On October 14, 2026, 13-year-old Raji Doshi from Farmington, Connecticut, was named America’s Top Young Scientist and won the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge. The Indian-American student received a $25,000 prize for ALKACORE, a system designed to address ocean acidification using macroalgae and aragonite.
Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification is the long-term decline in ocean pH caused mainly by the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) by seawater. Dissolved CO₂ reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which releases hydrogen ions. The increase in hydrogen ions reduces the availability of carbonate ions in seawater. Carbonate ions are used by marine organisms, including corals and some shell-forming species, to build calcium carbonate structures. Aragonite is a naturally occurring crystalline form, or polymorph, of calcium carbonate. Changes in seawater chemistry can make it more difficult for marine organisms to form and maintain these structures.
ALKACORE System
ALKACORE combines macroalgae cultivation with aragonite to increase seawater alkalinity and reduce carbon dioxide levels. Macroalgae take up dissolved carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Aragonite supplies calcium carbonate, while the system is designed to adjust the seawater’s chemical conditions. Doshi developed a computational model to determine the optimal aragonite dose for the system. The model is intended to guide dosing for the project’s approach to coastal acidification. The project was presented as a sustainable, low-cost system for coastal waters.
3M Young Scientist Challenge
The 2026 competition was organised by 3M and Discovery Education. Its finals took place on October 12 and 13 at 3M’s global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. Doshi is an eighth-grader at Stanford Online High School. Aaisha Asif of Sarasota, Florida, placed second, and Sharvi Mahajan of San Diego, California, placed third. Both received prizes of $1,000.
Important Facts for Exams
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- The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is a science competition for students in grades 5–8.
- Carbonic acid forms when carbon dioxide dissolves and reacts with water.
- Aragonite is a calcium carbonate mineral and a form of calcium carbonate.
Ocean pH is measured on a logarithmic scale. A decrease of one pH unit corresponds to a tenfold increase in hydrogen-ion concentration.
