Fourteen-year-old Indian-American student Sharvi Mahajan from San Diego, California, has earned national recognition by securing third place in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge. A student at Westview High School, she developed NeuroDrive Alert, an artificial intelligence-powered wearable system designed to identify early signs of driver fatigue and help prevent accidents caused by falling asleep behind the wheel.
Organized by 3M and Discovery Education, the nationwide competition recognized Sharvi with a $1,000 award. She was among 10 finalists selected for their scientific understanding, creativity and ability to communicate innovative ideas. The achievement was also celebrated at the New York Stock Exchange, where the young finalists participated in a special closing bell ceremony.
Her invention combines electroencephalography (EEG) technology, which measures electrical signals in the brain, with machine learning algorithms to recognize patterns associated with drowsiness. A wearable baseball cap records brain activity, while a connected smartphone application is designed to alert drivers when fatigue-related warning signs emerge. The system aims to provide an early warning before tiredness compromises driving safety.
During the competition, Sharvi received mentorship from Stephanie Owen, an R&D product engineering laboratory manager at 3M. She plans to conduct additional real-world testing, improve prediction accuracy and make the device more comfortable for everyday use.
Inspired by neuroscience and artificial intelligence, Sharvi hopes to pursue computational neuroscience or establish a startup focused on brain-related technologies. Her guiding message to aspiring innovators is to take their ideas seriously and give them an opportunity to develop.
Indian-American students also achieved the competition’s other top honors. Thirteen-year-old Raji Doshi of Connecticut won the $25,000 grand prize for developing a solution addressing ocean acidification, while Aaisha Asif of Florida secured second place for her research on environmentally friendly adhesives.
Together, their accomplishments highlight the growing contributions of young Indian-American innovators to science and technology.
