Houston student Aiden Jo, 14, saw bulky packaging as a design problem; his origami-inspired answer reached a national science final

Innovative Minds: Aiden Jo

Bulky, single-use food and drink containers continue to take up large amounts of space in rubbish bins and landfills long after they are thrown away. Fourteen-year-old Houston student Aiden Jo saw this as an engineering challenge and came up with an origami-inspired collapsible container. His invention has earned him a place among the ten national finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge.The eighth-grade student at The Village School in the Houston Independent School District created “Squeeze-gami,” a foldable container design that can flatten completely to reduce waste volume and improve sustainable packaging.3M and Discovery Education announced the ten finalists on 6 July 2026, selecting middle school students aged 11 to 14 from across the United States. Now in its 19th year, the competition invites students in grades five through eight to submit one- to two-minute video pitches showing how they use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to solve everyday problems.

Summer mentorship and a top prize in St. Paul

Each finalist receives a summer mentorship with a professional 3M scientist to help improve their project. The national finals will take place on 12 and 13 October at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, where students will complete live challenges and present their final inventions to a panel of judges.The winner will receive $25,000 (£19,600) and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”“The 3M Young Scientist Challenge brings together student curiosity, scientific thinking and 3M mentorship to turn promising ideas into real solutions,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO, in a press statement announcing the finalists. “3M is focused on helping these young innovators strengthen their ideas and apply science in ways that can make a meaningful impact.”In his competition entry, Aiden explained why he decided to take part.“I entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because the challenge allows students in Middle school to showcase their innovative ideas to a community, and I have always wanted to share my research and findings with other passionate students,” Aiden said. “I also saw this challenge as an opportunity to learn from other students’ solutions while improving my deep thinking skills and scientific knowledge when developing my project. Furthermore, I saw this opportunity as a platform where I could advance my project to the next level and bring my model into people’s daily lives, creating a lasting impact.”

From building blocks to environmental engineering

Aiden said his love of building toys as a child and his appreciation for nature inspired his interest in engineering and sustainability.“In 15 years I hope to be an Environmental engineer that works towards creating revolutionary solutions for crucial environmental problems,” Aiden shared in his participant profile. “From a young age, I have enjoyed building legos and engineering my ideas while cherishing wildlife and nature in my surroundings. This sparked my interest in becoming an Environmental engineer.”When asked about his favourite invention from the past century, Aiden chose 3D printing because it has made building prototypes faster, easier, and more affordable.“Although it may seem not as significant as the internet, it has truly changed the way people create products, prototypes and useful items,” he said. “The accessible machine allows people to easily create innovations at a cheap cost while promoting creativity in young children.”Brian Shaw, chief executive officer of Discovery Education, praised the determination and creativity shown by this year’s finalists.“The finalists of this year’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge prove you can be a scientist at any age,” Shaw said. “Each remarkable student pursued their curiosity with persistence, turning an idea into an innovation. We cannot wait to see where their ideas take them.”

A national field tackling safety and climate issues

Judges evaluated the 2026 entries based on creativity, scientific knowledge, and communication skills. The finalists presented projects linked to two main 3M technology areas: Climate Tech and Safety.Along with Aiden, the other nine finalists selected by 3M and Discovery Education are:

Previous finalists have gone on to receive major national recognition. Gitanjali Rao was named TIME’s first Kid of the Year in 2020, Liam McCarty appeared on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022, and Heman Bekele was named TIME’s Kid of the Year in 2024.Aiden hopes his Squeeze-gami design will eventually move beyond the competition and become part of everyday packaging.“I aspire to work with a team of passionate individuals, who each have unique qualifications and ideas, and create a lasting impact on society and our natural world through my innovations,” he said.