OUR JUDGES
IDEAS TO IMPACT
We are excited to introduce our 2026 judges for the OFIS Ideas to Impact national educational contest!
Meet Dr. Raven Baxter
Dr. Raven Baxter is a molecular biologist and science communicator who has spent more than ten years making science feel like it belongs to everyone. Known as Dr. Raven the Science Maven, she brings a 500K+ community the molecules running everyday life, from the caffeine in your coffee to the melanin in your skin. She is the founder and CEO of Fervae, president of The Science Haven, and chairs the Ethics Consortium at the Association of Science Communicators. She hosts Pfizer's Science Will Win podcast, holds a PhD from the University at Buffalo, and has been recognized by Forbes, Fortune, Ebony, Smithsonian NMAAHC, and The Anthem Awards.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Raven Baxter!
Meet Pranshi Mehta
Pranshi Mehta is a student researcher from Austin, Texas, with interests in computational biology, cancer immunotherapy, and AI supported protein modeling. Her recent research focuses on computational CAR T cell design for glioblastoma using tools such as AlphaFold, molecular docking, and protein interaction analysis. She is passionate about using science to solve real world health challenges and helping make STEM more accessible to students.
Meet Mia Heller
Mia Heller is a first-year student at the University of Virginia studying Public Policy and Applied Statistics! Her research focuses on developing accessible, low-cost solutions to environmental issues, including a ferrofluid-based water filtration system designed to remove microplastics from water. She is interested in utilizing cross-disciplinary research to create systems that improve public and environmental health.
Judging Criteria
Together, our judges will be evaluating submissions for creativity, originality, scientific thinking, and compelling storytelling as they select this year's winners.
More Information
Please visit our contest site for more information on the 2026 OFIS national educational contest.
Please visit our contest rules site for more information about entry criteria and qualifications.