Sixth Form boarding pupil, Gabriel Diug, has earned a place in Moldova’s (his country’s) national delegation for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026, the world’s most prestigious pre‑university science research competition. The event will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, from 9–15 May 2026, hosting more than 1,600 students from over 70 countries, representing the top 0.03% of global participants from regional and national science fairs.
For over 70 years, Regeneron ISEF has served as an international platform for outstanding young scientists to present original research across 22 categories, competing for $9 million in awards, scholarships, and internship opportunities with leading universities and STEM organisations.
Gabriel qualified recently at the national stage with his innovative project: “Multi-objective Optimisation Modelling of Biodegradable Chitosan/PEGDA Hydrogels for Contact Lens Applications.”
Addressing the environmental impact of the 1.5 billion non‑biodegradable contact lenses discarded annually worldwide, Gabriel developed a fully biodegradable hydrogel as a sustainable alternative to current silicone-based lenses. Central to his research is a multi-objective computational optimisation model, designed to analyse and predict optimal synthesis parameters based on experimental data. This approach reduces reliance on traditional trial-and-error methods and accelerates material development.
The resulting chitosan/PEGDA hydrogel not only meets all key performance standards – transparency, oxygen permeability, and mechanical strength – but is also entirely biodegradable and 2–3 times more cost‑effective than existing industry-standard materials. His work presents a promising pathway toward reducing the environmental footprint of the contact lens industry on a global scale.
Head of Sixth Form, Simon Coppell, praised Gabriel’s achievement, stating: “Gabriel exemplifies the intellectual curiosity, independence, and scientific ambition we strive to nurture in our Sixth Form. His achievement is outstanding, and we are immensely proud to see him represent both his country and our school on the world stage.”
Gabriel’s participation in ISEF marks a major milestone not only for him personally but also for the school community, showcasing the exceptional calibre of research emerging from our Sixth Form cohort.
Categories: Chigwell School School News
