Promising Young Latino Makes Forbes' '30 Under 30' List

By Michael Lopez

Keep your eye on Javier Fernandez-Han. This 17-year-old science whiz may very well change the world within the next decade. And we're not the only ones who think so. Forbes recently put him on their prestigious "30 Under 30" list.

Tapped into the magazine's Energy category, Javier is among some very elite company. 24-year-old Danielle Fong already runs her own renewables company called LightSail Energy. Her inventions have made great strides in the electrical world, giving scientists new ways to store and harness solar power from the sun.

Though Fernandez-Han hasn’t quite reached the level of CEO yet, he's well on his way. The Texas high school student (who is half-Mexican and half-Chinese) has invented a groundbreaking system that can break down sewage and convert it into methane for fuel.

Not only that, he's already founded his own humanitarian organization called Inventors Without Borders. Javier hopes his ".org" will allow for new inventions to be used in poverty-stricken areas around the world.

"Once I realized I enjoyed inventing, I began to see how I could provide solutions to common problems," he told NBC Latino. "Inventing things became a way to help people."

And interestingly, the science world is starting to take notice. Fernandez-Han has already spoken at conventions for the popular website TED and been flown to Spain to deliver a speech to eco-engineers (which has become a YouTube sensation).

But if you were to ask his proud parents, Javier is still very much a "normal" teenager. He enjoys ping-pong, afterschool social events, and, well, saving the world.

"All teenagers have potential to solve problems. My vision is that one day that what Javier does will be considered typical," Fernandez-Han’s dad Peter explained. "As parents, we can expect kids to be creative in everything they do. When you refrain from providing a quick answer or buying solutions to a kid’s boredom, you cultivate the expectation that your kids can, and will be creative."

Have you ever tried to invent anything? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 30 Under 30, Agentes De Cambio, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cultura, Danielle Fong, Ecology, Education, Forbes, Inventors Without Borders, Javier Fernandez-Han, LightSail Energy, Science, Technology, TED