Doshi, who attends Stanford Online High School, spent the summer refining her project, titled 'Engineering a Novel Durable Algae-Aragonite Alkalinity System to Reduce CO2-Driven Ocean Acidification.' By pairing macroalgae cultivation with natural calcium carbonate buffers, she demonstrated a method to increase alkalinity and lower dissolved carbon dioxide levels. Her research included a Michaelis-Menten computational model to identify optimal dosing, offering a potential blueprint for practical climate interventions in coastal communities.
The final selection took place at 3M's global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Doshi competed against nine other finalists. Each student worked alongside a 3M scientist mentor to transition their initial concepts into functional prototypes. Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist who mentored Doshi, noted that the project was inspired by the student's personal hobby of collecting seashells and her concern over how acidification degrades marine habitats. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, now in its 19th year, aims to foster STEM innovation among middle schoolers, with past participants going on to secure patents and launch non-profit organizations.




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