Sponsoring Institution: 3M Young Scientist Lab

Type: Scientific challenge

Eligibility: Must be at least 10 years old and enrolled in either 5th-8th grade in the United States. Former winners cannot apply. Applicants’ families cannot be associated with 3M.

Application Deadline: Mid May

Highlight: Science is an amazing and broad field of interest. It is the center of our world, helping us day after day. Are you a young scientist ready to explore your possibilities and opportunities? If so, listen to this! Let us introduce you to the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge. It is a scientific challenge that invites students in grades 5-8 to think about  “How (they can) improve lives for the future?” There are many categories to choose from to address: improving health, improving safety, and improving mobility. Each category has its own set of questions for students to think about. Getting down to the nuts and bolts of this scientific challenge, students submit a 1-2 minute video describing a unique solution to an everyday problem for the chance to win prizes like $25,000, an exclusive 3M Mentorship, and a lot more. They provide a list of important dates so that students can stay on track, and a page of videos of past winners to give you inspiration. Ten finalists, up to 51 state merit winners, and several honorable mentions will be chosen based on their creativity and passion for science. Still have questions? Check out the FAQ page. Last but not least, keep in mind that to apply for this scientific challenge you will need your parent/legal guardian to submit both a consent form and a registration form. So, are you ready to try using your problem-solving to solve an everyday problem you’ve seen?? Don’t talk yourself out of it! There are lots of  reasons for you to give it a shot and compete in this scientific challenge!