Discovery Education and 3M have announced that a 14-year-old Indian-origin, Sirish Subash, a 9th grader at Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Snellville, Georgia, has won the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s leading science competition for middle school students.
Other Indian-origin students, including Ankan Das, Aakash Manaswi, Prince Nallamothula, Ronita Shukla, and Rithvik Suren, also took part in the competition and were awarded prizes for securing positions from fourth to tenth place.
According to a statement by Discovery Education, Subash stood out for inventing the AI-powered handheld pesticide detector. For his innovation, he was awarded a $25,000 cash prize and earned the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
Over the past four months, Sirish competed against nine other finalists, securing his victory during the final challenge events at 3M’s global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 14 and 15, added the statement. Finalists faced a series of interactive challenges and were judged on their “innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, presentation skills, and ability to inspire others.”
“This year’s Young Scientist Challenge finalists have demonstrated an incredible ability to develop creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Torie Clarke, EVP & chief public affairs officer at 3M. “I am beyond impressed and inspired by their intelligence and their scientific minds. Congratulations to this year’s Top Young Scientist, Sirish Subash, and all the finalists for their phenomenal work.”
Subash’s project, Pestiscand, is a handheld device that detects “pesticide residues on produce using a non-destructive method.” It utilizes spectrophotometry to measure how light reflects off fruits and vegetables, with a machine learning model analyzing the data to detect pesticides. The device includes a sensor, power supply, display, and processor. During testing, Pestiscand achieved over 85 per cent accuracy in identifying pesticide residues on spinach and tomatoes, successfully meeting its objectives for effectiveness and speed.
The finalists of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge are paired with a 3M scientist who serves as a mentor, working closely with them over the summer to help turn their innovative ideas into functional prototypes. This year, the first-place winner collaborated with Aditya Banerji, Senior Research Engineer at 3M’s Corporate Research Process Laboratory.
The second and third-place winners each received a $2,000 prize. These outstanding students are:
The second place went to Minula Weerasekera from Beaverton, Oregon, a 9th grader at Mountainside High School. Minula developed a solution for storing energy for longer through organic compounds and a sulfur-based terhiophene.
In third place, William Tan from Scarsdale, New York, an 8th grader at Scarsdale Middle School. William developed an AI Smart Artificial Reef that encourages coral, seashells, kelp and other marine life to grow in a safe and controlled environment.
The fourth through tenth place winners each receive a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card. These finalists, in alphabetical order by last name, are:
Ankan Das from Sanford, Florida, a 9th grader at Oviedo High School in the Seminole County School District
Steven Goodman from Lake Mary, Florida, an 8th grader at Milwee Middle School in the Seminole County School District
Aakash Manaswi from Orlando, Florida, a 9th grader at Lake Highland Preparatory School
Prince Nallamothula from Frisco, Texas, a 9th grader at Centennial High School in the Frisco Independent School District
Ronita Shukla from Acton, Massachusetts, an 8th grader at RJ Grey Junior High School in the Acton Boxborough Regional School District
Rithvik Suren from Ellington, Connecticut, a 9th grader at Academy of Aerospace & Engineering in the CREC School District
Hanna Suzuki from Bedford, Massachusetts, a 9th grader at Bedford High School in the Bedford School District
“Discovery Education is incredibly proud to support student innovation over the past 17 years through the 3M Young Scientist Challenge,” said Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “It is more important than ever that future generations are given the tools needed to tackle real-world problems. Each remarkable participant has embodied the curiosity that will fuel these discoveries, and we congratulate them all.”
