Alpha Scholars is a rigorous social science research program that teaches college-level research, writing and presentation skills to high school students in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students work one-on-one with Harvard student mentors in advanced study and research of a topic related to their chosen SDG, culminating in a 15-page research paper and 15-minute presentation.
Congratulations to all Fall 2025-2026 medal winners on the quality of your research papers!
Gold Medal
Gonzales, Briana Erica Vera. Juan de la Cruz Calienes. From Centralization to Abandonment: How Concentrated Pediatric Cancer Care Creates Compounded Barriers for Indigenous Children in Peru.
Iamamura, Sofia. Colégio Imperatriz Leopoldina. Security or Suppression? The Effects of Police Operations in Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas on Public Trust in Law Enforcement and Perceptions of Human Rights Protection.
Li, Sheungyi (Zoe). SCIE. The Cost of Being a Daughter: How Gendered Cultural Norms Affect Access to Education in Rural China.
Motooka, Geovana. Objetivo de Atibaia. Inefficiency in Clinical Translation: Evaluating the Impact of Animal Testing on Innovation in Neurological Research and Progress under the WHO Intersectoral Global Action Plan.
Seminario, Megan Kate Apaza. Reina de los Ángeles School. Inclusion at a Swipe: How the Digital Bypass and Peru’s Women Within the Informal Sector Narrowed the Financial Literacy Gap.
Silva, Danilo. Colégio Olivieri. The Tension Between Health and Identity: The Integration of Traditional Medicinal Plant Practices Into the Brazilian Public Health System in Traditional Communities of Northern and Northeastern Brazil.
Távora, Felipe. Colégio Militar de Fortaleza (CMF). Assessing the Oslo Accords: Structural Challenges, Comparative Analysis Of Adjacent Peace Treaties, And Future Peace Process Perspectives.
Zhang, Ruochen (Rachel).Basis International School Park Lane Harbour. Hidden Under Roofs: A Descriptive Analysis of The Abuse of Lebanese Migrant Domestic Workers Under the Kafala System.
Silver Medal
Chunyukafu (Nicholas). Shenzhen College of International Education. Growth Over Sustainability? Assessing Macau's Coastal Development Dilemma.
Flores, Walter Alejandro Romero. Unidad Educativa Bolivia 2. When Familiarity Replaces Policy: Heuristic Political Decision-Making in Bolivia.
Gaspar, Davi. Ideal. Education for Citizenship: The Role of Educational Policies Promoting Youth Activism for Sustainable Development in Latin America.
Rodriguez, Gael. De La Salle Arequipa. Growth Without Welfare: The Socioeconomic Impact of Extractive Conflicts and Social Unrest in Peru’s Mining Regions.
Taboada, Julia . Pedro Ruiz Gallo. Lost in Transition: Why Gender Equality Projects in Peru Fail to Deliver Long-term Results for Girls.
Valdivia, Dana Morales. Innova School - Arequipa 2. Rising Awareness of our Fast-paced World: Impact of Short-form Digital Content on the Diagnosis and Psychological Well-being of Children with ADHD in the United States.
Yang, Longhao(Leo). XCL World Academy. Economic Growth Without Decent Work: Why Labor Market Reforms Are Necessary in Developed Economies.
Zhao, Ivy. Grier School. The Impact of Digital Device Use on Mental Health Outcomes in Adolescence: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.
Bronze Medal
Chen, King. ShenZhen College Of International Education. The effect of public understanding for a vaccine’s effectiveness will affect people’s willingness to take the vaccine Qualitative Case Studies Of Covid-19 Vaccines In The United States.
Mei, Ziqing. Shenzhen College of International Education. The Sexual Double Standard: How Premarital Sex Norms Reinforce Gender Inequality in Asian Societies.
Pingay, Nina. Carnegie Vanguard High School. Hybrid Work In Developing Countries: How the rise of hybrid work affects developing countries’ economies.
To learn more about the Alpha Scholars program and apply, please visit alphascholars.org, or follow us on Instagram @alpha_scholars_research.