2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge Finalists: 15-19 year old students
The response to our 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge has been overwhelming! We’ve been blown away by the sheer number of submissions we received from aspiring young scientists and artists worldwide. These gifted students come from all over the globe, including The Bahamas, Canada, China, Greece, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, and the United States. Their artwork brings the 2025 theme, “Marine Keystone Species,” to life in extraordinary ways. From intricate illustrations of krill and coral to impactful portrayals of sharks, sea otters, polar bears, mangroves, and more, each piece highlights the essential roles these species play in maintaining ocean balance and biodiversity.
Entries to the Science Without Borders® Challenge are judged in two categories based on age. Here are the finalists selected from the older group of applicants, students 15-19 years old:
"Interconnected" by Alaina Swartzlander, Age 16, United States of America
ARTIST'S STATEMENT: I chose to include several keystone species such as krill, coral, sea otters, sharks, mangroves, starfish, mangrove crabs, oysters, and parrotfish. Because of the ocean’s interconnectivity, losing even one species has a dramatic effect. Though coral reefs and mangroves are often thought of first as keystone species as they provide crucial habitat, others are equally important. I incorporated some lesser-known species, such as oysters that filter water and krill that serve as a vital food source for myriad organisms, to reflect the diversity in marine keystone species. By representing multiple organisms critical to the ocean ecosystem’s health, from the well-known sea otter to the undervalued krill, I hope to portray their equal importance in the food web. Protecting the ocean as a whole, with efforts to conserve all species regardless of popularity or prominence, is important for the continuation of biodiversity and a healthy world.