A seventh-grader at San Diego French-American School in La Jolla took it on himself to create a more eco-friendly sunscreen, and his work already has garnered attention from the California Senate.
Now he’s eyeing improvements to the ingredients.
Martin Valkanov’s sunscreen ditches chemicals such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, oxybenzone and octinoxate, which he views as disruptive or harmful to coral reefs, fish and other aquatic organisms. In their place, he chooses ingredients sourced from the ocean, including kelp and algae.
The idea came as he grew up close to beaches and noticed a sheen atop the water caused by sunscreen washing off people’s skin. Martin began researching ways that marine life protects itself against the sun.
His mission: Find a better solution that protects both people and the ocean. He felt that solution was best found through calcium carbonate from aquatic shells, along with kelp extract for “enhanced [ultraviolet] defense and antioxidant benefits.”
Starting in November, Martin got to work on his homemade sunscreen and through a “hit or miss” process landed on an appropriately portioned ingredient list.
He said trials with the sunscreen prototype demonstrate 72.6% UV-blocking efficacy. Conventional sunscreen products typically block 93-99% of UVB radiation, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, though a 2021 study by the Environmental Working Group determined that most sunscreens “are not adequately effective” against UVA radiation, another type of ultraviolet.
Martin entered his creation in the 2025 Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair in March and won a first award in the junior division in biomedical/health sciences and biomedical engineering. His project was named one of the top 12 in the competition.
“It was quite stressful because I had lots of judges to talk to and present my project [to],” Martin said. “But after the first several judges, I got more comfortable and I actually liked it.”
In early May, Martin got one of his biggest accolades to date — a certificate of recognition from state Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista), whose 18th District includes south San Diego County.
Martin found out about it through Francis Carlier, San Diego French-American’s director of middle school, who notified him of a package in the mail addressed to him.
“I was really happy and I was proud of myself, because I put a lot of work into creating the sunscreen,” Martin said. “There were lots of components that had to go in, making sure all the proportions and all the ingredients were right.”
The certificate praises Martin’s “hard work in advancing science, technology and research to better our communities.”
Padilla’s office did not respond to requests for further comment.
Carlier said Martin’s efforts and accolades speak to his drive and the school’s greater mission.
“This is the purpose of our school — it’s a safe environment, but we want our students to be risk-takers,” he said. “Martin is a good example of a student who is able to take risks, and with everything he’s doing, I’m very confident in his future.”
Head of School Isabelle David added that “having such a recognition [is] giving the incentive to continue doing that and do even more and be even more creative.”
Martin is continuing the process of streamlining the sunscreen’s components and proportions. And he hopes to sustain it with further research and adjustments.
“My sunscreen was more of a prototype,” he said. “But if I can take it further, like with the lab maybe, I could do some more thorough testing and some experimentation.”
He said the sunscreen “works very well” for himself and that down the line, he hopes it will have more commercial use.
“If I make sure it’s perfectly safe and there’s the added benefits after my testing, it seems very promising, with the added benefit that it’s safe for the ocean,” he said. “Maybe I could eventually sell it.”
Other local San Diego science fair winners
In addition to Martin Valkanov, here are more first award winners from La Jolla schools in the junior division of the 2025 Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair:
• Thrace Hollmann, Muirlands Middle School, animal sciences
• Dominic Anello, The Children’s School, behavioral and social sciences
• Amy Zhang, The Bishop’s School, biomedical/health sciences and biomedical engineering
• Oliver Oster, The Children’s School, chemistry
• Valerie Combs, The Bishop’s School, Earth and environmental sciences
• Melody Jia, La Jolla Country Day School, Earth and environmental sciences
• Skye Kelsey, The Children’s School, Earth and environmental sciences
• Chloe Schuh, The Children’s School, Earth and environmental sciences
• Eva Monpays and Julianna Swigart, San Diego French-American School, electrical, mechanical and robotics engineering
• Ethan Hu and Andrew Xu, The Bishop’s School, electrical, mechanical and robotics engineering
• Yasmine Ahmad, Muirlands Middle School, energy, materials and transport engineering
• Amanda Bi, La Jolla Country Day School, energy, materials and transport engineering
• Stella Goldman, The Children’s School, energy, materials and transport engineering
• Joie Green, Muirlands Middle School, mathematics
• Olivia Liu, La Jolla Country Day School (with Hayden Byun of Solana Pacific Elementary School), microbiology
• Juliette Giunta-Beeche, All Hallows Academy, physics and astronomy
• Amelie Roy, San Diego French-American School, plant sciences
• Lily Barzal, All Hallows Academy, product testing ♦
