The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation recently announced the winners of their 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge, an international art contest for students aged 11 to 19 that promotes ocean conservation. This year’s theme was Marine Keystone Species for which over 1,300 young artists around the world submitted works focused on subjects like krill, sea urchins, corals, and sharks.
“The winning entries are not only beautiful pieces of artwork —they are a tribute to the animals that keep our ocean ecosystems in balance” – Living Oceans Foundation
11-14 Age Group Winners
In the 11–14 age group, Gia Kim, age 12, from Los Angeles, California, earned first place for “Melting Grounds,” her powerful painting of krill.
“I hope this piece raises awareness about our damaged ocean and what could happen if we continue to harm it,” said Gia. “This is our planet, and we can make a change, starting with our warming ocean.”
Second place in the 11–14 age group went to Kate Wang from Canada for “Seagrass Savior,” which illustrates the importance of tiger sharks for fragile seagrass ecosystems. Third place was awarded to Annie Douglas from The Bahamas for “The Beauty of Coral Reef,” celebrating reef-building corals.
15-19 Age Group Winners
In the 15-19 age group, the first-place winner of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge is Hyungjun Chin, with his enchanting piece, “The Keeper.”
“Winning the Science Without Borders Challenge® means a lot to me,” said Hyungjun. “It feels incredibly rewarding to have my artwork recognized on an international level, especially when it’s about a topic I care deeply about—the environment. I wanted my artwork to show how every species has a role and how protecting even one can save many.”
Second place in the 15–19 category went to Kimin Kim of the Republic of Korea for her artwork, “Bridge Between Waters and Worlds” while third place went to Daniel Yu from Hackensack, New Jersey, for “The Sea’s Yggdrasil.”
