poster.
Registration for teachers and students opens Sept 1.
Kentucky Junior Academy Delegates to the 2025 American Junior Academy of Science
View photos from AJAS in Boston, February 2025
Varshith Kotagiri, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, "Developing a novel fluorescent sensor for detecting analytes in an aqueous medium"
Savannah Isaacs, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, "Enhancing Photon Detection for Deeply Virtual 
Compton Scattering at the Electron-Ion Collider"
KY District 2
Aanyaa Arora, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, "Investigating the 
Regulation of Cell Cycle and Shape by the Polarity Proteins and the Mitotic Exit Network in Yeast"
Asa Ashley, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, "Relativistic Fermion Dynamics in Noncommutative Space Time: The Fuzzy Dirac Equation"
KY District 3
Arjun Sharma, DuPont Manual High School, "Unveiling anti-inflammatory effects of Neem leaf bioactives: a novel breakthrough for sustainable disease treatment"
Aishwarya Ramasamy, DuPont Manual High School, "Novel, Low-Cost, and Wearable Device for Monitoring Neurological Disorders using Multi-Modal Sensing Technologies"
KY District 4
No 2025 delegates
KY District 5
Ava Blackledge, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, "Functional Characterization of a Bacteriophage Gene Product That is Toxic to Mycobacterium smegmatis"
Daniel Thelen, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, 
"Quantitative Analysis of Geochemistry and Flow Dynamics in the Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park"
KY District 6
Youngwoo Kim, Model Laboratory School, "The role of K2P channels in cellular membrane potential: the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation approach"
Jaxson Brewer, Craft Academy, "Visualizing Artifact and Structural Distributions across Mayapan's Urban Core"
Sydney Putnam, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and 
Science, "V-type ATPase's role in Drosophila melanogaster air sac primordium development"
The 2024 Kentucky Junior Academy of Science meeting was held in conjunction with the Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting at Kentucky State University, November 1&2.
50 Junior Academy students joined us from all over Kentucky.
HS students who present an Oral Presentation about their research are eligible to be considered to serve as a Kentucky Delegate to the American Junior Academy of Science. KAS will cover registration, travel and accommodations for 11 students in 2025 and KAS will provide adult chaperones.
The Kentucky Junior Academy is part of the Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting
The Kentucky Academy of Science selects high school delegates each year to represent Kentucky at the American Junior Academy of Science.
The 2025 American Junior Academy of Science Meeting will be Feb 13-15 in Boston MA in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Here's how we select Kentucky's 2025 Junior Academy delegates
Become a Junior Academy Member
Student membership in the Junior Academy of Science is $5
Members receive special announcements & opportunities
Are you interested in doing research in your classroom, at home, or at a Kentucky Field Station? We can match you with a scientist mentor. Find out more about KAS Mentor Match
Junior Academy Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I participate?
A: This is a great opportunity to think about doing science research, see other people's research, meet scientists and fellow students, expand a science fair project, and find out about STEM career options. if you're a student who loves STEM, you should join us!
Q: What kind of research can students present at the Ky Junior Academy of Science?
A: Presentations at the fall meeting are based on research done by the student independently, in conjunction with a mentor, or as a member of a class or research team. Presentations may be about research projects that are currently in progress. Students do not have to present research to participate in the Junior Academy of Science meeting.
Q: How do students present research at the Ky Junior Academy of Science?
A: High School students have the option of making either an oral or poster presentation, but high school students who want to be considered to serve as a delegate representing Kentucky to the American Junior Academy of Science (AJAS) should plan to give an oral presentation. Middle school students are invited to present posters of their research projects. All presenters register for the KAS Annual Meeting, and then submit an abstract about their research by October 1. Follow our KAS / KJAS Abstract & Presentation Guidelines if you plan to present research.
Q: Are there prizes?
A: Some high school students giving an Oral Presentation will be invited to represent KJAS as delegates to the national meeting of the American Junior Academy of Science (AJAS) meeting in February 2025. KAS will provide financial support for the top students to participate at this national meeting.
About the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science
Did you know...
- The Kentucky Junior Academy of Science (KJAS) began in the 1930's with a goal of fostering an interest in science for high school students in Kentucky?
- This program eventually expanded to include middle school students?
- The previous model revolved around a spring meeting of middle and high school students and has now been expanded to become an integral part of the Kentucky Academy of Science (KAS) fall meeting?
- Any middle & high school students interested in science can participate
- Middle and high school students may also make presentations if they are doing research
- KAS can help match up interested students with a research mentor or research project no matter where you are.
- Junior Academy Home
- Overview of KAS Annual Meeting
- Abstract and Presentation Guidelines
- KJAS Scoring rubric
- KAS/ KJAS Under 18 Waiver
- Selection of Delegates to AJAS
- Publish your Research
- Video tips: Giving a good Scientific talk
- View past years' programs & abstracts
Annual Meeting Links 2025
Registration & Abstracts
Kentucky Junior Academy of Science
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Keynote Speakers
Hotels, Parking, Food
Social Media Photo Contest
Photo Gallery
Publish Your Research
KAS / KJAS Under 18 Waiver
The Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting is an interdisciplinary professional environment that cultivates scientific discovery and understanding.
Thank you for contributing to our advancement of science by behaving professionally, respectfully and collegially at all times.