The USA Brain Bee is proud to announce that Claire Zhou, the 2025 USA Brain Bee National Champion, has earned the title of International Brain Bee (IBB) World Champion, rising to the top among competitors representing 40 countries across the globe.
Claire, a high school senior, first won the Atlanta Brain Bee in the spring before advancing to claim the national title in May. Her victory earned her a place on the international stage at the IBB World Championship, where she excelled through every phase of the rigorous, multi-day competition. In addition to securing the top overall award, Claire also received the Neuroanatomy/Histology Award, which includes a cash prize and a special edition book honoring 1906 Nobel Laureate Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
As the newly named World Champion, Claire was awarded $3,000 in prize funds and will have the opportunity to participate in the third IBB NextGen event at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.
Reflecting on the moment she realized she had won, Claire shared that she felt “speechless, honored, and very grateful for those who supported me along the way. Looking back, the Brain Bee has been an amazing and eye-opening journey.”
Claire discovered neuroscience just over a year ago. She initially struggled through dense textbooks, but everything changed when she found the Brain Bee. “The Brain Bee introduced me to Brain Facts, a more beginner-friendly book that still carried a lot of breadth,” she explained. “Over the next few months, I was introduced to the vastness of the nervous system and its importance to society. A year ago, I never could have imagined what was possible.”
Her favorite subject throughout training quickly became neuroanatomy. “I absolutely loved seeing the inferior olive in the medulla and searching for the tracts in the spinal cord,” she said. “It brings me so much joy to see the physical beauty of the nervous system. I think this is the kind of joy the Brain Bee succeeds in bringing forward.”
Representing the United States was another meaningful part of the experience. “I am proud to have represented all the talented and bright peers back home in the USA,” Claire reflected. “I felt a sense of global unity that was core to the IBB experience, and I learned so much from my international peers.”
Claire’s achievement marks a milestone for the USA Brain Bee community and highlights the power of mentorship, opportunity, and scientific curiosity. Her success reflects not only her own exceptional dedication, but also the commitment of regional coordinators, educators, volunteers, and families across the country who make the Brain Bee possible.
A special acknowledgment goes to Corey Walker, Atlanta Brain Bee Coordinator, who supervised Claire during the IBB exams.
To celebrate this remarkable achievement, Claire will join USA Brain Bee Director Manuella Oliveira Yassa, Ph.D., for an Instagram Live interview on Friday, November 21 at 3:30pm PST. Students, educators, and neuroscience enthusiasts are invited to tune in, congratulate her, and ask questions about her journey.
Information about the International Brain Bee can be found at thebrainbee.org
Questions? Please email USA Brain Bee Director at Manuella.Yassa@uci.edu
