Heman Bekele, age 14, has been deemed “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
Heman Bekele Soap
A press release claims that Bekele won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with his Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS), the most prestigious middle school science competition in the United States. According to information submitted to AFROTECH, he is the first Black scientist to earn the accolade.
After ringing the NYSE Closing Bell on Friday, October 20th, Bekele, a ninth-grader at W.T. Woodson High School in Annandale, VA, was seen beaming from ear to ear.
“It’s incredible and it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity and something that I’ll never forget. It’s definitely gonna stay with me forever, but I’m still taking it all in,” he expressed to AFROTECH during a Zoom interview.
Bekele was born in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, and he came to the United States when he was four years old. Muluemebet Getachew, his mother and a special education teacher, says he has always been interested in science and that he has been “self-driven” about it.
After spending the weekend bearing witness to her son’s intellect, she said she was “pleased” and “very overwhelmed.”
It took Bekele almost a year and a half to accomplish this. When he was only 12 years old, he came up with the concept for the bar soap. His natural curiosity led him to research the causes and consequences of skin cancer in economically depressed areas.
AEPAC congratulation Heman Bekele 14-year-old Ethiopian born to names top young scientist for cancer-fighting soap invention.
He was named “America’s Top Young Scientist” for creating a bar of soap designed to fight low-grade skin cancer.
“I wanted to try to find a way for… pic.twitter.com/H0znPQjY2p
— The American-Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (@AmericaEthiopia) October 23, 2023
“I was looking into the issue of skin cancer, and the fact that, especially in third world countries, people living under the poverty line just can’t afford the treatment necessary for skin cancer led me to try to come up with a solution and that solution ended up being a Skin Cancer Treating Soap,” Bekele said.
He said, “It took about a year and a half to develop, but it’s at the stage where it’s at today, and of course, there’s still a lot left to create this part of soap.”
Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist at 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division, was Bekele’s mentor for four months. As he worked to bring his concept from the drawing board to life, she was there to offer advice and direction.
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“He’s so far ahead of us. It was very exciting to work with him because he’s so passionate and so focused, but he’s also willing to accept suggestions,” Isabelle told AFROTECH. “As mentors, some of the key things is working with them with their projects, helping them figure out what 3M product they want to incorporate into their project, and making connections. I connected him with some of the African-American scientists that I know at 3M who are in the medical area. If other 3Mers have areas of expertise, if there were 3M facilities, if there are other things that he can use, make sure that we help make those connections. It’s been amazing to watch him grow, to watch his mind work.”
SCTS, a “compound-based bar of soap charged with various types of cancer-fighting chemicals,” would not exist without the support it received.
“It’s supposed to help heal the skin internally, which will then show results externally because the skin cancer will slowly start to fade away,” Bekele said.
Bekele was awarded $25,000 as “America’s Top Young Scientist,” a sum that has revitalized his plans for a soap project that will last five years and be based on a non-profit organization.
Heman Bekele, the 14-year-old behind skin cancer treating soap, has been named “America’s Top Young Scientist.” https://t.co/6gUjQXZ8Zx
— AfroTech (@AfroTech) October 23, 2023
“More than anything, winning the 3M Scientist Challenge has given me even more motivation,” Bekele expressed. “It’s empowered me to realize that science can get you somewhere and science is a viable option. It’s also taught me that people want to hear about my ideas, and I’m allowed to create. At first, this bar of soap was just a random idea by a 14-year-old, and look where it’s gotten me.”
He continued, “By 2028, I hope to turn SCTS, which is right now just a passion project into more than that. I hope to turn it into a nonprofit organization where I can provide equitable and accessible skin cancer treatment to as many people as possible.”
