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Celebrating Young Innovators: The 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge Winners Announced

On June 24, 2025, 3M and Discovery Education proudly announced the winners of the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge, recognizing 32 state merit winners and four honorable mentions. This competition stands as the nation’s leading science contest for middle schoolers, showcasing remarkable ideas and innovations from young scientists aimed at solving everyday problems using science.

In this year’s competition, students from grades 5 through 8 were tasked with submitting videos that outlined their unique scientific concepts. The entries were evaluated based on creativity, scientific understanding, and effective communication. This year's challenge introduced several new competition categories including robotics, home improvement, automotive innovation, safety technology, augmented and virtual reality, and climate technology.

Torie Clarke, 3M's Executive Vice President and Chief Public Affairs Officer, emphasized the incredible impact that these young innovators have on the world, stating, "The projects submitted to the 3M Young Scientist Challenge underscore science's critical role in driving progress. We applaud these students for making the world a better place through their innovative spirit. I'm proud that 3M inspires students to use science and technology to address global challenges."

Each year, the Young Scientist Challenge celebrates multiple layers of achievement: a grand prize winner, ten finalists, four honorable mentions, and state merit winners from all 50 states plus Washington D.C. This year’s 32 state merit winners were recognized for their profound passion for science, their innovative ideas, and their exceptional communication skills. Each winner is celebrated on the challenge's official website and awarded a special prize pack.

Here are the 2025 State Merit Winners, listed alphabetically by state:

• - Alabama: Brahma Mubarak Budhwani, Alabama School of Fine Arts
• - Arizona: Akshay Lakshminarasimhan, BASIS Scottsdale
• - California: Kashvi Sethi, Morrill Middle School
• - Colorado: Shriya Madhavan, STEM School Highlands Ranch
• - Connecticut: Aaron Shamshtein, King Philip Middle School
• - Delaware: Aarav Garimalla, Cantwell Bridge Middle School
• - Florida: Hannah Lee, Jackson Heights Middle School
• - Georgia: Jooyoung Kim, River Trail Middle School
• - Hawaii: Elliott Mannis-Young, Punahou School
• - Illinois: Nasima Zair, Twin Groves Middle School
• - Kentucky: Deepak Praveen Kumar, Meyzeek Middle School
• - Maryland: Vishagan Aranganathan, Kingsview Middle School
• - Massachusetts: Kaia Minn, The Park School
• - Michigan: Sanat Pandit, Emerson Elementary School
• - Minnesota: Arika Kundu, Minnetonka Middle School East
• - Missouri: Macy Sowell, Barnwell Middle School
• - Nebraska: Yashasvi Jadi, Millard North Middle School
• - Nevada: Henry Tran, Hyde Park Middle School
• - New Jersey: Aashritha Pasam, Edgar Middle School
• - New Mexico: Ashvita Prasankumar, Desert Willow Family School
• - New York: Aaradhya Vijay, The Dalton School
• - North Carolina: Andromeda Dennis, Smith Middle School
• - Ohio: Spurthi Adavi, Incarnate Word Academy
• - Oklahoma: Clayton Rohla, Roff Elementary
• - Oregon: Jithuli Weerasekera, Whitford Middle School
• - Pennsylvania: Aryash Shyam, Lehigh Valley Academy RCS
• - South Carolina: Sushanth Duddebanda, Pleasant Knoll Middle School
• - Texas: Sanika Duvva, Roach Middle School
• - Utah: Sophia Zhang, Waterford School
• - Virginia: Aneruddha Das, Eagle Ridge Middle School
• - Washington: Nolawi Bruk, Leota Middle School
• - West Virginia: Preethi Nethi, West Virginia Academy

This year also marked the fifth occasion in the history of the competition when four participants received honorable mentions, a testament to their unique projects and communication prowess:

• - Sayan Anand, Austin, TX, Canyon Vista Middle School
• - Aaisha Asif, Sarasota, FL, Pine View School
• - Gagan Girish, Portland, OR, Tumwater Middle School
• - Albert Liu, Portland, OR, Willamette Valley Academy

For more details on the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and to meet this year's talented contenders, visit YoungScientistLab.com. As Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education, noted, "The 3M Young Scientist Challenge inspires student curiosity and helps build confidence by connecting what's learned in the classroom to the real world in tangible and hands-on ways."

Now in its eighteenth year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to ignite creativity and encourage middle school students to apply STEM principles to real-world scenarios. Previous young scientists have emerged as notable innovators, giving TED Talks, filing patents, and making headlines with recognitions in national media, underscoring the bright future ahead for these budding scientists. Additionally, the establishment of a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network in 2022 has reinforced the community of over 100 past participants who engage in networking and collaboration opportunities.

This award-winning competition complements the Young Scientist Lab program by 3M and Discovery Education, aimed at providing free digital resources to encourage students, educators, and families to innovate and explore the scientific world. All resources can be found on the Discovery Education Experience platform, which is vital for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.

For more information on 3M and its commitment to advancing science for a better world, visit 3M.com/news-center.

For insights into Discovery Education’s mission and educational resources, explore discoveryeducation.com.