Heman Bekele, who won 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge in 2023 after inventing a soap that could someday help treat and prevent skin cancer, has been named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year.
TIME said it was Heman’s “ambition” and “selflessness” that earned him the recognition.
“I’m really passionate about skin-cancer research,” Heman told TIME. “Whether it’s my own research or what’s happening in the field. It’s absolutely incredible to think that one day my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody else’s life. That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with an average annual treatment cost of $8.1 billion. Inspired by this costly and widespread health issue, Heman developed an affordable soap solution that could positively impact skin cancer outcomes. Over the next five years, he hopes to refine this novel innovation and create a nonprofit organization that will distribute this low-cost solution to communities in need.
3M engineer Deboarh Isabelle, who was Heman’s mentor during the Young Scientist Challenge competition, said the TIME Kid of the Year honor was well deserved.
“Heman is an incredible charismatic, curious, intelligent, articulate young man,” Deboarh said. “But more than that, he’s compassionate and has a heart for people. He’s created an invention that has the potential to the make the world better for so many people.”
Heman is the second 3M Young Scientist Challenge winner to be honored by TIME. Gitanjali Rao, named America’s Top Young Scientist in 2017, was the first TIME Kid of the Year in 2020.
Recently, 3M and Discovery Education announced the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge top 10 finalists. As the nation's premier middle school science competition, the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students in grades 5-8 to compete for an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 grand prize, and the chance to earn the title of "America's Top Young Scientist.”
The competition's culminating event—where America's Top Young Scientist will be named—will take place October 14-15, 2024, at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
You can learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet the 2024 finalists, by visiting YoungScientistLab.com.
