{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"172910","rtpr_id":"nACSFN1Jza-20261019","ticker":"MMM","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["MMM"],"title":"13-Year-Old Raji Doshi Named America's Top Young Scientist for Inventing Natural System To Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification","author":"ACCESSWIRE","published_at":"2026-10-19T14:45:05.907Z","article_body":"NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire (https://www.accessnewswire.com/) / October\n19, 2026 / Originally published on 3M News Center (https://pr.report/sgq6)\n\n3M and Discovery Education named 8th grader Raji Doshi as the winner of the\n2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science\ncompetition. Raji lives in Farmington, Connecticut, and attends Stanford\nOnline High School. She distinguished herself by engineering a natural\nalgae-and-aragonite system, an inventive solution to address ocean\nacidification by increasing alkalinity and removing carbon dioxide from\nseawater. As the grand prize winner, Raji received a $25,000 cash prize and\nthe prestigious title of \"America's Top Young Scientist.\"\n\nRaji spent the summer competing against nine other finalists and ultimately\nsecured the win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St.\nPaul, Minnesota, on Oct. 12 and 13, 2026. The 2026 finalists, ages 11 to 14,\neach identified an everyday problem, developed an innovative solution, and\npitched their project through a one- to two-minute entry video. Their\nproposals aligned to 3M technology platforms including climate tech and\nsafety, and finalists were evaluated on their creativity, scientific\nknowledge, communication effectiveness, ingenuity, application of STEM\nprinciples, and demonstration of research.\n\nRaji's project, Engineering a Novel Durable Algae-Aragonite Alkalinity System\nto Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification, tests whether macroalgae cultivation\npaired with natural calcium carbonate buffers could create a durable, low-cost\nsystem for reducing coastal acidification, a growing threat to marine\necosystems. The solution reflects the 3M Young Scientist Challenge's focus on\nencouraging middle school students to think creatively, apply the power of\nSTEM, and develop real-world solutions that can make a meaningful impact.\nThrough carbonite chemistry analysis, Raji demonstrated the efficacy of\naragonite in increasing algae biomass, removing carbon dioxide, and\nsubstantially lowering dissolved carbon dioxide. She also developed a\nMichaelis-Menten computational model to identify an optimal aragonite dose, a\nstep toward making climate solutions more practical for coastal\ncommunities. \n\n\"The 3M Young Scientist Challenge highlights the incredible potential of young\npeople to tackle real-world challenges through science,\" said William Brown,\n3M Chairman and CEO. \"The talent and creativity displayed by this year's\nfinalists was exceptional, and we congratulate Raji on earning the title of\nAmerica's Top Young Scientist.\"\n\nEach 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalist is paired with a 3M scientist who\nmentors and works with them one-on-one over the summer to transform their\nideas from concept to prototype. This year's winner was paired with Deborah\nIsabelle, a product engineering specialist at 3M.\n\n\"Raji's project reminds us that when you're passionate about something, you\ncan use that interest to change the world, said Isabelle. \"She loves\ncollecting seashells and was distressed that ocean acidification is starting\nto damage the seashells and the creatures that live inside them. It was that\npassion that led her to create ALKACORE to address the ocean acidification\nissue.\"\n\nThe second and third place winners from the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge\nalso receive special recognition, including a $1,000 prize. This year's\nrunners-up are:\n* Aaisha Asif, a 7th grader from Sarasota, Fla., Pine View, Sarasota County\nSchools\n* Sharvi Mahajan, a 9th grader from San Diego, Calif., Westview High School,\nPoway Unified School District\nThe remaining top finalists from the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, in\nalphabetical order by last name, are:\n* Ahmed Abdelsalam, a 7th grader from Cambridge, Mass., Darby Vassall Upper\nSchool, Cambridge Public Schools\n* Aiden Jo, a 9th grader from Houston, Texas, Strake Jesuit College\nPrepratory, Houston Independent School District\n* Roy Kim, an 8th grader from Beaverton, Ore., Whitford Middle School,\nBeaverton School District\n* Arika Kundu, an 8th grader from Shorewood, Minn., Minnetonka Middle School\nEast, Minnetonka Public Schools\n* Millie Pradawong, a 9th grader from Fairfax, Va., James Madison High School,\nFairfax County\n* Naboshree Santra, a 7th grader from Oviedo, Fla., Jackson Heights Middle\nSchool, Seminole County Public Schools\n* Abigail Stein, an 8th grader from Nashville, Tenn., Harding Academy,\nNashville Independent Schools\n\"When students have the support to follow their curiosity, their ideas can\ngrow into real-world innovation,\" said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of\nDiscovery Education. \"For 19 years, our partnership with 3M has paired\nstudents with working scientists who coach them from ideation to working\nprototype. We applaud Raji and every Young Scientist for the dedication and\nimagination they bring to this challenge, and we're grateful to 3M for helping\nus make hands-on scientific inquiry a thrill to watch.\"\n\nNow in its 19th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire\nand challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power\nof STEM to develop real-world solutions. Former America's Top Young Scientists\nhave given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, and made the Forbes\n30 Under 30 list. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network\nwas formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners,\nfinalists, and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more.\n\nThe award-winning competition supplements the 3M and Discovery Education\nprogram Young Scientist Lab, which provides no-cost dynamic digital resources\nfor students, teachers, and families to explore, transform, and innovate the\nworld around them. All the resources are also available on Discovery Education\nExperience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.\n\nTo learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet this year's\nwinners and finalists, visit youngscientistlab.com (https://pr.report/sgq7).\n\n(https://app.accessnewswire.com/imagelibrary/739a7d7e-2ec0-4073-b020-9578fa97e547/1238364/a601ad1e-cb2f-4a54-9972-b6035269d678.jpg)\n\nFind more stories and multimedia from 3M at 3blmedia.com.\n(https://pr.report/sgq8)\n\nContact Info:\nSpokesperson: 3M\nWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/3m\nEmail: info@3blmedia.com\n\nSOURCE: 3M\nView the original press release\n(https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/13-year-old-raji-doshi-named-americas-top-young-scientist-for-in-1238364)\non ACCESS Newswire\n\n\nCopyright 2026 ACCESS Newswire. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nACSFN1Jza-20261019","title":"13-Year-Old Raji Doshi Named America's Top Young Scientist for Inventing Natural System To Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification","author":"ACCESSWIRE","ticker":"MMM","created":"2026-10-19T14:45:05.907Z","tickers":["MMM"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire (https://www.accessnewswire.com/) / October\n19, 2026 / Originally published on 3M News Center (https://pr.report/sgq6)\n\n3M and Discovery Education named 8th grader Raji Doshi as the winner of the\n2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science\ncompetition. Raji lives in Farmington, Connecticut, and attends Stanford\nOnline High School. She distinguished herself by engineering a natural\nalgae-and-aragonite system, an inventive solution to address ocean\nacidification by increasing alkalinity and removing carbon dioxide from\nseawater. As the grand prize winner, Raji received a $25,000 cash prize and\nthe prestigious title of \"America's Top Young Scientist.\"\n\nRaji spent the summer competing against nine other finalists and ultimately\nsecured the win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St.\nPaul, Minnesota, on Oct. 12 and 13, 2026. The 2026 finalists, ages 11 to 14,\neach identified an everyday problem, developed an innovative solution, and\npitched their project through a one- to two-minute entry video. Their\nproposals aligned to 3M technology platforms including climate tech and\nsafety, and finalists were evaluated on their creativity, scientific\nknowledge, communication effectiveness, ingenuity, application of STEM\nprinciples, and demonstration of research.\n\nRaji's project, Engineering a Novel Durable Algae-Aragonite Alkalinity System\nto Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification, tests whether macroalgae cultivation\npaired with natural calcium carbonate buffers could create a durable, low-cost\nsystem for reducing coastal acidification, a growing threat to marine\necosystems. The solution reflects the 3M Young Scientist Challenge's focus on\nencouraging middle school students to think creatively, apply the power of\nSTEM, and develop real-world solutions that can make a meaningful impact.\nThrough carbonite chemistry analysis, Raji demonstrated the efficacy of\naragonite in increasing algae biomass, removing carbon dioxide, and\nsubstantially lowering dissolved carbon dioxide. She also developed a\nMichaelis-Menten computational model to identify an optimal aragonite dose, a\nstep toward making climate solutions more practical for coastal\ncommunities. \n\n\"The 3M Young Scientist Challenge highlights the incredible potential of young\npeople to tackle real-world challenges through science,\" said William Brown,\n3M Chairman and CEO. \"The talent and creativity displayed by this year's\nfinalists was exceptional, and we congratulate Raji on earning the title of\nAmerica's Top Young Scientist.\"\n\nEach 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalist is paired with a 3M scientist who\nmentors and works with them one-on-one over the summer to transform their\nideas from concept to prototype. This year's winner was paired with Deborah\nIsabelle, a product engineering specialist at 3M.\n\n\"Raji's project reminds us that when you're passionate about something, you\ncan use that interest to change the world, said Isabelle. \"She loves\ncollecting seashells and was distressed that ocean acidification is starting\nto damage the seashells and the creatures that live inside them. It was that\npassion that led her to create ALKACORE to address the ocean acidification\nissue.\"\n\nThe second and third place winners from the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge\nalso receive special recognition, including a $1,000 prize. This year's\nrunners-up are:\n* Aaisha Asif, a 7th grader from Sarasota, Fla., Pine View, Sarasota County\nSchools\n* Sharvi Mahajan, a 9th grader from San Diego, Calif., Westview High School,\nPoway Unified School District\nThe remaining top finalists from the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, in\nalphabetical order by last name, are:\n* Ahmed Abdelsalam, a 7th grader from Cambridge, Mass., Darby Vassall Upper\nSchool, Cambridge Public Schools\n* Aiden Jo, a 9th grader from Houston, Texas, Strake Jesuit College\nPrepratory, Houston Independent School District\n* Roy Kim, an 8th grader from Beaverton, Ore., Whitford Middle School,\nBeaverton School District\n* Arika Kundu, an 8th grader from Shorewood, Minn., Minnetonka Middle School\nEast, Minnetonka Public Schools\n* Millie Pradawong, a 9th grader from Fairfax, Va., James Madison High School,\nFairfax County\n* Naboshree Santra, a 7th grader from Oviedo, Fla., Jackson Heights Middle\nSchool, Seminole County Public Schools\n* Abigail Stein, an 8th grader from Nashville, Tenn., Harding Academy,\nNashville Independent Schools\n\"When students have the support to follow their curiosity, their ideas can\ngrow into real-world innovation,\" said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of\nDiscovery Education. \"For 19 years, our partnership with 3M has paired\nstudents with working scientists who coach them from ideation to working\nprototype. We applaud Raji and every Young Scientist for the dedication and\nimagination they bring to this challenge, and we're grateful to 3M for helping\nus make hands-on scientific inquiry a thrill to watch.\"\n\nNow in its 19th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire\nand challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power\nof STEM to develop real-world solutions. Former America's Top Young Scientists\nhave given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, and made the Forbes\n30 Under 30 list. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network\nwas formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners,\nfinalists, and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more.\n\nThe award-winning competition supplements the 3M and Discovery Education\nprogram Young Scientist Lab, which provides no-cost dynamic digital resources\nfor students, teachers, and families to explore, transform, and innovate the\nworld around them. All the resources are also available on Discovery Education\nExperience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.\n\nTo learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet this year's\nwinners and finalists, visit youngscientistlab.com (https://pr.report/sgq7).\n\n(https://app.accessnewswire.com/imagelibrary/739a7d7e-2ec0-4073-b020-9578fa97e547/1238364/a601ad1e-cb2f-4a54-9972-b6035269d678.jpg)\n\nFind more stories and multimedia from 3M at 3blmedia.com.\n(https://pr.report/sgq8)\n\nContact Info:\nSpokesperson: 3M\nWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/3m\nEmail: info@3blmedia.com\n\nSOURCE: 3M\nView the original press release\n(https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/13-year-old-raji-doshi-named-americas-top-young-scientist-for-in-1238364)\non ACCESS Newswire\n\n\nCopyright 2026 ACCESS Newswire. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-10-19T14:45:05.978970469Z","server_sent_at_ms":1792421105978},"received_at":"2026-10-19T14:45:06.029Z","source_url":"https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/13-year-old-raji-doshi-named-americas-top-young-scientist-for-in-1238364"},"analysis":{"id":"161024","press_release_id":"172910","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Industrial Conglomerates","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"other","narrative":"3M and Discovery Education named 13-year-old Raji Doshi winner of the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge for an algae-and-aragonite system that reduces CO2-driven ocean acidification.\n\nDoshi received a $25,000 prize and the title of America's Top Young Scientist after final events at 3M headquarters in St. Paul, and was mentored by 3M product engineering specialist Deborah Isabelle.\n\nThe release is brand/STEM-outreach content with no financial or operational bearing on 3M.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Feel-good CSR story -- suppress from market-moving feeds; optional human-interest angle only."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"challenge_year":19,"grand_prize_usd":25000,"runner_up_prize_usd":1000}},"quotedText":"The 3M Young Scientist Challenge highlights the incredible potential of young people to tackle real-world challenges through science","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Raji Doshi","role":"2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge grand prize winner"},{"name":"William Brown","role":"3M Chairman and CEO"},{"name":"Deborah Isabelle","role":"3M product engineering specialist and mentor"},{"name":"Brian Shaw","role":"CEO of Discovery Education"}],"products":["ALKACORE","Young Scientist Lab","Discovery Education Experience"],"companies":[{"name":"3M","ticker":"MMM","relationship":"filer / competition sponsor"},{"name":"Discovery Education","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$25,000","context":"grand prize cash award"},{"amount":"$1,000","context":"second and third place prize"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"Corporate PR/CSR content about a student science competition sponsored by 3M. 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