UJ Academy Grade 11 learner Rudra Patel has won R75 000 after being named the 2026 Top Senior Scientist at the 46th Eskom Expo International Science Fair.

Patel, from the UJ Academy Maths, Science and ICT School of Specialisation, received the award for his project, Machine learning optimisation of invasive alien plant extracts as sustainable bio stimulants for crop growth. His research combined machine learning with laboratory experiments to investigate how different concentrations of Lantana camara, an invasive alien plant, affect wheat growth.

Read more: Johannesburg learners turn curiosity into innovation at Eskom Expo Science Fair

The findings showed that machine-learning models could identify general trends linked to extract concentration. However, further research, using standardised experimental data, is needed before the approach can be reliably applied in agriculture.

Patel said he was initially shocked when his name was announced, only fully realising the achievement the following morning when congratulations began pouring in. The project took about eight months to develop and built on computational work he had undertaken for a previous science project.

Alongside the top senior scientist award, Patel received a gold medal and the senior plant sciences category award. He also received a special award recognising his combination of computational research and laboratory testing, as well as a laptop from CambriLearn.

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He plans to save the R75 000 prize money, potentially towards future university expenses. Patel hopes his achievement will encourage other young people to explore science, regardless of whether they have access to expensive equipment.

He believes curiosity and a willingness to investigate problems in the world around them can be the starting point for meaningful scientific research.

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