A 10th-grade student from Burlington, Ontario, has designed a bionic sea turtle robot to enhance the safety and cleanliness of underwater environments. Evan Budz created the autonomous robot using artificial intelligence for ecological monitoring. His invention, which mimics a sea turtle’s swimming behavior, won the top prize at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).
Evan, aged 15, also received recognition for Best Project (Innovation) at the 2025 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredericton and was granted the Ellison Scholars Award, earning a trip to Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
The EUCYS competition, organized by the European Commission, highlights scientific talent globally. This year’s event in Riga, Latvia, featured participants aged 14 to 20 from 40 countries, with first-place winners awarded 7,000 euros each.
Sara Waqas, a 16-year-old from Calgary, won the CWSF 2025 Best Project (Discovery) and secured second place at EUCYS for her research on treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Evan’s bionic turtle aims to detect threats in underwater environments, aiding organizations in identifying and addressing issues to improve overall ecosystem health. Inspired by a snapping turtle’s movement, Evan designed the robot to minimize disruption to the environment during ecological monitoring.
Testing in his grandparents’ pool showed the robot’s high accuracy in detecting replicated coral bleaching, with a 96% success rate. Reni Barlow, executive director at Youth Science Canada, praised Evan and Sara’s projects for addressing critical challenges and showcasing Canadian youth’s innovative capabilities.
Chandra Sharma, president and CEO of Conservation Halton, commended Evan for his environmentally conscious monitoring approach, aligning with Conservation Halton’s values. Sharma applauded Evan’s dedication to marine conservation and innovation, expressing excitement for his future contributions to the field.
