Canadian students win top prizes at European science competition

CWSF alums Evan Budz (left) and Sara Waqas (right) proudly display their core prize awards at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists held Sept. 14-20, 2025, in Riga, Latvia. (Credit: Dalia Esposito)

From Sept. 15 to Sept. 20, the 36th European Union Contest for Young Scientists took place in Riga, Latvia, where two Canadian high school students earned top honours.

Sara Waqas from Calgary, Alta., and Evan Budz from Burlington, Ont., represented Canada after winning top awards at the 2025 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredericton earlier this year.

Waqas received a second prize worth €5,000 for her project, “Neurobiologically Informed Targeted Schizophrenia Treatment: A Multi-Omic, fMRI Approach.” Her research aims to develop a more precise treatment for schizophrenia by targeting the core neurobiology of the disorder rather than simply masking symptoms with medication.

“Current treatments often leave one-third of people with schizophrenia resistant to therapy and dealing with harsh side effects,” said Waqas. "I wanted to find a solution that helps restore normal brain function instead of just silencing symptoms.”

She said the idea came from reading scientific papers and speaking with people who have lived experience with schizophrenia.

“It can be discouraging to see how little progress has been made in treatment,” she said. “That inspired me to design something that could make a difference.”

Waqas described representing Canada at the international competition as “a huge honour and an incredible experience.”

“At first, I felt a lot of pressure,” she said. “But once we arrived, that was replaced with excitement and connection. Everyone there was so passionate about science.”

She said the best part of the competition was meeting other young researchers from around the world.

“It was the best week of my life,” she said. “We had late-night talks, explored Riga and celebrated each other’s projects. Science really brought us together.”

Budz received first prize, worth €7,000, for developing an autonomous bionic sea turtle robot that uses artificial intelligence to monitor marine ecosystems and coral health.

Reni Barlow, executive director of Youth Science Canada, said both students’ success highlights the strength of Canadian youth in science and innovation.

“Sara and Evan are examples of how young Canadians are using science to address real-world challenges,” said Barlow.

Waqas said she plans to continue her research to validate her prototype drug in laboratory settings.

“Science is for everyone,” she said. “You just have to start with curiosity.”