Innovative Minds: Isha Marla

Tumwater Middle School | 8th grade | 14 years old

AlginaFAB - A Novel and Sustainable Alternative to Conventional Fiber Textiles using Alginate-Based Biofabrics

About the Idea

Meet Isha. Isha created AlginaFAB, a fabric made from seaweed and natural ingredients that mimics the strength and flexibility of traditional textiles while breaking down easily in the environment—offering an alternate future for fashion.

Why did you enter the 3M Young Scientist Challenge?

After coming across the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, I recognized this incredible opportunity and knew that it was an amazing chance to showcase my design that I have been working on. I have a passion for science and I truly believe that my project has the potential to be a sustainable alternative to conventional textiles and if I were to gain mentorship with a 3M scientist, I could take my project to a new level and impact the world with my invention. The 3M Young Scientist challenge is an amazing opportunity to be a hard-worker, a communicator, and a young inventor.

What is your favorite invention of the last 100 years, and why?

My favorite invention of the past 100 years is the drum set. I am equally passionate about both music and science and I have been studying piano and percussion for 8 years. When I play the drum set, I often think about how it connects back to science and forms a bridge between my passions. For example, each part of a drum set symbolizes the numerous areas of study within science, and how their discoveries build on each other. Songs on the drum set have defined rhythm, just like how the scientific method has a specific structure, but once the basic structure is established, you can experiment and be creative. Lastly, a key element of drum set is improvisation, where you try new fills and sticking patterns. In science, that's where discoveries happen when scientists improvise and come up with new ways to positively impact the world!

In 15 years I hope to be...

A practicing cardiovascular surgeon, helping people at important times in their lives. I want to be an innovator in the field, perform life-saving surgeries, and work with a strong team of dedicated individuals. I hope to also do research and bring new discoveries to the medical field. Lastly, I want to make a difference with the purpose of making just one person’s life better.