Jason Liang
Jason Liang (born February 7, 2007) is a National Master since 2018, a FIDE Master since 2019, and an International Master since 2021. In 2022, he received the Arthur Award for Chess Excellence from the Eade Foundation. Liang graduated from the Belmont Station Elementary School in Ashburn VA receiving an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award from President Trump. He was a student of the Eisenhower Elementary School in Boulder Valley School District, Fall 2016. Liang attended Trailside Middle School in Ashburn VA and AA Kingston Middle School in Potsdam NY. He is a current student of Potsdam High School . Liang played in his first chess tournament at age 9. At age 10, he became a Virginia State K-5 Champion and was the best U1800 player at the 118th US Open held in Norfolk VA 2017. Liang was the gold medalist of the U12 section at the North American Youth Chess Championship held in August 2019, Kingston Canada. He was also a co-champion of the Barber National Tournament of Middle School State Champions held in August 2020. Liang placed clear 1st of the U14 Section at the American Continental Selection of the 2020 FIDE World Youth Championship. Liang has  been part of the United States Chess Federation All-America Chess Team since 2020. Liang also became the 143rd New York State Chess Champion after competing on September 4-6, 2021 in Albany, New York. Liang crossed FIDE 2400 at the 49th World Open held in Philadelphia on July 3, 2021. He earned his first IM norm after scoring 7/9 at the Montreal Winter Chess Classic in March 2020. His second IM norm was achieved at the Charlotte Chess Center Summer IM Norm Invitational held in August 2020. In December 2020, Liang secured his third IM norm by earning the  silver medal at the North American Junior Chess Championship held in Charlotte, North Carolina. In August 2021, Liang tied for first place in the Charlotte Chess Center's Summer GM Norm Invitational with a score of 5.5/9, tying with GM Tanguy Ringoir and IM Aleksandr Ostrovskiy and earning a fourth IM norm. In January 2022, Liang tied for first place in the NYC Chess GM Norm Invitational with a score of 5.5/9, tying with GM Gabor Nagy. In April 2022, Liang secured his first GM norm in the New York City GrandMaster Norm Invitational with a score of 6.5/9, tying  for first place with GM Vladimir Belous. Liang's father, Chunlei Liang, is a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Clarkson University. Chunlei was a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019 from the White House.