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Five Indian-origin students reach 3M science finals
Finalists will compete for a $25,000 prize after summer mentorship.
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Ankita Baidya - Thu, 09, Jul 2026
- 03:45 EDT
- 42
Five Indian-origin students are among the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge. / 3M
Five Indian-origin students are among the 10 finalists announced for the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science competition, according to a joint announcement by 3M.
Now in its 19th year, the annual challenge invites students in fifth through eighth grade to apply STEM concepts to develop solutions for real-world problems.
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The Indian-origin finalists named in the announcement are Raji Doshi of Farmington, Connecticut, a student at Talcott Mountain Academy; Arika Kundu of Shorewood, Minnesota, a student at Minnetonka Middle School East; Sharvi Mahajan of San Diego, California, a student at Bernardo Heights Middle School; Naboshree Santra of Oviedo, Florida, a student at Jackson Heights Middle School; and Aaisha Asif of Sarasota, Florida, a student at Pine View School, according to the finalist list released by 3M.
Each of the 10 finalists, aged 11 to 14, developed a project addressing an everyday problem and pitched it through a one- to two-minute video entry, according to the announcement.
The proposals align with two of 3M's 49 technology platforms, Climate Tech and Safety, and were evaluated by a panel of judges that included 3M scientists and education leaders based on creativity, scientific knowledge and communication effectiveness.
"The 3M Young Scientist Challenge brings together student curiosity, scientific thinking and 3M mentorship to turn promising ideas into real solutions," 3M Chairman and CEO William Brown said in the announcement.
Brown added that 3M is focused on helping the young innovators "strengthen their ideas and apply science in ways that can make a meaningful impact," according to the statement.
Discovery Education CEO Brian Shaw said the finalists "prove you can be a scientist at any age," noting that each student "pursued their curiosity with persistence, turning an idea into an innovation.”
Each finalist will take part in an exclusive summer mentorship program with a 3M scientist to help advance their projects.
All 10 finalists will then gather at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 12-13 for the final round of the competition, where they will participate in live challenges and present their projects before a panel of judges.
The winner will receive a $25,000 grand prize and be named America's Top Young Scientist, while the experience is designed to help all finalists further develop their ideas through collaboration with scientists and industry experts.
Past finalists and 3M scientists have developed solutions addressing cybersecurity, coral reef health, water conservation, food safety, energy consumption, air pollution and transportation efficiency.
Past winners include Gitanjali Rao, named TIME's first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020, and Heman Bekele, named TIME's 2024 Kid of the Year.
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network, established in 2022, now includes more than 100 former winners, finalists and mentors who continue to support innovation and STEM education.
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