A 13-year-old student’s concern for seashells and marine life has inspired an award-winning research prototype exploring how to reduce ocean acidification.
Raji Doshi, a student from Farmington, Connecticut, won the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge on October 14, receiving the $25,000 grand prize and the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.
Starting with a concern about the ocean
As seawater absorbs carbon dioxide, its chemistry changes, making it harder for some organisms to build and maintain shells and skeletons. Raji wanted to test whether biological and mineral processes could be combined to help address the problem.
Her project, ALKACORE, pairs algae cultivation with aragonite, a naturally occurring form of calcium carbonate. The aim is to increase seawater alkalinity and reduce dissolved carbon dioxide under experimental conditions.
Testing, measuring and refining
According to 3M and Discovery Education, Raji collected experimental data on algae growth and dissolved carbon dioxide, and used a computational model to investigate how different aragonite amounts affected results. She worked with 3M mentor Deborah Isabelle over the summer, then presented her findings at the competition’s final event in Minnesota on October 12–13.
The judges recognized her scientific reasoning and prototype development. However, ALKACORE remains an experimental student system; it has not been shown to reverse ocean acidification at real-world ocean scale, and questions about ecological impacts, durability and deployment would require further study.
What young scientists can teach us
Raji’s achievement demonstrates how curiosity can lead students beyond classroom explanations toward original testing and evidence. Her award also reflects the value of mentors who support young people in making ideas more rigorous.
It is a story of scientific ambition, not a claim that one invention has solved a global environmental problem.
Sources: 3M official October 14 announcement; Discovery Education announcement; Young Scientist Lab student profile.
Featured image is an illustrative ocean photograph, not Raji Doshi or her experimental equipment.
Enjoy constructive journalism? Subscribe to The Positive 10, our free Sunday newsletter featuring ten carefully sourced stories. Discover the latest edition.
