A 17-year-old Fort McMurray student has been named the winner of an international science competition.

Maryam Tsegaye, a grade 12 student at cole McTavish, was one of 30 teens in the running for the 2020 Breakthrough Challenge.

Competitors were tasked with explaining a tough science concept in three minutes or less on video with Tsegaye choosing quantum tunneling.

Along with being the first winner from the community, she’s also the first from Canada.

“Hopefully won’t be the last, I’m wanting there to be more Canadians, more people, and even Ethiopians where my family is from,” said Tsegaye.

For winning, Tsegaye will receive a $250,000 scholarship, while her science teacher Katherine Vladicka-Davies will get a $50,000 cash prize.

cole McTavish will also receive $100,000 to build a state-of-the-art science lab.

“To have access to that kind of equipment and a lab like that at school, it’s a lot and definitely will help foster a love of science in the community,” added Tsegaye.