The Team

Executive Board

Evaluation Committee

Event Supervisors

Alumni

Executive Board


  • Iona Xia

    Executive Director

    Undecided, Stanford 2027
  • Hi, I'm Iona and I'm a Monta Vista High School and Kennedy Middle School SciOly alum. Having done SciOly for seven years, it was my first step into the world of STEM and a catalyst for my further exploration in the various fields of science. Furthermore, I've been able to develop various life skills as well as a wonderful community through SciOly, and I'm excited to continue growing this community in GGSO.

    Favorite events: Experimental Design, Forensics, Write It Do It

    Fun fact: I was almost not allowed to compete in Write It Do It at nationals because my wristband was too loose.

  • Annabelle Huang

    Executive Director

    B.A. Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley 2027
  • Hi! My name is Annabelle Huang and I’m a Lexington High School alum. I’ve loved competing, coaching, and directing tournaments for SciOly throughout high school. SciOly gave me so many great learning experiences and memories, so I’m really excited to stay involved through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Anatomy and Physiology, Boomilever

    Fun fact: I can make balloon animals.

  • Phillip Liu

    Tournament Advisor

    Biophysics, Stanford PhD
  • Hi, I’m Phillip, a Scarsdale High School and Caltech alum. I’ve been involved in Science Olympiad as a competitor since my middle school years, and I’ve also served as an Event Supervisor and on the Caltech SciOly Planning Team when I was in undergrad. The Science Olympiad community has really helped me explore my passions in STEM, and I’m excited to contribute back through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Cell Biology, It's About Time

    Fun fact: A friend and I have unfortunately eaten two AYCE KBBQ places out of business :(

  • Kunal Arora

    Tournament Director

    Stanford 2026
  • Hi folks! I’m Kunal, a Mason High School and Middle School Science Olympiad alum. Beyond helping to shape my passions and career goals, my SciOly team quickly became a second family after I moved to Ohio. I’m excited to keep giving back to this wonderful community through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Forensics, Ornithology, Sounds of Music

    Fun fact: I think s'mores taste best when made over a Bunsen burner.

  • Tim Elnitiarta

    Tournament Advisor

    Geophysics, Berkeley 2026
  • Hello there! I'm Tim, a Troy HS/Kraemer MS alum. Over my five years of Scioly, I've competed, coached, and directed various tournaments. GGSO is special to me because it was the last in-person tournament I ever competed in. I'm excited to join the team and give others that classic GGSO experience!

    Favorite events: Codebusters, Meteorology, It's About Time

    Fun fact: I relied on my circuitry knowledge from my Nerf modding hobby to get through a whole year of Div B Circuit Lab

  • Lauren Lee

    Tournament Director

    Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Berkeley 2026
  • Hi! I'm Lauren, a Castro Valley High School alum! I've competed in SciOly for 7 years. From eating instant ramen at every competition to making 5-point font cheatsheets, I’ve made some of my fondest memories as a competitor. GGSO was one of the first invitationals I competed in and I'm excited to give back to the SciOly community!

    Favorite events: Write it Do it, Codebusters

    Fun fact: I love to do jigsaw puzzles!

  • Gwennie Liu

    Tournament Advisor

    Bio & Business, Berkeley 2026
  • Heyo! I’m Gwennie, and I am an alum of Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, California. I have competed in Science Olympiad for 8 years, which has provided me with lifelong friends and many new scientific interests. I’m looking forward to contributing back to the wonderful SciOly community through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Fossils, Rocks and Minerals

    Fun fact: I have a stuffed carrot named Seefee.

  • Dawen Cheng

    Tournament Director

    Mechanical Engineering, Stanford 2027
  • Hey there! My name is Dawen and I'm currently a freshman at Stanford studying Mechanical Engineering and Political Science. I've competed for a total of 7 years, first for Gallagher Middle School and later for Barrington High School, which are both in the cool state of Rhode Island (do we even exist?)! Two of my favorite things are Science Olympiad and the Golden State Warriors!

    Favorite events: Battery Buggy, Boomilever, Reach for the Stars

    Fun fact: Not only had I never competed at GGSO, I had also never visited California (until I committed to Stanford)!

  • Annabelle Liu

    Tournament Director

    Civil Engineering, Berkeley 2027
  • Hi everyone! I'm Annabelle, a Milpitas High School SciOly alum. Being involved with SciOly these past 4 years has been so much fun, and I've had the opportunity to meet many amazing individuals. I’m excited to continue my journey in SciOly and give back to this community through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Forensics, Bridges, Chemistry Lab

    Fun fact: I think jellyfish are cool:)

  • Cruz Soto

    Tournament Director

    Mechanical Engineering, Stanford PhD
  • Hello all, I'm Cruz, an alum of Edison High School Scioly and MIT AeroAstro & Physics. I've met some of my closest friends and made some of my craziest memories in Scioly over the past decade, and hope that GGSO can help you make some of your own!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Fossils, Mousetrap Vehicle

    Fun fact: I know how to make balloon animals!

  • Serena Yung

    Tournament Director

    Neuroscience, Berkeley 2027
  • Hello! I'm Serena, a Bronx Science SciOly alum. I loved competing alongside an amazing community and delving into unique subjects. I'm excited to give back to the community through GGSO! Apart from SciOly, I love making videos, dancing, and climbing :)

    Favorite events: Forensics, Anatomy and Physiology

    Fun fact: Climbing is how I fractured my first bone :(

  • Maria Dubiel

    Tournament Director

    Astrophysics, Berkeley 2028
  • Hi! I'm Maria, an International Academy Central alum and former captain. My past 3 years in SciOly have allowed me to explore a variety of my STEM interests and exposed me to an amazing community. I'm so excited to continue my SciOly journey as part of the GGSO team!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Microbe Mission, Fossils

    Fun fact: I got randomly put in Astro my first year and it changed my entire career plan

  • Emmanuel Zheng

    Tournament Director

    Stanford 2028
  • Hello! My name is Emmanuel and I'm a Buchholz HS alum. I've had a great time getting to know awesome people and learning new things over the past several years of competing in Science Olympiad, so I'm honored to be able to return as a volunteer.

    Favorite events: Dynamic Planet

    Fun fact: Emmanuel Zheng is interested in STEM and has two brothers.

  • Joelle Cheeseman

    Tournament Director

    Stanford 2029
  • Hi! My name is Joelle and I’m a Northwood HS and Sierra Vista MS Scioly alum. I competed in SciOly for 5 years and also loved coaching, tournament directing, and bonding with team members. SciOly is a great place to make new friends and serve the community, which I hope to do with GGSO!

    Favorite events: Fossils, Ornithology, Rocks and Minerals

    Fun fact: I like tarot reading

  • Vianna Loam

    Tournament Director

    Statistics, Berkeley 2029
  • Helloo! I’m Vianna, and I’m a Scripps Ranch High School alum. Being a part of Science Olympiad for the past 7 years has granted me knowledge and community – and it isn’t something I would trade for the world :) I can’t wait to start this new chapter with all of you at GGSO!

    Favorite events: Experimental Design, Codebusters

    Fun fact: I can whistle both ways!

  • Kaci Morris

    Tournament Director

    Stanford 2029
  • Hey! My name is Kaci and I'm an alum of New Trier Science Olympiad. Competing in SciOly was easily one of the most rewarding and memorable parts of my high school experience, giving me the chance to explore fields I might never have discovered while making some awesome friends along the way. I'm super excited to help current high schoolers have that same incredible experience!

    Favorite events: Fossils, Rocks & Minerals

    Fun fact: I'm very good at tapping people on the shoulder and pretending it wasn't me.

  • Hanzhen Yu

    Tournament Director

    Berkeley 2029
  • Hi, I’m Hanzhen, an alumni of Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. Although I only competed for three years, science olympiad has been my most rewarding experience in high school. I love the atmosphere and intensity of the competitions, and I want to give the best experience possible to new generations of Scioly competitors.

    Favorite events: Forestry, Entomology

    Fun fact: I play Geoguessr a lot :)

Evaluation Committee


Interested in becoming an Event Supervisor/Test Committee member for the 2026 GGSO Tournament? Keep an eye out for when applications open in fall 2025!
  • Matt Eskritt

    Test Committee, Designer Genes, Water Quality

    Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University 2027
  • Hello! My name is Matt and I am a Junior at Boston University. I love science and hope to inspire that love in others!

    Favorite events: Cell Biology, It's About Time

    Fun fact: I used to know all of the lyrics to American Pie by Don McLean

  • Soham Kulkarni

    Test Committee, Circuit Lab, Machines

    EECS, Berkeley 2029
  • Hi! I'm a former competitor from Troy High School and one of the first middle school teams that Tim E. coached. Super excited for the season!

    Favorite events: Circuit Lab, Wind Power

    Fun fact: i like dogs

Event Supervisors


Interested in becoming an Event Supervisor/Test Committee member for the 2026 GGSO Tournament? Keep an eye out for when applications open in fall 2025!
  • Aadit Abhilash

    Event Supervisor, Experimental Design

    Computer Science, Berkeley 2029
  • Hey! I'm Aadit, and I'm an undergrad Computer Science student at Berkeley. Since my freshman year of high school, I’ve competed in Experimental Design, along with other ID and vehicle engineering events at Fairfax High School in Virginia. This is my first year event supervising at GGSO, and I'm really excited to see the creative experiments competitors design and conduct!

    Favorite events: Experimental Design, Scrambler, Rocks and Minerals

    Fun fact: I'm left handed! :D

  • Abraham Zhong

    Event Supervisor, Helicopter

    Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, Stanford 2029
  • Hi! My name is Abraham and I'm a Mountain View HS SciOly alum. I really enjoyed competing throughout high school and I'm really glad to have met some amazing people through SciOly, and I'm very excited to ES at GGSO!

    Favorite events: Helicopters, Flight, Air Trajectory

    Fun fact: Among my collection of stuffed animals I have a crocodile, labubu, and a crocheted cow.

  • Aditi Gupta

    Event Supervisor, Experimental Design

    Environmental Economics & Policy, Berkeley 2029
  • hii i'm aditi, proud alum of milpitas high! i've been in scioly all 6 years and am STOKED to write this year

    Favorite events: Ecology, Experimental Design, Dynamic Planet

    Fun fact: I'm a huge 5SOS fan!

  • Advai Srinivasan

    Event Supervisor, Rocks and Minerals

    Physics B.S & Materials Science Engineering B.S, UC Irvine 2029
  • Hallo, fellow SciOly-ers! Im Advai, a Mission San Jose alum and a fellow rock licker. I've made a lot of close friends through SciOly, and I hope to help others follow in my footsteps by writing tests that teams can trauma bond over! All jokes aside, I’m excited to meet you all at GGSO!

    Favorite events: Material Science, Astronomy, Rocks and Minerals

    Fun fact: My Fossils partner put a picture of me under the Neanderthals section of our binder...

  • Anton Dao

    Event Supervisor, Disease Detectives

    Molecular and Cell Biology & Public Health, Berkeley 2027
  • Hello everyone, I'm Anton! I previously competed in Division C for Pleasant Grove High School in Sacramento, CA. I loved every moment of it, from the intense study/build sessions with friends, to of course, winning well-earned medals for your hard work! I’m looking forward to giving back to the SciOly community as a supervisor for GGSO!

    Favorite events: Disease Detectives, Green Generation, Bridge

    Fun fact: When I was 11, I "rescued" (kidnapped) a turtle from my local pond to be my pet but it sadly ran away (escaped) out of a second-story window after 3 days.

  • Brenda Mao

    Event Supervisor, Entomology

    Molecular and Cell Biology + Economics, Berkeley 2029
  • Hi! I'm Brenda, and I'm an alum from Troy High School (in Michigan, not California). I competed in Science Olympiad for eight years, and some of my favorite moments in high school were during SciOly. I'm so excited to be on the administrative side this time around as part of GGSO!

    Favorite events: Entomology

    Fun fact: I once performed open-heart surgery on a mouse

  • Brian Bahr Goldshtein

    Event Supervisor, Designer Genes

    Bioengineering, Stanford 2029
  • I have competed in SciOly for 7 years in a variety of Engineering, Biology, and Physics events, and am now an undergraduate researcher in mechanistic cellular biology. I love matcha, play basketball and lift, enjoy hiking and nature, constantly am CADing/Engineering/3d printing, and always love a good Sci Fi or human-behavior book to read.

    Favorite events: Disease Detectives, Designer Genes, Cell Biology

    Fun fact: I am fluent in 4 languages!

  • Chegu Vijay (Aashray Chegu) Aashray

    Event Supervisor, Dynamic Planet

    nan, Stanford 2028
  • Hello! I'm Aashray (Tesla STEM '24), and I'm a Sophomore studying Geophysics at Stanford! Scioly was one of the best parts of High School, and I'm excited to be writing DP Oceanography this year! Outside of my classes, I prefer reading, hiking, camping, tactically relocating rocks, and writing for USESO.org. See you at Stanford!

    Favorite events: Dynamic Planet (Tectonics, Oceanography, Glaciers, Hydrology), Remote Sensing/Geologic Mapping, Rocks and Minerals

    Fun fact: Rocks are a healthy snack! Basalt is the best.

  • Eddy Zhao

    Event Supervisor, Astronomy

    Astrophysics + CS, Berkeley 2028
  • Hey everyone! I'm Eddy, an alum of Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, where I captained and specialized in Astronomy, Fermi Questions, and Robot Tour. I'm also on the Science Olympiad at Berkeley Planning Committee, where I run the website and finances. Science Olympiad was my gateway into astrophysics, which I am now majoring in, and STEM in general. I'm excited to contribute to the greatest invitational in the West, one that I was never able to attend!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Fermi Questions, Codebusters

    Fun fact: I'm a top 1,000 ranked fastest typist in the world! (203 wpm)

  • Eine Youn

    Event Supervisor, Designer Genes

    Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley 2029
  • Hi! I’m Eine, an alum from Mountain View High School. I competed mostly on bio & inquiry events and had a lot of fun doing Scioly throughout high school, so I’m really excited to ES this year!

    Favorite events: Microbe Mission, Write It Do It

    Fun fact: Not one, but two different squirrels have managed to accidentally break into my house through our chimney.

  • Elena Baraznenok

    Event Supervisor, Disease Detectives

    Bioengineering, Berkeley PhD
  • Hi! I am an alum of Bothell High School and the University of Washington. My years of competing in SciOly were great so I'm happy to volunteer :)

    Favorite events: Protein Modeling, Disease Detectives, Wright Stuff

    Fun fact: I like tea

  • EmJ Rennich

    Event Supervisor, Forensics

    Mechanical Engineering, Stanford 2028
  • Hi, I’m EmJ! I’m a current PhD student studying bio-inspired robotic design. Originally from Michigan, I competed in Science Olympiad for 11 years, and am a proud alum of University of Michigan Science Olympiad! When I’m not in lab, you’ll probably find me in a makerspace or on top of a mountain :)

    Favorite events: Forensics, Engineering CAD, Mission Possible

    Fun fact: I love watching professional track and field!

  • Eric Wu

    Chemistry Lab

    Chemistry & Math, Berkeley 2027
  • Hey y'all! I'm Eric, and I competed with MVHS for all four years of high school. I competed mostly in chem/physics events, but I really wish I could've done Protein Modeling. I'll do my best to write a fun test, hope to see you there!

    Favorite events: Circuit Lab, Forensics

    Fun fact: I have over 100 stuffed animals.

  • Ethan Li

    Event Supervisor, Water Quality

    Economics, Applied Math, Berkeley 2029
  • Hi! I'm Ethan I competed with Troy High School for two years. I like bothering my friends and eating my way across wherever I am.

    Favorite events: Ecology, Forensics

    Fun fact: I love everything performative

  • Franklin Hung

    Materials Science

    Materials Science and Engineering, Berkeley 2026
  • Hi everyone! My name is Franklin and I’m an alumni of Cypress Woods HS (TX). I’m a second year Materials Science and Engineering student and love learning about climate change and ecology related topics! In my free time I love listening to podcasts, hiking, and reading.

    Favorite events: Ecology, Wright Stuff, Green Generation

    Fun fact: I love all things nature!

  • Isaac Jones

    Event Supervisor, Engineering CAD

    Electrical Engineering + Computer Science, Berkeley 2028
  • Hi! I'm Isaac :D Proud alum of Milpitas High School--M TOWNNNN!! I love laying back, opening my eyes, and admiring the beauty of the world; and philosophizing about the meaning of life. A good hike, a good view, a good hug, and a good vibe is true happiness for me. I'm also a big math, robotics, aerospace, and video game nerd.

    Favorite events: Codebusters, Fermi Questions, Engineering CAD

    Fun fact: I am in the top 0.01 PERCENT worldwide of Ed Sheeran listeners. Ask me to name virtually any Ed song and I can do it in < 10 seconds. >:)

  • Jason Chang

    Air Trajectory, Tower

    Mathematics-Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering, UCSD 2026
  • Hi! I'm Jason, a second-year at UCSD studying Math-CS and and Aerospace Engineering. I competed in the build and inquiry events in MS/HS, and my favorite event was Battery Buggy and Trajectory. I occasionally supervise at other competitions nearby as well!

    Favorite events: Battery Buggy, Trajectory

    Fun fact: n/a :(

  • Jareth Gomes

    Event Supervisor, Robot Tour

    Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 2023
  • Hi! I'm Jareth, and I'm an alum of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and James B. Conant High School. Currently, I am employed as a Software Engineer at Fortinet. I have competed in SciOly for 6 school years, and have now volunteered and supervised multiple tournaments across Illinois and California.

    Favorite events: Mousetrap Vehicle, Hovercraft

    Fun fact: I like to shoot bow & arrow (archery).

  • Jerry Yuan

    Optics

    Physics, Stanford 2027
  • Hi! I'm Jerry, a Mission San Jose alum. I've done SciOly for four years across all three divisions, and it's been a super fun way for me to learn about unique fields while collaborating with an amazing community and talented friends. Super excited to see everyone at GGSO!

    Favorite events: It's About Time, Astronomy, Detector Building

    Fun fact: Bugs often ended up in my water clock during my It's About Time trials. (rip ;-;)

  • Justin Lee

    Event Supervisor, Designer Genes

    Bioengineering, Stanford 2028
  • Hi everyone! I'm Justin, an alum of Woodside High School in the Bay Area. Outside of Scioly, I love going to concerts, playing racket sports, and drinking boba. I'm super excited to meet everyone and be an event supervisor this year!

    Favorite events: Disease Detectives, Anatomy and Physiology

    Fun fact: I can recite all of the presidents in order from memory!

  • Khush Lalchandani

    Event Supervisor, Bungee Drop

    Computer Science, Stanford 2029
  • Hey! I’m Khush Lalchandani, a CS student at Stanford. I competed in Science Olympiad for seven years and I am a LASA High School and Kealing Middle School alum. I’m super excited to be supervising at GGSO this year and helping make the tournament an awesome experience for all the teams!

    Favorite events: Trajectory, It's About Time, Experimental Design

    Fun fact: In my free time, I love playing and watching sports, I also played football in high school.

  • Liz Tsai

    Event Supervisor, Chemistry Lab

    Chemical Engineering, Stanford 2028
  • Liz is a sophomore at Stanford from Taipei, Taiwan. A former Chemistry olympiad competitor, she now frequently appears as ES for Science Olympiad tournaments across the Bay. Outside of labs and competitions, she performs with the Stanford Wind Symphony, takes late-night walks, and explores new cafes for cold brews and matcha.

    Favorite events: Chemistry lab, Disease detectives, Forensics

    Fun fact: I only learned how to bike after committing to Stanford.

  • Nathan Jew

    Event Supervisor, Electric Vehicle

    Mechanical Engineering, Berkeley 2027
  • Hi y'all, my name is Nathan and I'm a 2nd year Mech E transfer at UC Berkeley formerly from CVHS, and an ES for EV at GGSO! I competed the full 7 years div B and div C and got to attend GGSO twice as a student and it was always one of my favorite tournaments to attend! In my free time I like sidequestmaxxing and exploring new places!

    Favorite events: Trajectory, Robot Tour, Air Trajectory

    Fun fact: I am currently working on my skydiving license!

  • Nir Shatsky

    Event Supervisor, Machines

    Mechanical Engineering, UC, Irvine 2026
  • Hi! I'm a Castro Valley HS alum and currently attend UC, Irvine. This year will be my 3rd year as a GGSO Event Supervisor and I couldn't be more excited to grade everyone's tests!

    Favorite events: It's About Time, Mystery Architecture, Gravity Vehicle

    Fun fact: Probably can't beat me at pool.

  • Olivia Wang

    Codebusters

    Environmental Science, Berkeley 2028
  • Hello, I’m Olivia. I competed in and was the Co-President of Tesla STEM Science Olympiad in Washington. This is my 7th year being involved in Science Olympiad. Traveling and competing in GGSO the last two years with my team was super fun, so I hope everyone has as great a time as I did.

    Favorite events: Codebusters, Forensics, Green Generation

    Fun fact: This summer I climbed the Guiness World Record Tallest indoor artificial climbing wall while I was traveling in China :)

  • Priscilla Kang

    Event Supervisor, Robot Tour

    Molecular & Cell Biology, Berkeley 2027
  • Hi, I'm Priscilla and I am a previous SciOly at UCSB exec board member. I'm excited to continue volunteering in the Bay with GGSO!

    Favorite events: Robot Tour

    Fun fact: I'm a big fan of dessert!

  • Robert Lee

    Event Supervisor, Machines

    Aerospace Engineering, Purdue
  • Hello! I’m Robert, a second year master’s student at Purdue studying astrodynamics. When I have some free time, I enjoy playing badminton, baking banana bread, and gaming on boards.

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Boomilever, Fermi Questions

    Fun fact: My boomilever at GGSO 2020 broke right before 15 kg.

  • Ryan Chang

    Event Supervisor, Astronomy

    Astrioophysics + CS, Berkeley 2029
  • Hey! I'm Ryan and I'm from Centennial High School in Maryland. I competed in a lot of ESS events and Scioly is where I realized my passion for astro!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Dynamic Planet, Fermi Questions

    Fun fact: I can identify every category 5 atlantic hurricane based on their satellite imagery

  • Ryan Lee

    Event Supervisor, Remote Sensing

    Electrical Engineering, CU Boulder 2026
  • I'm an RF engineer and a UCLA EE alum. I've been involved with SciOly since my days as a competitor with Mira Loma SciOly, so I'm happy to continue helping out at GGSO as an event supervisor.

    Favorite events: Ornithology, WiFi Lab, Astronomy

    Fun fact: I was a proud user/survivor of LA public transit for 4 years.

  • Sunme Zhao

    Dynamic Planet

    Geophysics, Stanford PhD student
  • Hi, I'm Sunme, and I’m an alum of Harriton High School and the University of Pennsylvania. Participating in Science Olympiad is what got me first interested in Earth Sciences in middle school, and I’m looking forward to helping other students build their interests in STEM!

    Favorite events: Rocks and Minerals, Geologic Mapping, Ornithology

    Fun fact: I saw the rarest penguin species in the world while I was studying abroad in New Zealand

  • Tony Mei

    Event Supervisor, Bungee Drop

    Biomolecular Engineering, UCSC 2027
  • Hello! I'm Tony, an undergrad studying Biomolecular Engineering at UCSC. I previously competed with Castro Valley High School, and am excited to be back with GGSO for a third year. I hope to see you all there!

    Favorite events: Bridge, Wifi Lab, Anatomy and Physiology

    Fun fact: I once got to pet a giant isopod at an aquarium.

Alumni


  • Rohan Chakraborty

    Founder

    Chemical Engineering, Berkeley 2019
  • Hi! I'm Rohan, and I’m an alum of Seven Lakes High School and Beckendorff Junior High in Katy, Texas. Throughout my Science Olympiad experience, I’ve competed extensively in building events such as Gravity Vehicle and Scrambler as well in as lab events like Chemistry Lab and Forensics. I had a blast organizing our inaugural tournament for you all, and I'm looking forward to making our next tournament even greater!

    Favorite events: Forensics and Chem Lab

    Fun fact: I love anything and everything Drake.

  • Abraham Chen

    Founder

    Engineering Product Manager at Apple, SF
    Economics and Computer Science, Berkeley 2019
  • Hi, my name is Abraham Chen, I’m a Mounds View Scioly Alumni, and I’ve been involved in Scioly all through high school. One time my team’s Scioly bus got stranded on a highway for 7 hours, making our trip to a tournament 21+ hours. That’s dedication.

    Favorite events: Forensics, Fossils and Experimental Design

    Fun fact: I like heights because it scares me.

  • Ryan Cohen

    Founder

    Business Analyst at McKinsey & Co
    Mechanical Engineering, Stanford 2019
  • Hey, I’m Ryan! I’m an alum of Mira Loma High School from Sacramento, California. I co-founded and led communications/strategy for GGSO, and I also volunteer at NorCal state and regional tournaments on the arbitration committees. My incredible science olympiad experience inspired me to pursue a career in systems engineering and autonomous transportation, and I hope to promote and expand access to those opportunities for students today.

    Favorite events: Circuit Lab, Mission Possible, MagLev

    Fun fact: Once spent a summer working underground at an Andean archeological site.

  • Denis Li

    Founder

    Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Berkeley 2019
  • I've been involved with Science Olympiad at Mounds View since 2012. Science Olympiad was by far my favorite thing that I did in high school and I hope our tournament will be a blast for everyone attending!

    Favorite events: It’s About Time, Technical Problem Solving, Compound Machines

    Fun fact: People who have more birthdays live longer.

  • Alex Lu

    Founder

    Johns Hopkins MD-PhD Program
    Biomedical Computation, Stanford 2019
  • Hi! I'm Alex, from Palo Alto High School. SciOly was a huge part of my life in high school, and what first introduced me to the intersection of science, tech, and medicine. I hope that through GGSO, others will be able to have the same eye-opening experiences that I once did. Currently missing late night study sessions, forensics lab practice, and folding toobers with the rest of the team.

    Favorite events: Anatomy and Physiology, Forensics, WIDI

    Fun fact: My team dyed our hair (everyone's, all of it) green for 2013 Nationals!

  • Dhruv Puri

    Founder

    Molecular and Cellular Biology, Berkeley 2019
  • Hi, my name is Dhruv, I’m a LASA Scioly Alumni, and I’ve been involved in Scioly all through high school. Science Olympiad helped me find my passion for biology and had led me to a career in medicine.

    Favorite events: Anatomy and Physiology, Protein Modeling, Material Science

    Fun fact: Most nights you can find me DJing in SF or LA at salsa and bachata clubs.

  • Jonathan Wang

    Founder

    Medical Student @ UCSF, AI Research Associate @ Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
    Computational Biology, Stanford 2019
  • Hi! I'm Jon (https://jonxwang.com), from Mounds View High School! In high school, Science Olympiad was one of my favorite activities-- it taught me how fun science could be and I made teammates turned co-GGSO founder turned lifelong friends. Im glad I can still keep in touch with the community as a test writer and event supervisor and hope others discover their own interests through it.

    Favorite events: Mission Possible, Chemistry Lab, Sounds of Music, Designer Genes

    Fun fact: i can eat two chipotle burritos in one sitting

  • Neil Patil

    Website

    Computer Science, UT Austin 2020
  • Hello! I'm a LASA alum and was captain of LASA's Science Olympiad team during 2015 and 2016. I did build events, which means that most of my SciO memories involve soldering in a hotel room bathtub, getting gliders stuck in chandeliers, or getting kicked out of Wal-Mart at 1 AM (sometimes you gotta test Scrambler the night before...) Science Olympiad has been a pretty big part of my life (in both the good and bad ways), so I'm glad to be helping run this tournament.

    Favorite events: Scrambler, Mission Possible

  • Colin Barber

    Tournament Director

    Microbiology, Berkeley PhD Program
  • Hi I’m Colin and I love microbes. I competed for Wellwood Middle School and Fayetteville-Manlius High School and I graduated with a BS in microbiology from Cornell University last May. For three years, I also helped lead Science Olympiad at Cornell where I served as co-president 2015-16. Did I mention I love microbes?

    Favorite events: Microbe Mission, Fermi Questions, Thermodynamics

    Fun fact: My Fermi partner and I agreed to shave each other’s heads if we got 1st in Fermi at States 2013. The rest is history.

  • Kevin Meng

    Executive Director

    Psychology and Economics, UC Berkeley 2020
  • Hi, my name is Kevin Meng, I’m an Ed W. Clark HS Scioly alumni and captain. In preparation for state and nationals, I’ve stayed at school so late that midnight snacks and basketball with the cleaning staff is a norm. I’ve been told before that my love for Science Olympiad is “infectious”. Spread the love and stay committed!

    Favorite events: Gravity Vehicle, Elastic Launched Glider, Wright Stuff, WIDI

    Fun fact: My team and I won a state championship in soccer! I have a fierce passion for music and sports. Play me.

  • Kelly Yu

    Tournament Director

    Economics, Berkeley 2021
  • Hello, I’m Kelly! I’m an alum of John P. Stevens Science Olympiad in Edison, New Jersey. (East coast represent!) I have made some of my best memories through SciOly, from the loud bus rides to the actual tournament days. Most importantly, SciOly has taught me to constantly stay curious and hungry.

    Favorite events: Forensics, Fossils, Microbe Mission

    Fun fact: I played the clarinet for 10 years!

  • Sarah Gurev

    Executive Director

    Computer Science, Stanford 2020
  • Hi, I’m Sarah Gurev, and I'm a Mira Loma High School and Winston Churchill Middle School Scioly alum. I've had the opportunity to attend Nationals five times, and the distinct pleasure of competing in every single water event each time. Science Olympiad was such a large part of my life, so I'm grateful it's not quite over yet. I'm really excited to help bring this tournament to life!

    Favorite events: Protein Modeling, Awesome Aquifers, Dynamic Planet

    Fun fact: I was very overprotective of my protein model, possibly because I was constantly worrying that my cat would eat it.

  • Valerie Hsieh

    Tournament Director

    Physics and German, Berkeley 2020
  • Hey, I’m Valerie! Although I’m not a Science Olympiad alum, I have always been passionate about science and science outreach. I’m incredibly excited to be a part of GGSO’s Executive Board, and am looking forward to help organize a tournament that gives so much to the Bay Area and SciOly communities.

    Favorite events: Herpetology, Mousetrap Vehicle, Materials Science

    Fun fact: One time, Tina Fey’s bodyguard pushed me away from her after a major fangirl moment at the Tony Awards. It was awesome.

  • Kathryn Li

    Executive Director

    Harvard Medical School (HST) MD Candidate
    Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley 2020
  • Hi, my name is Kathryn and I’m a Palo Alto Science Olympiad alum. SciOly sparked my interest in STEM many years ago, and I'm grateful that I've been able to stay involved and give back to the community even after I graduated high school. I'll always miss the feeling of the night before the tournament - whether that's cramming last minute for an event or powwowing with the GGSO team :)

    Favorite events: Forensics, Chem Lab, Protein Modeling, Bridge Building

    Fun fact: I like to figure skate in my free time!

  • Amy Lo

    Tournament Director

    Stanford 2023
  • Hi, I'm Amy, and I'm a Walnut High School and Suzanne Middle School alum! SciOly has been a formative part of my growth, which is why I’m even more excited to see how I can help this tournament grow!

    Favorite events: Forensics and Experimental Design

    Fun fact: I have 50+ (and growing) themed Spotify playlists, each curated to a different mood, atmosphere, and vibe.

  • Martin Altenburg

    Tournament Director

    Electrical Engineering, Stanford 2021
  • I am super excited to be a part of this year's GGSO team. Growing up in North Dakota, Science Olympiad was the first times I really got to share my interest in STEM with people around my school and state. I'm passionate about making STEM education and opportunities accessible for students of all backgrounds and can't wait to help make that a reality within GGSO!

    Favorite events: Meteorology and Towers

    Fun fact: I once competed in eight events during a regional tournament. Quite the time!

  • Faith Harron

    Executive Director

    Mechanical Engineering, Stanford 2021
  • Hello, I’m Faith--I’m a Bismarck Century High alum, and was a part of Science Olympiad since my middle school years. SciO was always one of my favorite extracurricular activities, and I’m delighted to continue my involvement at university.

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Dynamic Planet, Anatomy and Physiology

    Fun fact: Joan of Arc is my great-aunt--like 11 greats in there, but I am directly descended from her brother.

  • Allison Yao

    Tournament Director

    MEB and Psychology, Berkeley
  • Hi, I’m Allison! I love everything Science Olympiad -- my years of competing, the amazing community of people I’ve met, and this very tournament. I’m beyond excited to see what the upcoming season will bring to the table!

    Favorite events: Invasive Species, Herpetology, Forensics

    Fun fact: If you give me a clover patch, I'll be able to find you a four-leafed (or sometimes even five-leafed) one within minutes!

  • Evelyn Zhang

    Executive Director

    Human Biology, Stanford 2021
  • Hi!! I’m Evelyn, and I’m a Mira Loma Sci Oly alumni. I was only on the team since sophomore year, but those 3 years definitely shaped my passions and love for science. It was Science Olympiad that developed my interest in biology and led me to pursue a career in medicine.

    Favorite events: Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives

    Fun fact: I actually didn’t want to do Disease Detectives until my sci oly coach put me on the event sophomore year, and by senior year I was 1st in the nation for the event. Lets just say that my coach made a good call :)

  • Shivansh Baveja

    Tournament Director

    CS and Math, Berkeley 2025
  • Hey! I'm Shivansh, an Irvington High School Science Olympiad alum who has been doing SciOly for 6 years now. Having run a small tournament of my own, I hope to contribute all that I can to making GGSO enjoyable and educational for everyone!

    Favorite events: Fermi Questions, Astronomy, Dynamic Planet

    Fun fact: I've taken more notes for Astronomy than for all of my classes combined.

  • Nikhil Gupta

    Tournament Director

    Mechanical Engineering, Berkeley 2022
  • Hi! I’m Nikhil, and I'm a Mira Loma Science O alum. I’ve been a part of Sci Oly for for nine years, and have loved every moment of it! I've made so many memories with the teams I've been a part of and can't wait to make more!

    Favorite events: Mission Possible, Robot Arm, Game On

    Fun fact: I won an event because of a pencil eraser, only in Science O

  • Adrian Huang

    Tournament Director

    Chemistry, Berkeley PhD
  • Hello hello! I'm Adrian, a Leigh High School SciOly Alum. I've been involved with Science Olympiad for almost a decade now (wow!) from competing in high school to helping the Caltech SciOly Planning Team. Happy to keep this streak of giving back to Science Olympiad through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Chemistry Lab, Forensics, Potions and Poisons

    Fun fact: I'm allergic to avocado but like the taste so I power through the mild discomfort.

  • Amy Jiang

    Tournament Director

    Berkeley 2022
  • Hi, I'm Amy! I'm a SciOly alum from Interlake High School, where I competed for three years--a few too little, in my opinion. Despite (or maybe thanks to...) almost losing three teammates on the plane and another two during the BART ride, GGSO has been one of the best tournaments I've attended in high school and I'm excited to make it even better!

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Hovercraft, Wright Stuff, Materials Science

    Fun fact: I'm very passionate about the taste of water.

  • Arya Sharma

    Tournament Director

    Computer Science, Berkeley 2024
  • Hi! I'm Arya, an American High School SciOly alumni. I've competed in SciOly since 5th grade, and this organization has been truly instrumental in shaping my interests. I’m so excited to continue my journey by helping run this invitational and look forward to spreading my passion for science to others!

    Favorite events: Mousetrap Vehicle, Compound Machines

    Fun fact: My Mousetrap Vehicle is featured in one of Mark Rober's YouTube videos :)

  • Matthew Tang

    Executive Director

    EECS, Berkeley 2022
  • Hi, I'm Matthew, a SciOly alum from Northwood High School. Having competed for 6 years, SciOly has been a major part of my life. Many of my fondest memories have been from Science Olympiad and I've been able to meet many close friends, competing with them over the years. I'm excited to be on the other side now organizing tournaments for the community!

    Favorite events: Mission Possible, Disease Detectives, Robot Arm

    Fun fact: I love puzzles! Puzzle hunts are one of my favorite activities, and I also make puzzle sets of my own too.

  • Sophia Wang

    Executive Director

    Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley 2022
  • Hi, I’m Sophia and I’m a Mira Loma High School and Winston Churchill Middle School Science Olympiad alum. I can’t really pinpoint exactly what I love about Science Olympiad, but it’s been seven years and I’m still here so I guess there must be something there.

    Favorite events: Disease Detectives, Ecology, Simple Machines

    Fun fact: I've met a real life disease detective.

  • Emily Wen

    Executive Director

    CS and Math, Stanford 2022
  • Hi! I'm Emily, an alum of NCSSM and Enloe High School SciOly. Through my 6 years of competing, I've met the most amazing community, both on my teams and online. I'm so glad I can continue being involved through GGSO. Super excited to help make this invite happen! :)

    Favorite events: Codebusters, Experimental Design, Dynamic Planet

    Fun fact: I've never competed in a scioly invitational.

  • Vinay Gautam

    Tournament Director

    Computer Science & Statistics, Berkeley 2023
  • Hi! My name is Vinay and I am an alum of Seven Lakes High School in Houston, Texas. Science Olympiad completely changed my life and I am forever grateful for the skills and friendships I made in my years on the team. I’m so excited to be apart of GGSO and can’t wait to help host this tournament for everyone!

    Favorite events: Codebusters, Sounds of Music, Game On

    Fun fact: In the 2 years I was on the team, I competed in 17 events.

  • Britney Weng

    Executive Director

    MCB & Business Administration, Berkeley 2023
  • My name is Britney and I'm a Milpitas High SciOly alum. Having competed at three GGSO tournaments, it holds a special place in my heart. I'm excited to bring this tournament to more competitors and give back to the SciOly community.

    Favorite events: Herpetology, Invasive Species

    Fun fact: I have the same birthday as McDonald's!

  • Alvin Xu

    Tournament Director

    EECS, Berkeley 2024
  • Hey everyone, I'm Alvin Xu! In high school I competed for Seven Lakes, and Science Olympiad quickly became a very major part of my life. Those years have taught me so much, and I am excited to now be working to deliver that experience from the tournament organization side.

    Favorite events: Astronomy, Codebusters

    Fun fact: I like to create music in my free time.

  • Nicole Xin

    Executive Director

    Molecular and Cell Biology, Berkeley 2024
  • Hi! I’m Nicole, a SciOly alum of Mountain View High School. Over the past 4 years, SciOly has allowed me to find and develop my passions and closest friendships leaving me with some of my fondest memories. I’m so excited to be able to stay involved with SciOly through GGSO and be able to bring this experience to others!

    Favorite events: Anatomy and Physiology, Microbe Mission

    Fun fact: I moved to the Bay Area under the impression that I was only here to visit and attend a summer camp, except it was actually the first day of 4th grade.

  • William Lee

    Tournament Director

    Computer Science, Berkeley 2026
  • Hi! I'm William, an alum and former captain of Mason High School in Ohio. I'm super excited to (hopefully) see the return of in-person Scioly in college!

    Favorite events: Codebusters, PPP

    Fun fact: My Venmo account was frozen the day I created it!

  • Albert Wang

    Tournament Director

    Computer Science & Business, Berkeley 2025
  • Hello! I'm Albert and I'm a Mira Loma High School and Winston Churchill Middle School Scioly alum. I've competed in mostly physics events in the past and was an event supervisor for Wifi Lab last year. I'm excited to continue GGSO as a Tournament Director this year!

    Favorite events: Sounds of Music, Hovercraft, Optics

    Fun fact: I can't touch my shoulders.

  • Iris Xia

    Tournament Director

    Math & Computational Sciences, Stanford 2024
  • Hi! I'm Iris and I'm a Monta Vista High School and Kennedy Middle School SciOly alumna! Competing in Science Olympiad for the past six years has made a profound impact on my intellectual goals and introduced me to an amazing STEM community. I'm excited to continue sharing my love for SciOly as part of the GGSO team!

    Favorite events: Remote Sensing, Write It Do It, Sounds of Music

    Fun fact: Getting subbed last-minute into Meteorology in seventh grade literally shaped my research interests!

  • Caitlynn Tran

    Executive Director

    Chemistry, Stanford 2025
  • Hi! I'm Caitlynn Tran and I am an Irvington High School and Horner Junior High School SciOly alum. I have created some of my fondest memories and developed many of my passions from SciOly. I am excited to still be involved in this amazing community through GGSO and share my love for science with others.

    Favorite events: Mousetrap Vehicle, Write It Do It, Forensics

    Fun fact: I know how to spin flag, rifle, and sabre (though not particularly well for rifle and sabre).

  • Flora Huang

    Tournament Director

    Computer Science, Stanford 2025
  • Hi everyone! I'm Flora, a Lynbrook High School Science Olympiad alumna! Being a part of Science Olympiad through high school has encouraged me to pursue my STEM interests in college, and I look forward to sharing my love of science to students through GGSO!

    Favorite events: Dynamic Planet, Geologic Mapping

    Fun fact: I filled in a Water Quality science olympiad exam with Pokémon names once.

Golden Gate Science Olympiad

    Golden Gate Science Olympiad is run by Golden Gate Science League, a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

    Questions? Interested in sponsoring? Joining us as a student at Stanford or UC Berkeley next year? Shoot us an email to get involved with our team!

    Science Olympiad invitational run by UC Berkeley and Stanford University students. Coming 2026.