America’s Top Young Scientist of 2023

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

Image Courtesy: Google

America’s Top Young Scientist Award – 2023

Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old ninth grader from Annandale, Virginia, has achieved an incredible feat by winning the esteemed “America’s Top Young Scientist” award. Presented by 3M and Discovery Education, this award is considered one of the nation’s premier middle school science competitions.

The Competition

Heman’s journey to this prestigious title involved four months of intense competition against nine other finalists. The competition’s aim is to empower students ranging from fifth to eighth grade to conceive innovative ideas capable of positively impacting their world.

Grand Prize Winner

Heman clinched the grand prize at 3M’s headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 9 and 10. His accomplishment is not just an honorary achievement; it comes with a substantial $25,000 cash prize.

Other Remarkable Innovators

The competition also recognized the ingenuity of other young minds. Shripriya Kalbhavi, a ninth-grader from San Jose, California, secured second place for her development of a cost-effective patch that enables self-automated medication delivery without the need for pills or needles. Meanwhile, Sarah Wang, a seventh-grader from Andover, Massachusetts, came in third place for inventing a glove capable of detecting certain epileptic seizures through common hand movements.

Acknowledging Young Talent

In addition to the top three winners, participants who secured positions fourth through tenth were awarded a $1,000 prize along with a $500 gift card. These bright minds hailed from various cities across the United States.

Heman’s Innovative Solution

Heman’s winning invention is a compound-based bar of soap meticulously designed to treat melanoma, a form of skin cancer. Remarkably, this life-changing soap costs just around $0.50 to produce.

A Vision for the Future

Heman aspires to further refine his groundbreaking innovation and establish a non-profit organization. His goal is to distribute this soap to communities in need over the next five years, thus extending its positive impact.

Rising Skin Cancer Cases

Heman’s invention holds profound significance in the context of the United States, where skin cancer cases have been steadily increasing over the past few decades. According to the National Cancer Institute, the rate of new cases rose to 24.1 per 100,000 people in 2019, compared to 14.6 in 1992. Skin cancer is a global concern, with an estimated 1.5 million new cases in 2020, making it one of the most commonly diagnosed groups of cancers worldwide, as reported by the National Institute of Health.

 

Bekele’s innovation, a compound-based soap bar, is not only revolutionary but also cost-effective, with a production cost of approximately $.50 per bar. The young scientist envisions refining his invention further and establishing a non-profit organization to distribute the soap to communities in need over the next half-decade.
Bekele worked with a 3M scientist mentor, Dr Mahfuza Ali, who helped him refine his innovation and prepare for the final event.
“I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world,” Bekele, who was born in Ethiopia and moved to the US when he was four years old, expressed in his award submission, the USA Today said in a report. He further elaborated on his passion for biology and technology, stating, “This challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas.”

The “America’s Top Young Scientist” competition is designed to encourage students between fifth and eighth grades to conceptualize and present innovative ideas that can transform the world. The winner of this esteemed competition receives a cash prize of $25,000. This year, the grand prize ceremony took place at 3M’s headquarters in St Paul, Minnesota, on October 9 and 10.

Other notable participants included Shripriya Kalbhavi, a ninth-grader from San Jose, California, who secured second place for her invention of a cost-effective patch that facilitates self-automated medication delivery, eliminating the need for pills or needles. Sarah Wang, a seventh-grader from Andover, Massachusetts, clinched third place with her innovative glove capable of detecting specific epileptic seizures through common hand movements. Both Shripriya and Sarah were awarded $2,000, while students ranking fourth to tenth received a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card.

Skin cancer has been on the rise in the US, with the National Cancer Institute reporting an increase in new cases from 14.6 per 100,000 people in 1992 to 24.1 in 2019. The National Institute of Health has also highlighted skin cancer as one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer groups globally, estimating 1.5 million new cases in 2020.
Bekele’s invention comes at a crucial time, offering a potential low-cost solution to a growing global health concern. As the world awaits further developments on his innovative soap, Bekele stands as a testament to the potential of young minds to make transformative contributions to society.

 

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur