Montgomery Blair High School senior Timothy Qian has been named a top 10 winner in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the most prestigious high school science competitions in the nation. Qian is among 40 finalists nationwide and one of two from the state of Maryland. He placed fifth and was awarded a $90,000 prize.

His project is Optimal Measurement of Field Properties with Quantum Sensor Networks. Qian conducted research in the field of quantum metrology for his physics project. His study uses quantum entanglement to get more accurate measurements. He developed an innovative protocol that could one day be used with quantum sensor networks to improve hardware controlling quantum computers and improve nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.

At Blair, Qian is captain of the math, computer science and science bowl teams. He writes problems as an organizer of his school’s math and informatics tournaments, competitions that expanded worldwide in 2020 when the pandemic moved online. He also volunteered as a coach for his local middle school math team, and plays viola as a part of his local youth orchestra.

The 40 finalists were selected from 1,760 entrants. The Regeneron Science Talent Search is a program of Society for Science and is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors. The competition focuses on identifying the next generation of scientists and engineers who will provide critical leadership in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges while shaping the future of research and development for our nation and the world. Each finalist received a minimum $25,000 award, and the top 10 awards ranged from $40,000 to $250,000.