AI concept

3M and Discovery Education named Sirish Subash, a 9th grader at Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Snellville, Georgia, the winner of the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science competition. Sirish set himself apart with an AI handheld pesticide detector. As the grand prize winner, he received a $25,000 cash prize and the prestigious title of "America's Top Young Scientist."

Sirish spent the last four months competing against nine other finalists and secured his win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St. Paul on Oct. 14 and 15. Finalists navigated a series of interactive challenges and were evaluated on their ingenuity and 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," says 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."  

Sirish Subash's project, Pestiscand, is a handheld device designed to detect pesticide residues on produce using a non-destructive method. It employs spectrophotometry, which involves measuring how light of various wavelengths is reflected off the surface of fruits and vegetables. A machine learning model then analyzes this data to determine the presence of pesticides. Pestiscand consists of a sensor, a power supply, a display screen, and a processor. During testing, the device achieved an accuracy rate of identifying pesticide residues on spinach and tomatoes of greater than 85 percent, meeting the project's objectives for effectiveness and speed. 

3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors and works with them one-on-one over the summer to transform their idea from concept to prototype. This year's winner was paired with Aditya Banerji, senior research engineer of 3M's Corporate Research Process Laboratory.   

The second and third place winners from the Young Scientist Challenge each receive a $2,000 prize. Read about their inventions here.

For more innovative concepts, read up on last year’s Young Scientist Challenge finalists here.