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FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITYĀ®

911³Ō¹Ļ High Student Named to ā€˜Forbes’ ā€˜30 Under 30’ List

Hannah Herbst speaks at the Arizona State University Walton Sustainability Solutions Festival.


By kelsie weekes | 12/4/2017

911³Ō¹Ļ High School junior Hannah Herbst has been named to the 2018 Forbes ā€œ30 Under 30ā€ list in the energy sector. Herbst, 17, invented an ocean energy prototype that earned her the title of ā€œAmerica’s Top Young Scientistā€ in the 2015 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

ā€œIt’s such a huge honor to be on this list,ā€ said Herbst. ā€œIt’s something I’ve wanted to be a part of for so long.ā€

According to Forbes, the ā€œ30 Under 30ā€ list in energy recognizes ā€œthe most promising individuals working across the broad field of anything tangentially energy-related.ā€

Herbst’s device, called BEACON, aims to provide a stable power source to developing countries by using untapped energy from any moving body of water. The goal is to use the device to power water purification systems and much-needed medical equipment.

Since winning the title of ā€œAmerica’s Top Young Scientistā€ in 2015, Herbst has presented at the White House Science Fair, discussed the topics of education and clean energy at the United Nations, and traveled across the country engaging with aspiring young scientists.

ā€œOne of my favorite things is helping children with their science projects,ā€ she said. ā€œI love being in the classroom and coming up with ideas and designs with them.ā€

Herbst is currently dual-enrolled at 911³Ō¹Ļ High School and 911³Ō¹Ļ, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. She continues to work on BEACON and is about to start a new research project involving shark skin and how it can be used for other applications in medicine.

ā€œSince my first robotics class in seventh grade at A.D. Henderson, I have been hooked on science,ā€ she said. ā€œIt was never on my radar until I got to 911³Ō¹Ļ, and it has quickly become my passion.ā€

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