A 14-year-old from Snellville, Georgia, just snagged one of the most prestigious science titles in the country.
As with most inventions, ninth grader Sirish Subash started with something ordinary. His mother would instruct him constantly to wash his apples and berries before eating them. He began to question himself if that quick wash off in the faucet really was that helpful.
That curiosity inspired him to create a handheld tester that finds pesticide residues on fresh produce.
His creation won him the grand prize at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, $25,000 in cold hard cash, and the highly sought-after title America’s Top Young Scientist.
A Problem in Plain Sight
His research uncovered disconcerting findings. About 70% of produce remains contaminated with pesticide residue after washing.
Long-term exposure to these compounds has been linked to diseases such as cancer, hormonal imbalances, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
“If we could detect them, we could avoid consuming them and reduce the risk of those health issues,” Sirish explained.
The Origin of PestiSCAND
That realization birthed PestiSCAND, a portable device that uses spectrophotometry and artificial intelligence. The device works by shining light upon the produce’s surface and then analyzing how light is absorbed or reflected.
Chemical residues react differently when light passes through them, creating a kind of “signature” that PestiSCAND is able to discern.
Sirish taught his system with over 12,000 examples of everyday foods such as apples, spinach, strawberries, and tomatoes. With experience in recognizing spectral fingerprints of pesticides, the device will identify contamination with remarkable precision.
The prototype had an 85% detection rate, besting both speed and reliability goals for the project. Sirish would like to refine the model further and get PestiSCAND out to ordinary families.
His hoped-for price point? About $20 per device, levels that would get food-safety technology to millions of kitchen tables.
Four Months, One Mentor, and One Big Stage
But Sirish was not going to do it by himself. As one of nine national finalists in the Young Scientist Challenge, Sirish was matched with a 3M mentor scientist four months prior to the final event.
Both of them together perfected his idea into a prototype to test on the grand stage.
This competition finished in April at 3M’s headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, where finalists presented their inventions to judges.
Standing out amidst a talented array of projects from medical devices to environmental remediations was Sirish’s PestiSCAND by reason both of practical importance and far-reaching consequences.
Both of them together perfected his idea into a prototype to test on the grand stage. This competition finished in April at 3M’s headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, where finalists presented their inventions to judges.
“I am beyond impressed and inspired by this year’s Young Scientist Challenge finalists,” said Dan Loje, senior program manager, 3M Foundation, “who have demonstrated an incredible ability to develop creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”
More Than Just a Prize
The win is greater than the trophy and the check to Sirish. His goal is MIT, his dream university, and from his perspective, money will enable him to invest in his future educational endeavors. He also hopes to keep experimenting with his device and make it to the market one day.
Merging technical expertise with practical issues, he’s entered rarefied company among younger innovators who wish to apply science for social impact.
Inspiring a Generation
In its 17th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge has evolved to become a platform for middle and high school students who think big. Previous winners have gone on to file patents, start their own startups, and appear in “30 Under 30” rankings.
With pesticide use still a cause for concern among growers and buyers, an affordable detector would make a difference for many.
Buyers would feel greater peace about their families’ edibles, and growers would better enforce measures regarding food safety before products appear on store shelves.
Looking Ahead
The exposure, the mentorship, and having had the opportunity to see his idea take form have provided him with a preview of what is possible.
And if history is any guide, it does not stop here. Past Young Scientist Challenge winners have gone on to refine their creations into practical solutions to issues as varied as pollution in our Oceans and the diagnosis of disease.
Sirish’s odyssey from curious kitchen question to national platform is a reminder that one day’s scientific breakthrough might not necessarily come from some corporate research lab or university think tank.
Once in a while, it comes from a child asking his mother why on earth one would wash an apple.
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