Indian-American inventor Gitanjali Rao, 17, was recognised by US First Lady Jill Biden for 'leading change' in US communities.
14 other young females were recognised at the White House event marking the International Day of the Girl.
Rao is currently a fresher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has been recognised by multiple educational institutions.
The 17-year-old is best known for her ground-breaking lead contamination detection tool, which also fetched her an EPA Presidential Award.
Rao, originally from Colorado’s Highlands Ranch, has also been featured in Forbes' list of 30 Under-30 achievers for her innovations.