Bennet Chen retakes first place in state Soybean Science Challenge
May 19, 2026
By the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Little Rock junior returns to nabfirst place
- Project uses large historical data set to forecast yield outcomes
- Students, teachers recognized for contributions to future ag industry
(741 words)
Download photo of Chen
LITTLE ROCK — Bennet Chen, a Little Rock Central High School junior, took first place in this year’s Soybean Science Challenge state-level competition. It was Chen’s third time on the podium in three consecutive years.
Chen, 16, had previously taken first place in the statewide competition in 2024, and second place in 2025. In 2026, Chen first won the Soybean Science Challenge regional award at the Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair, held at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock on Feb. 27. Chen’s project also placed first in the Earth and Environmental Science category and received the Air Force Achievement Award.
For his winning project, Chen developed a computer model to predict crop yields based on different environmental factors and time spans. According to the project’s abstract, Chen used 388 climate, soil, elevation and yield data points, collected over about a century, forming “one of the most comprehensive county-level environmental datasets compiled for yield forecasting.”
The project was named a regional finalist for the Society for Science’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona, where it was awarded third place in the Earth and Environmental Science category, earning him a $1,200 award.
Chen said his research process gave him a greater appreciation of soybeans to both the state and global economies.
“Before my work on my project, I knew the importance of Arkansas soybeans to the state economy, and that soybeans were used in many of the foods I loved, including tofu and edamame,” Chen said. “However, through this program, and through the Soybean Science Challenge Course, I gained a deeper understanding of the wide impact of soybeans as an agricultural staple in many fields, from biofuel to paper to animal feed.”
Chen received a $1,000 cash award at the state fair, held at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on April 3. Chen won a $400 cash award at the regional fair. The awards were provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board.
Lee Conrad, Chen’s teacher, won the $300 Soybean Science Challenge First Place Teacher-Mentor Award at the state competition and the regional $200 Teacher-Mentor Award. Conrad said the Soybean Science Challenge is a great tool for teaching students about both agriculture and economics in unexpected ways.
“I think we are missing a grand opportunity in Arkansas to highlight more agricultural topics in our classrooms,” she said. “I love having the Soybean Science Challenge as one way that students can get motivated to learn more about this important industry for our state and nation.”
Julie Robinson, extension professor and Soybean Science Challenge program director for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said the program provides an opportunity for Arkansas junior high and high school students to participate in scientific research that can impact the state of Arkansas as well as the world.
“Soybean Science Challenge student researchers learn about this important commodity crop and its many uses, including feeding the world, development of biofuels and sustainable products,” Robinson said. It also “helps students develop an understanding of the challenges and complexities of modern farming.”
Gary Sitzer, a former member of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, said the goal of the Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge is to engage students in real-world education, supporting soybean production and agricultural sustainability.
“The program also rewards scientific inquiry and discovery that supports the Arkansas soybean industry,” Sitzer said.
Alisa Menyaeva, 16, a sophomore at Little Rock Central High School, was awarded second place in the state science fair.
Ariana Sadiq, 15, a freshman at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, received honorable mention for her state fair project.
This year’s regional winners include:
- Ouachita Mountains Region: Presley Rogers, senior division; Mabyn Kyles, junior division
- West-Central Arkansas Region: Raegan Smith, senior division
- Central Arkansas Region: Bennet Chen, senior division; Sara Chen, junior division
- Northeast Arkansas Region: Jacob Davis, senior division; Andrew Weiss and Jake Sanders, junior division (team)
- Northwest Arkansas Region: Gideon Blevins, senior division; Evelyn Clark and Agustin “TinTin” Rosso, junior division (team)
The Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge was launched in January 2014 for science students in the ninth through twelfth grades. Students who successfully complete the online course are eligible to have their original soybean-related research projects judged at the 2026 ISEF-affiliated Arkansas Science and Engineering Fairs.
Information on the 2026-2027 Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge will be available in summer 2026. For more information, contact Dr. Julie Robinson at jrobinson@uada.edu or Keith Harris at krharris@uada.edu or Diedre Young at dyoung@uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
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