An Israeli student has taken first place in the 19th international First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics research contest that took place on Sunday, July 17.

Oren Halevy of Be'er Sheva outclassed high-school students from 75 countries to take the top prize at the competition in Poland.

Halevy was joined in the competition by four other Israelis -- Rami Alex, Maya Hen Shor, Daniela Arcady Levin, and Frederik Alexander Sherman -- all of whom, like him, are graduates of the comprehensive AMIT high school program and students at the Ilan Ramon Center for Science.

Halevy won as a result of his work in biophysics, specifically the direct measurement of DNA hairpin dynamics. In addition to an award of 500 euros, Halevy has the opportunity over the next month to tour Poland and meet with leading world physicists.