Sofía Méndez Roca is a 19-year-old materials innovator from Bolivia developing a bio-based hydrogel intended to slow wildfire ignition without leaving toxic residue in the soil.

PyroGel combines plant-derived polymers, silica and natural minerals in a coating designed to cool vegetation, insulate it from heat and slow ignition. Unlike water, which evaporates quickly, or some commercial fire gels, the material is intended to remain on the landscape longer without contaminating the soil. Méndez Roca began developing it after Bolivia’s 2024 fire season burned 12.6 million hectares and after a park ranger from an Indigenous community described the need for a suppressant that would last without polluting the land. The project remains focused on formulation, testing and scientific validation.

Méndez Roca founded PyroGel and leads its formulation and validation. She designs its chemistry, tests material properties, models fire-suppression performance and coordinates a small technical team and mentor network.