Benjamin Junjie Yang currently serves as Director of the Math for Humanity Circle (2025-26), following his term as Assistant Director of the Math for Humanity Circle (2024-25), on the student board of the STEM for Humanity Coalition.
Benjamin is passionate about using mathematical and engineering skills to analyze chemical structures and geochemical processes. He is a two-time AIME qualifier with distinction and author of research papers on chemistry and geochemistry. He serves as president of his school’s Invention Club, leading multiple projects that apply STEM to create positive change in local communities.
Beyond his STEM pursuits, Benjamin has a deep love for travel, writing, and painting. As a high school student in California, Benjamin authored “My Travels in China” in February 2024, a travelogue that chronicles his journeys across various regions of China. In his book, he reflected on how these experiences have transformed his understanding of both himself and the world. Benjamin is the 2026 National YoungArts Award Winner in both Writing (Nonfiction) and Design.
Captions: (Left) Benjamin’s book, “My Travels in China.” (Upper Middle) Benjamin (left) prepares and packages hot meals for the homeless in the kitchen with other volunteers in Southern California in 2023. (Lower Middle) Benjamin volunteers at the Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum in China in 2022. (Right) Benjamin participates in a wilderness survival experience in Shapotou, Zhongwei, China in 2022. (Courtesy of the Yang family)