Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old student at W.T. Woodson High School in Annandale, Virginia, has been named “America’s Top Young Scientist” for his invention of a bar of soap that fights low-grade skin cancer.
Heman’s invention is a compound-based skin cancer-treating soap (SCTS) that he developed by combining salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin. He started researching skin cancer and learning about dendritic cells, which help protect skin by boosting the immune response. What started off as a fun science experiment turned into months of hard work and persistence to reach his end goal.
Heman’s invention has earned him a $25,000 cash prize and the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist”. He plans to use the prize money to secure a patent for his invention and for college. Heman’s goals include developing a non-profit organization that will distribute his soap to low-income communities.
Heman’s achievement has been covered by various news outlets, including The Street, Atlanta Daily World, Western Mass News, and Yahoo News. The news has also been shared on social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which named Heman as the winner, is the nation’s premier middle school science competition that inspires and challenges middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions.
Source : Westmassnews
