If there were an award for ‘showstopper performance’ at BCI’s annual convention in Arizona last week 11 year-old Gitanjali Rao would have won hands down.
Not only did the seventh-grader (pictured), recently named as America’s Top Young Scientist, give a rousing account of her research worthy of a seasoned conference speaker— she knew her stuff!
Gitanjali was invited to Battery Council International’s (BCI) Conventional and Power Mart Expo in Phoenix after winning the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her work on developing Tethys.
Gitanjali’s presentational skills belied her years as she explained her work on developing Tethys— a sensor-based device using carbon nanotubes to detect lead in water faster than other current techniques.
Tethys is a cost-effective approach to water safety using a mobile app that populates the water’s status almost immediately. Tethys is designed to be portable and easy to use, allowing individuals to test water safety whenever needed.
Gitanjali said she hoped to resolve water contamination issues and decrease long-term health effects from lead exposure. She was paired in her research with Dr Kathleen Shafer, a 3M research specialist who develops new plastics technologies.
The youngster picked up a $1,000 cheque as a special award from BCI to add to her $25,000 top young scientist prize. However, the youngster has said she plans to become either a geneticist or epidemiologist when she grows up.
