In early February 2026, 475 students from across Southeast Asia arrived in Penang, Malaysia, with one shared goal: to show that young people can solve real problems. Over four days, they did exactly that. The 14th Regional Congress of the Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS), held from 9 to 12 February, brought together student researchers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Guided by 127 teacher advis