Scott Highlands Middle School seventh grader Mitra Suriyanarayanan is redefining what it means to be a young researcher. Her award-winning science fair project, Musical Minds: How Music Shapes the Task Performance and Emotional Behavior of Children with Autism, earned her top honors at the 88th annual Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair. But beyond the ribbons and accolades is a story of inspiration, persistence, and a spark for research that started early and continues to expand.
A Personal Spark Ignites a Passion
Mitra’s project was inspired by her aunt in India, who is on the autism spectrum. Growing up, Mitra formed a strong emotional bond with her, even across continents, connecting via FaceTime and occasional visits. “I hear from my family that if she had additional resources and therapies at a young age, she would have had more opportunities to thrive,” Mitra explained. The personal connection, combined with her love of music and interest in the brain, became the foundation for her research.
Mitra, a passionate young vocalist, wanted to explore whether music could positively influence emotional behavior and task performance in children with autism. “I love to sing, and I know how music affects me emotionally,” she said. “I wanted to see if it could help others, too.”
A Young Scientist in the Making
Mitra’s journey into science fairs started in kindergarten, and her first formal behavioral science project was in fifth grade. It investigated how screen exposure before bed affects melatonin production and sleep quality. Since then, she has explored topics including artificial intelligence versus human intelligence and the inefficiency of multitasking. Each year, she has expanded the scope of her research—from using her dad as her only test subject for her first project to working with multiple participants and professionals in the field.
Her current project took a significant step forward. After contacting multiple autism centers, Mitra secured approval from a local non-profit autism institution to conduct her study with participants aged 4 to 11, with full parental consent. Her research design included observing each child performing preferred tasks both with and without their preferred music, using standardized scales to assess task performance and emotional behavior.
Challenges and Growth
Working with a small sample size and within the constraints of privacy and access, Mitra demonstrated scientific maturity far beyond her years. She crafted observation tools and even conducted a supplemental staff survey to increase her data set.
Though her hypothesis—that music would positively impact emotional behavior and performance—was not supported by her limited data, Mitra saw this as an opportunity for future growth. “To draw a stronger conclusion, I’d need a larger sample size and a more controlled environment,” she noted, suggesting that using headphones, professional music therapists, or even reversed task order in future iterations could yield different results.
She also recognizes the subjectivity of observations and hopes to reduce bias in future research by incorporating multiple evaluators, including staff who work closely with the children.
Recognition and Future Aspirations
Mitra’s work was recognized with the prestigious 3M “Science Applied to Life” First Place Award and a Silver Grand Award from the Minnesota Academy of Science. She has presented her findings at multiple venues, including regional and state fairs, a nonprofit science showcase, and even to homeroom students at her middle school, Scott Highlands, inspiring others to consider their own science fair journeys. She also received the Naval Science Award, which honors innovation and dedication in STEM; the American Psychological Association Award for excellence in psychological science research; and both First Place and the Chief Judge’s Special Award at the Twin Cities Tamil Association’s Science Fair.
Her enthusiasm is truly inspiring. “It’s not about competing with others,” Mitra said. “It’s about competing with myself and getting better every time.” She is appreciative that she connected with Theresa Back, talent development teacher, and Mr. Austen Kruzeski, her science teacher at Scott Highlands, who arranged so many opportunities for her and supported her in finding science challenges beyond her regular classes.
Today, Mitra is exploring opportunities through the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge to advance to the national-level competition. She is also looking forward to giving back to the community through potential programs like a Youth Advisory Board at the local non-profit autism institution, where she aims to represent the youth voice in neurodiversity initiatives.
With the support of mentors, teachers, family, and the local non-profit autism institution, Mitra continues to explore the intersection of science, music, and human behavior—one thoughtful step at a time. “I don’t know yet what I want to be,” she admits. “But I’m finding my spark.”