Have you ever been unsure if your fruits and vegetables have been adequately cleaned? There’s a solution!

Meet Sirish Subash, a ninth grader hailing from Snellville, Georgia. He clinched first place in the prestigious 3M and Discovery Education competition, which is the leading middle school science contest in the nation, held in St. Paul, Minnesota.

During his presentation, Subash cited statistics from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), revealing that 70.6% of produce items have pesticide residues.

These persistent residues could potentially cause various health issues, including brain cancer, leukemia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Disease, according to Subash.

“I named my project PestiSCAND. It’s a device designed for anyone to test for pesticide residues on their produce from the comfort of their home,” Subash shared with YSL News. “Pesticide residues are common contaminants on fruits and vegetables.”

To verify the effectiveness of PestiSCAND, Subash employed an AI-powered handheld pesticide detector to check for residues on spinach and tomatoes. The results showed over 85% accuracy, meeting the project’s goals for both effectiveness and speed as confirmed by 3M.

“Washing produce doesn’t always eliminate these residues, which have been linked to a range of health problems,” he stated. “If we can identify these residues, we can avoid their consumption and minimize the risk of these health issues.”

What is the ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ Competition?

For 17 years, the “America’s Top Young Scientist” competition has recognized innovative projects from students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that align with 3M’s mission.

“At 3M, we aim to find remarkable individuals who drive innovation and creativity in developing products that genuinely improve lives, tackling significant challenges,” said Torie Clarke, 3M’s EVP and Chief Public Affairs Officer, in an interview with YSL News. “This competition exemplifies that spirit by showcasing people, products, and purpose.”

According to Clarke, many students apply to enter the competition each year, and 10 finalists are selected in June. These finalists then benefit from mentorship with a 3M scientist for four months before competing in Minnesota. Their projects are evaluated on creativity, communication, and ingenuity during the event.

The winner receives a $25,000 prize. Notably, past participants have secured patents, launched businesses, and have been included in accolades like the 30 under 30 list. Clarke also mentioned two competitors who were recognized as TIME Magazine’s Kid of the Year, including last year’s victor, Herman Bekele, who invented an affordable soap for treating skin cancer.

“He’s only 15 years old and is collaborating with a professor at Johns Hopkins on his projects,” she noted. “These young people achieve remarkable feats.”

Every year, Clarke is impressed by the dedication, teamwork, and innovative projects brought by the students to the competition.

“It’s truly incredible,” she stated. “For us and these finalists, it revolves around extraordinary individuals creating vital products that positively affect lives.”

What Prizes Did the Winners Receive?

In addition to earning the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” after competing on October 14 and 15, Subash also walked away with a cash prize of $25,000.

Here’s a look at the second and third-place winners:

• Minula Weerasekera, a ninth grader from Beaverton, Oregon, secured second place for developing a method to store energy more efficiently using organic compounds and a sulfur-based terthiophene, as announced by 3M.
• Third place was awarded to William Tan, an eighth grader from Scarsdale, New York, who created an AI Smart Artificial Reef that promotes the growth of coral, seashells, kelp, and other marine life in a safe, controlled setting, according to 3M.

The second and third place winners each received a prize of $2,000, while those in fourth to tenth places were awarded $1,000 plus a $500 gift card, as stated by 3M.

Sirish Subash’s PestiSCAND Invention

Subash explained that his project began as a standalone device, but he has since worked to develop it into a more comprehensive system.

A smaller gadget that is more convenient to carry and can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Despite conducting numerous experiments, Subash is optimistic that PestiSCAND will be an effective tool; however, he emphasizes that we should continue to wash our fruits and vegetables.

“I suggest giving them a rinse. The goal is that after cleaning your produce, you can verify if it’s genuinely clean,” he mentioned. “It’s not intended to replace washing, but to assist in confirming that the produce is completely cleaned.”

Subash drew inspiration from last year’s ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ winner

Subash has always had a keen interest in STEM, but his enthusiasm for the 3M competition grew after witnessing a previous winner.

“This has been a long-time aspiration of mine,” he expressed. “When I was a child, I learned about this when Gitanjali Rao was recognized as TIME’s Kid of the Year. That’s when I first heard about the 3M (Young) Scientists Challenge, and it sparked my interest.”

After securing his victory, Subash has some encouragement for STEM students and anyone else aspiring to achieve their goals.

“Pursue anything you’re passionate about in life,” he advised. “When you care about your work, it pushes you to excel and motivates you to invest the necessary effort.”

This article has been corrected to address a spelling error.