Meet the Mentor:

Dr. Mahfuza Ali

3M Corporate Scientist

Materials Resource Division

Meet Dr. Ali. Dr. Ali is a Corporate Scientist in 3M’s Film & Materials Science Division, having achieved the highest ranking among scientific roles at the company. She is a world-renowned technology leader and has been invited to speak across the globe.

She invented and developed a novel Quaternary Ammonium Materials Technology Platform that has generated several highly successful commercialized products for 3M, including antistatic polarizer films used for laptops and TVs, ink-receptive films used for printing durable, brighter images, antimicrobial coatings, and paint blocking masking tapes.

Dr. Ali joined 3M after graduating with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Kentucky and a fellowship at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She has co-authored over 60 patents that cover a large variety of commercialized products in multiple markets and across business units. Dr. Ali has received many prestigious national awards and honors, including being inducted into the 3M Carlton Society in 2020. The Carlton Society is reserved for the top scientists at 3M, based on scientific prowess, real life applications, and a commitment to mentoring. She was also recently selected as North America’s top Industrial Chemist for 2020 by the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific community.

In addition to her day-to-day work in the lab, Dr. Ali enjoys teaching science classes to high school students in 3M’s Science Training Encouragement Program and offering enrichment science classes at a local elementary school in Minnesota. She has served on the board of directors of the Schubert Club organization and as a volunteer council member of the Salon Se Leve Musical Organization. Dr. Ali has been invited to judge the national Distinguished Young Women of America program and continues to mentor many young scientists worldwide.

Dr. Ali is the inventor of several material technologies including specialty thermoplastic and pressure sensitive adhesive polymers, antistatic quaternary monomers and polymers, ink-receptive and paint blocking polymers and surface modification.

Mentees

2018 Finalist

Cameron Sharma

uFlu: Your Personalized Flu Vaccine

Cameron created a computer model that calculates the seasonal flu vaccine using artificial intelligence (AI) and deep machine learning to identify personalized flue vaccines.

2017 Finalist

Austin Crouchley

Archimedes Inspired Hydro-Powered Solar PV Azimuth Tracking Mechanism: Improving the Efficiency of Renewable Energy in Developing Nations

Austin hopes to improve the efficiency of renewable energy in developing nations using a unique low-cost solar tracker alternative.

2016 Finalist

Kaien Yang

Bioplastics - Redefining Future

Meet Kaien. Kaien’s invention focuses on creating a biodegradable plastic to help reduce pollution worldwide. Using a combination of natural biodegradable resources, Kaien believes his invention has the capability of solving the one of the world’s most persistent problems.

2015 Finalist

Arthur Frigo III

Reducing CO2 emissions from cargo ships

In one of many endeavors to learn more about science, Arthur hopes the Young Scientist Challenge will help feed his never-ending curiosity of science.

2014 Finalist

Mythri Ambatipudi

Breaking the AGE Barrier!!!

Meet Mythri. Mythri’s invention seeks to address the root cause of many life-threatening diseases, like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Her passion for science, research, and computational biochemistry fueled her desire to enter the Young Scientist Challenge. Mythri loves reading books, both fiction and nonfiction, on her Kindle.