Sophia Yuxin Zhang
8th Grade, Rowland Hall Middle School
Salt Lake City, UT
Living in Salt Lake City, Sophia has been concerned by the nearby lake. “Plagued by excessive water use compounded by climate warming, the Lake had precipitously declined since the 1990s and hit historic lows for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022, threatening an ecological collapse, huge economic costs and public health emergencies,” she says. Sophia soon learned that the problems facing the lake are problems of water management. Since the majority of water use in 2022 went to agriculture, she decided to study how hydrogels could help conserve water for irrigation.
Examining Three Biodegradable Hydrogels on Water Conservation in Irrigation
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Project Background
Sophia put together different hydrogels. These are materials that can absorb, hold and then release water. She made three types of hydrogels out of starch, agar and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC). “I enjoyed synthesizing the hydrogels, watching the mixture transform into a Jello-like substance right before my eyes,” she says. Sophia then measured how well they absorbed water, retained it, and then re-absorbed water again.
She showed that the HEC-based gel performed best at a range of temperatures, both alone and when put in soil. But all of her gels helped soils retain water.
Beyond the Project
Sophia is a competitive chess player and has been listed in the top 100 Women and Girls Player lists by the US Chess Federation. She’s also a competitive swimmer. “I love the feeling of challenging myself by pursuing my best time and the sense of belonging when competing for my team and cheering for or being cheered for by my teammates,” she says. She was selected as a Kid Reporter for Time for Kids in 2023 and wants to be an aeronautical engineer.
