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Hackensack teenager takes second place in America's top science contest for an eye-scan AI tool

Edward Kang, 17, wins $175,000 for RetinaMind, a research prototype that looks for patterns linked to autism and ADHD.

Published 6 November 2026 · Original report 10 March 2026 · 3 min read

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Originally reported by Society for Science on 10 March 2026

Edward Kang, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey, took second place and $175,000 in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search, announced on 10 March 2026. His project, RetinaMind, is an AI tool that studies retinal images for patterns linked to autism and ADHD. The competition drew more than 2,600 applicants, the largest pool since 1967. Connor Hill won first place and Iris Shen took third. The project is a research prototype rather than a clinical test, and the Society for Science announcement does not present it as validated for diagnosis. The original announcement from Society for Science has the full list of winners.

Why we picked this: A teenager's research project, with its limits stated plainly: it is a prototype, not a diagnosis.

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Hackensack teenager takes second place in America's top science contest for an eye-scan AI tool

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