What do you know about this scientist Kiara Nirghin?

• Do you think she does her work now or did she live and work in the past?
• Is there anything in the photographs which gives you a clue about the type of science she was involved in?

Can you deduce anything from the photographs?

• Do you think she does her work now or did she live and work in the past?
• Is there anything in the photographs which gives you a clue about the type of science she was involved in?

• Kiara Nirghin invented a biodegradable product which helps soils retain water for longer. She used local waste products (orange peel and avocado skins) and developed special techniques to make a super absorbent polymer (SAP). This is a powder which absorbs lots of water when it is wet (up to 300 times its own weight) and then releases the water when the plants need it. Why do you think that is useful?
• Does global warming mean we will have more droughts worldwide?

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Discuss and share your ideas. Does everyone agree?

Watch Youtube clip: Kiara Nirghin – Google Science Fair winner (youtube.com)

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Kiara Nirghin

This is Kiara Nirghin, a South African woman who, at the age of 16, showed the world how STEM skills can help solve big global problems. Where Kiara lived, intense droughts meant that farmers were unable to produce enough food for local people. When the rain came, it usually seeped through the dry soil and ended up in the ground water where it was not accessible to plants.

Prompted by a Google competition, Kiara started researching what could help, and she invented a new water conservation material for soils. She used local waste products (orange peel and avocado skins) and developed special techniques to make a super absorbent polymer (SAP). This is a powder which absorbs lots of water when it is wet (up to 300 times its own weight) and then releases the water when the plants need it.

Kiara knew about SAPs (from watching her sister changing nappies) but her SAP was much more suitable for farmers because it was cheap and biodegradable. Her tests showed that when her SAP was added to soils in areas which tend to experience droughts, the plants were 84% more likely to keep growing.

Kiara Nirghin enjoyed science experiments from the age of 7 after being inspired by watching her older brother. She worked hard and paid great attention to every detail in her investigations. Her SAP invention won the Google Science Fair prize. Since then, she has worked with an agricultural company and is aiming for her innovative product to be available for farmers by the end of 2022. Kiara went on to study computer sciences at a university in America and is now working on exciting new products. Kiara and her family are passionate about STEM and hope that her story will inspire young people worldwide.

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Task: Find out more

about Kiara Nirghin’s life

Find out as many facts and information as you can

and create a biography about Kiara Nirghin

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