Finalists, Mentors and Judges
The 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge Finalists and State Merit Winners have been announced! Use the tabs below to check out their big ideas and explore all finalists, winners, and 3M Scientist mentors!
Today’s Innovators
Get to know the diverse personalities of students, 3M Mentors, and others who have contributed their unique talents to the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Use the tabs below to explore exciting ideas and inspirations from previous years’ challenges.
Aaisha Asif
Muscle Power of Mussels
Meet Aaisha. Aaisha is developing a mussel-inspired, eco-friendly adhesive made from natural proteins and iron-based crosslinkers that creates strong bonds while reducing pollution.
Learn More >
Abigail Stein
Allergy Spoon
Meet Abigail. Abigail created Allergy Spoon, a smart utensil that detects allergens in food and changes color to help prevent life-threatening allergic reactions.
Learn More >
Ahmed Abdelsalam
VERDA: Nature-Inspired Energy Harvesters for a Sustainable Future
Meet Ahmed. Ahmed developed VERDA, an innovative technology that harvests energy from movement like walking, wind, and waves to support more sustainable power solutions.
Learn More >
Aiden Jo
Squeeze-gami: Folding Our Way to Recycle a container
Meet Aiden. Aiden invented Squeeze-gami, an origami-inspired solution that flattens completely to reduce waste and improve sustainable packaging.
Learn More >
Arika Kundu
LIGNEX - A Novel Biosorption Based Approach that Uses Agricultural Waste Material to Eliminate Pesticide Residues from Fresh Produce.
Meet Arika. Arika designed an innovative method using agricultural waste like peanut shells to remove pesticides from produce, combining material science with simple tools to make safer food more accessible.
Learn More >
Millie Pradawong
MACRO: Machine Learning-Augmented CRISPR Reprogramming Optimization
Millie designed a computational tool that predicts how gene editing can redirect microalgae metabolism to produce more biofuel while balancing growth and efficiency.
Learn More >
Naboshree Santra
Combating Drought Through Environmentally-Friendly Materials Engineering - Year 1
Naboshree developed biodegradable soilshade balls that reduce evaporation and help soil retain more moisture, offering a simple solution for drought-affected agriculture
Learn More >
Raji Doshi
Engineering a Novel Durable Algae-Aragonite Alkalinity System to Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification
Meet Raji. Raji created an innovative coastal solution that uses algae and natural calcium buffers to lower ocean acidity and boost marine health
Learn More >
Roy Kim
Sustainable Water Generating Chamber for Farms
Meet Roy. Roy developed a device that turns moisture in the air into water, helping farmers access a sustainable source of water in drought-prone areas.
Learn More >
Sharvi Mahajan
NeuroDrive Alert: An EEG-Based Machine Learning Alert System for Real-Time Fatigue Prediction
Meet Sharvi. Sharvi created NeuroDrive Alert, an advanced system that tracks fatigue over time to predict microsleep and enhance safety in driving and other high-risk fields.
Learn More >
Kevin Tang
FallGuard: A Realtime Fall Detection System for Home Safety
Meet Kevin. Kevin built a real-time fall detection system that uses video analysis and smart alerts to protect older adults at home—even in the dark—by recognizing falls with high accuracy and low latency on everyday devices.
Learn More >
Amaira Srivastava
FlavoPeel Cups: A Novel Approach to Food Waste, Malnutrition, and Plastic Pollution
Meet Amaira. Amaira created biodegradable cups infused with fruit peels to fight plastic waste, reduce food loss, and deliver natural nutrients through flavonoid-rich water.
Learn More >
Aniket Sarkar
Moisture Capture: Atmospheric Solution to Agriculture
Meet Aniket. Aniket designed a low-cost atmospheric moisture capturing system that pulls water from dry air to help farmers grow crops in increasingly arid regions of the American Midwest and West.
Learn More >
Anirudh Rao
An Alternative To Electrochemical Batteries Using 4-Layer Graphene Oxide and Fiberglass Substrate
Meet Anirudh. Anirudh developed a moisture-powered nano-generator that provides clean, affordable electricity for health and environmental sensors in areas without reliable access to power.
Learn More >
Divyam Desai
A Fresh Perspective on Foundation Stability using Automated Moisture Regulation
Meet Divyam. Divyam built a smart irrigation system that monitors soil moisture around building foundations and waters each zone only as needed, helping prevent structural tilt while conserving water in clay-rich regions.
Learn More >
Isha Marla
AlginaFAB - A Novel and Sustainable Alternative to Conventional Fiber Textiles using Alginate-Based Biofabrics
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.
Learn More >
Kiyara Gunawardena
Continuous Observation and Research for Aquatic Life (CORAL)
Meet Kiyara. Kiyara built CORAL, a low-cost underwater robot that captures 360° reef footage and water data for months at a time—helping scientists monitor ocean health without needing divers.
Learn More >
Reanna Bhuyan Patel
Infini-TE: Reimagining Natural Heat Sources As Versatile Electricity Generation
Meet Reanna. Reanna built a device that captures versatile electricity from surrounding heat using thermoelectric principles, offering an efficient, and accessible energy source everywhere for communities afflicted by energy waste and minimizing non-renewable dependency.
Learn More >
Sheyna Patel
PET Microplastic Removal In Water: Development of Novel Sustainable Hydrogel
Meet Sheyna. Sheyna developed a non-toxic hydrogel that captures and breaks down microplastics in water with over 93% efficiency, offering a powerful new tool to protect aquatic ecosystems.
Learn More >
Shrey Arora
FreshMate
Meet Shrey. Shrey created FreshMate, a smart fridge device that tracks food expiration dates and helps families reduce waste, save money, and make smarter choices right from their kitchen.
Learn More >
Aakash Manaswi
Carbon Dioxide to Save the Bees!
Meet Aakash. Aakash developed a natural treatment to save honeybee hives from being destroyed by the Varroa Mite.
Learn More >
Ankan Das
A Shape Memory Alloy Based Intelligent Walking Robot For Inspection and Surveillance
Meet Ankan. Ankan created a mobile robot whose overall motion is generated by simple motions without having to use motors or gears.
Learn More >
Hanna Suzuki
Audio Augmentation for Celestial Objects: Sonifying Constellations and Mapping their Sound Logos onto the Night Sky
Meet Hanna. Hanna created an AR experience by using a constellation sonifer to scan AR markers that would identify the data through sound.
Learn More >
Minula Weerasekera
Creating an Organic Redox Battery
Meet Minula. Minula created a solution for storing energy for longer through organic compounds and a sulfur-based terhiophene.
Learn More >