Innovative Minds: Sophia Weiner

Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | 8th grade | 14 years old

Muck-rete: Constructive Utilization of Indian River Lagoon Muck

About the Idea

Meet Sophia. Sophia created Muck-rete, a constructive way to utilize muck found in water as an aggregate in concrete and eliminate the need for Muck-sites.

Why did you enter the 3M Young Scientist Challenge?

I decided to enter the Young Scientist Challenge because I am very passionate about my project and I want the opportunity to see if there is actual potential in what I have created. I want my project to be successful because something that is so destructive, can actually become something incredibly useful. Cleaning this Muck out of our waters will not only help the Indian River Lagoon recover but possibly the entire world could be affected in a positive way and be encouraged to do the same. Getting the chance to work with 3M scientists to perfect my project would be a chance of a lifetime, and I would love to work with them to make my Muck-rete the strongest it could possibly be.

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

My favorite invention of the last 100 years is modern rocketry. Modern rocketry was critical to a wide variety of incredible inventions that we use every day. Without modern rocketry, we would never have had a way to get satellites up in space or have the driving reason to create computers. The only way to get a satellite into orbit is by using a rocket, satellites give us the internet, GPS, and countless other things that only satellites can provide. And in 1960, NASA created the computer to provide guidance and navigation control in rockets which allowed us to eventually send humans to space!

In 15 years I hope to be...

doing something that I love that helps change the world or even just a couple of people’s lives. I don’t know exactly what that will be, but I know that it will be something that matters. It could be becoming a doctor or surgeon, possibly a lawyer or politician, and maybe even an entrepreneur who started a company that employs many people.