Aadi Kulkarni, a senior at Nashua High School South, recently emerged as the New Hampshire winner of this year’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – Aadi Kulkarni, a senior at Nashua High School South, recently emerged as the New Hampshire winner of this year’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

Selected for his project, “Economical and Novel Microplastic Detection Using a Arduino-Based Turbidity Sensor: A Comprehensive Investigation,” Kulkarni represented the Granite State at the national competition in June at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Kulkarni’s project demonstrates impressive knowledge and insight on a critical issue impacting public health and the environment in New Hampshire,” said Mary Barry, executive director of the New England Water Environment Association. “As a professional association of water quality experts and the organization responsible for selecting the winners at the local level in the six New England states, we took great pride in sending Kulkarni to the national competition. The future of the water industry is bright with students like Kulkarni developing innovative solutions to our most pressing water quality challenges.”

Kulkarni’s chemistry teacher, Dimple Master, lauded him for his drive and intellectual curiosity.

“He approaches science not just as a subject to master, but as a tool to solve pressing problems,” she said. “He brings a remarkable balance of independence and collaboration. He is always willing to help and guide his peers while also being open to feedback that strengthens his own work. What I found most impressive was his focus on scalability and impact. He didn’t stop at building the device — he considered how schools, local communities and resource-limited regions could use it to monitor water quality.”

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize is open to high school students and is recognized as the “most prestigious youth award for a water-related science project.” The competition was established in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute.

Prior to participating in the competition, Kulkarni founded TechPals in 2022 when he was just 15 years old. The mission of the nonprofit organization is to “bridge the digital divide for seniors.” During the past three years, the organization has grown to have nine chapters across the country, has hosted more than 75 workshops and has raised more than $15,000 in grants.