SDG Target 3.5
Adopted by the United Nations in 2015, 17 total goals were addressed as a global call for action and are intended to be achieved by 2030. These goals are called The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or also known as the Global Goals. My research focuses on SDG Target 3.5, which aims to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. In January of 2025, I began my project by analyzing the fentanyl crisis in Raleigh, North Carolina and focused on developing the blueprint for an innovation that mitigates accidental overdose deaths.
Within this target, I am specifically researching accidental fentanyl overdose deaths amongst teens and young adults. However, The issue that I had initially begun researching as a school project became personal when a close friend of mine passed away at 14. It was only after his death that I found out he was using illicit opioids. Although addiction plays a role in this issue, so does misinformation. For instance, most fentanyl overdose deaths take place without the victims knowing that fentanyl was present in the first place. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, making it the number one cause of death for young adults across America.
The Gap
In consideration of overdose deaths in 2021 increasing by 22%, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services offers mobile crisis care, treatment programs, and other mechanisms to improve behavioral health services (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services). However, there is still a huge gap in prevention. Time and time again, accidental fentanyl overdose has proven itself to be an ongoing issue that only increases as we progress. Adolescents need a way to detect fentanyl-laced products to prevent accidental fentanyl drug overdose. The 2021 statistics report that this issue is “more critical than ever”. In North Carolina alone, 4,041 people have lost their lives from overdose, a record high for the state. (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services). Given the data found, adolescents need a way to detect fentanyl-laced products to prevent accidental fentanyl drug overdose.
FentaFind
To address this crisis, I developed FentaFind, which is an innovation that integrates biotechnology and analytical chemistry for immediate, portable fentanyl detection. This device detects fentanyl in potentially laced drugs and medication using absorption patterns through Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. To put it simply, every single molecule has its own unique absorption pattern, including fentanyl. Inside the device, infrared radiation beams split, reflect across multiple optical pathways, and pass through the sample. The beam then passes through the detector, where its absorption pattern is measured and compared to the known absorption pattern of fentanyl. A match between the patterns triggers a “Fentanyl Detected” alert, while a mismatch signals that the sample is “Clear.”
The device also comes with an app that allows users to anonymously submit their results. The collected data is mapped in real time and indicates fentanyl-lacing hotspots, allowing law enforcement to target specific locations based on the prevalence of fentanyl lacing.
Future Development
I had the opportunity to advance this project beyond a four-walled classroom and gain an international perspective when I collaborated with students from Suzhou North America High School in Suzhou, China. I also recently presented FentaFind to the National Consortium of STEM Schools, where I was able to gather insights from STEM professionals from all over the country. As of now, I have designed a blueprint, 3D-printed model, trifold, and app prototype. As I continue refining this innovation and gathering scientific inputs from technical experts, I plan to evolve FentaFind into a tool that contributes to mitigating the fentanyl overdose crisis.
