14-year-old named America’s Top Young Scientist for creating soap that treats skin cancer

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (Gray News) – A 14-year-old from Virginia was crowned America’s Top Young Scientist for inventing a soap that treats skin cancer.

According to a news release, Heman Bekele, a ninth grader at W.T. Woodson High School in Annandale, won the 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge last week.

Heman developed Melanoma Treating Soap, a compound-based bar of soap designed to treat skin cancer. Over the next five years, he hopes to refine his innovation and create a nonprofit organization that will distribute this low-cost solution to communities in need.

The final product came out to a shockingly cheap $0.50 per bar of soap – a far more affordable and accessible treatment than traditional skin cancer treatments.

You can watch a short clip of Heman’s presentation here.

Finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors them over the summer to take their idea... — Finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors them over the summer to take their idea from concept to prototype. Heman is seen here with his mentor, Deborah Isabelle, who works on developing new products in 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division.(ACK | 3M/PR Newswire)

Heman said in 15 years, he hopes to be a successful electrical engineer who has contributed significantly to the industry, with a fulfilling personal life with a loving family and a strong network of friends.

Heman spent the last four months competing against nine other finalists, winning the competition at 3M global headquarters in St. Paul, Minn., on Oct. 9 and 10.

As the grand prize winner, he will receive a $25,000 cash prize and the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.

This year’s second-place winner is Shripriya Kalbhavi, a ninth grader at Lynbrook High School in San Jose, Calif., who developed EasyBZ, a cost-effective microneedle patch that allows for self-automated drug delivery without pills or needles.

This year’s third-place winner is Sarah Wang, a seventh grader at The Pike School in Andover, Mass. She developed the Spring Epilepsy Detection Glove, a glove that can detect tonic-clonic and myoclonic epileptic seizures with common hand movements and tracks seizure statistics through a smartphone application.

The second and third-place winners will each receive $2,000.

The top 10 finalists of this year's America’s Top Young Scientist competition spent the last... — The top 10 finalists of this year's America’s Top Young Scientist competition spent the last four months competing against other.(ACK | 3M/PR Newswire)

Finalists are paired with a 3M scientist who mentors them over the summer to take their idea from concept to prototype. During the competition, students are evaluated on their ingenuity and innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, presentation skills and ability to inspire others.

This was the 16th year of the competition. 3M said previous winners have gone on to give TED Talks, file patents, found nonprofits, make the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and exhibit at the White House Science Fair.

Winners have also been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and have appeared on TV shows like “Good Morning America” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”