Zabeer Zarif Akhter, a student of St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, has been selected to attend the CERN-Solvay student camp in Geneva, Switzerland, scheduled from April 19 to April 25, 2026.

The CERN-Solvay student camp is a one-week residential experience held at the world's largest particle physics laboratory, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), in Geneva. Participants will visit research facilities, take part in guided experiments and engage with leading scientists in the field.

To receive the chance to attend the international student camp program, Zabeer was selected from a highly competitive global pool, with about 2,500 applicants representing 120 countries, with only around 30 students worldwide making the final cut.

In order to apply for the camp, Zabeer said that he completed an online course as required by the programme, submitted his academic transcript, a recommendation letter from a teacher, a one-minute video presentation, and answered eight descriptive questions detailing his motivation and activities. 

He added that his record of international science competition success, including his national championship and global finalist status in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, gold and silver medals in the World Innovative Science Project Olympiad 2024, and a bronze medal in the Genius Olympiad 2025, was key to his strong application.

Zabeer also said that he hopes to use the experience at CERN to deepen his understanding of experimental physics and bring back insights that will inspire more Bangladeshi students to pursue careers in science and research.

Zabeer completed his SSC in 2023 from Bogura Cantonment Public School & College and is currently enrolled in the HSC 2025 batch at St. Joseph.