Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveBudding Indian-origin scientists win big at the Regeneron Science Talent Search

Budding Indian-origin scientists win big at the Regeneron Science Talent Search

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(January 22, 2023) Proving President Joe Biden’s words, “Indian Americans are taking over the country,” right, several Indian-origin kids have been winning big at the Regeneron Science Talent Search every year. Also called the US’ Junior Nobel, several Indian-origin high school students have secured positions among the top-10 finalists at this oldest and most prestigious STEM competition, which discovers the most innovative of budding scientists.

This year too, over 30 Indian-American students are among the semifinalists in the science competition. Inspired by compelling issues that cripple the pace of day-to-day life, these students have developed simple, unique, low-cost solutions, demonstrating their potential to become scientists and innovators for humankind. As these youngsters fight it to reach the top of the scoring board, Global Indian takes a look at the past Indian-origin students who won big at the Regeneron Science Talent Search.

Neil Chowdhury

An 18-year-old from Washington, Neil Chowdhury’s success in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022 is inspiring. He finished fifth among the top 10 winners of the United States’ Junior Nobel in STEM and received a cash award of $90,000 for his project, “Modeling the Effect of Histone Methylation on Chromosomal Organization in Colon Cancer Cells”, which is an innovative computational method of studying the role of histones implicated in colon cancer.

Science | Neil Chowdhury | Global Indian

The project he submitted to the Regeneron Science Talent Search shows his findings that histone proteins cause changes to the way a long string of DNA loops and coils itself to fit inside the nucleus of a cell. Explaining the significance of his project, Neil had earlier said that by being able to simulate biological systems and develop models of 3D genome, it can help us to better understand the inner workings of the cells.

In his experiment, Neil tried to replicate the method of modulating the DNA’s physical formation using molecular simulations of DNA polymers and coded the simulation in Python, an open-source programming language. His experiment shows that a modification of histone proteins can help with colon cancer by causing changes in the folding of DNA strings. Neil is exploring DNA, the basic building blocks of life, and will use the money to help pay tuition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu

Just 17 and already going places. Indian-American student Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu won the seventh place at the 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search. A resident of Virginia, Pravalika received a cash award of $70,000 for her project on real-time monitoring of laparoscopic surgeries. She designed a video-assisted program that uses machine learning to detect errors, if there is any, in surgical steps that doctors take in the operating room, so that a corrective measure can be taken immediately.

“My program was inspired by my cousin in India, who died of a preventable brain surgery complication,” Pravalika had shared during the competition, adding, “I wanted to create a tool that alleviates surgeons’ stress and helps them perform better in the operating room.” Pravalika started working on Dynamic Operating Room Companion (also known as DORC) in July 2020 and her goal was to reduce the potential for mistakes in gallbladder surgeries. Using machine learning, DORC analyses live surgery videos and tracks the movements of surgical tools, such as the acceleration and velocity in use. DORC uses this info to flag potential errors.

Gopal Krishna Goel

This 17-year-old from Portland, Oregon secured the fourth position at the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021. A homeschooled math genius, Gopal made it to the top 10 for his research on mathematical properties of random matrices, for which he received a US$ 100,000 award. For his project, he made connections between two mathematical objects related to randomness and probability.

Speaking about his journey, Gopal shared during an interview that homeschooling gave him the opportunity to explore the areas of study he loved at his own pace. He also added that his father piqued his interest in physics and they started going through most of Halliday Resnick 2nd edition together.

The young scientist hopes that his work will aid in the search for the true nature of quantum gravity, more commonly known as “the theory of everything.” Gopal, who is currently pursuing his undergraduate in math, science, music, and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is confident that the award-winning research will play a key role in the field of meteorology, nuclear physics, and quantum field theory. His research on the connection between randomness and probability.

Alay Shah

Among the top ten winners of the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search, 17-year-old Alay Shah from Texas finished seventh and earned a US$ 70,000 award for developing a possible low-cost alternative to MRIs. Through his research titled, Identifying Eye-Movement Patterns in Neurological Disorders to Assess Cognitive and Motor Function, Alay developed a tool to test eye movement as a low-cost, non-invasive method of quantifying deep brain function. He wrote the software, built the hardware, and conducted clinical testing on Dementia, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and ADHD patients.

On knowing that injured footballers are immediately taken for an eye checkup to find concussion, Alay started working on the idea of using abnormal eye movements for accurate detection of several neurological disorders. During an interaction session with the media, Alay had shared that he is a big believer in project-based learning. He added that he took a look at the current eye tracking standard and he used a combination of a set of intelligent algorithms to redefine eye tracking at its core.

A resident of Plano, Alay has integrated into the device an infrared camera that uses the software he coded. The device also uses deep learning algorithms to analyze and interpret the data on pupil movement. He has already tested the tool successfully on 200 patients.

Indrani Das

Currently pursuing a degree in Chemical and Physical Biology at the prestigious Harvard University, Indrani Das took home the top prize of $250,000 for her winning project focused on brain injury at the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search. By manipulating astrocytes, a type of supporting brain cell in an injury model, Indrani worked to promote neuron repair.

A contributor to neuron death is astrogliosis, a condition that occurs when cells called astrocytes react to injury by growing, dividing, and reducing their uptake of glutamate, which in excess is toxic to neurons. In a laboratory model, Indrani showed that exosomes isolated from astrocytes transfected with microRNA-124a both improved astrocyte uptake of glutamate and increased neuron survival.

Explaining her research, Das said that when Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, or a traumatic injury affects the brain, the neurons, which are the main signal cells of the brain, are killed. Next, the supporting cells — astrocytes — that are supposed to nurture and protect the neurons, go awry and create a toxic chemical environment, poisoning the neurons.

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Published on 22, Jan 2023

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Rohan Kalia: Indian-American teen wins President’s Scholarship for glaucoma detection device

(August 25, 2023) It was after one of Rohan Kalia's family members was diagnosed with glaucoma that the Indian-American teenager began researching an affordable technology that could be used for early detection. A sophomore at Wheeler High School in Marietta, the 17-year-old found that glaucoma ranks as the second most prominent cause of irreversible blindness on a global scale. The startling fact prompted him to look for an affordable solution in the form of a device that can accurately diagnose the condition. This gave birth to EyePal, a portable device that can detect glaucoma with 95 percent accuracy. The invention won the teenager the 2023 IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) President's Scholarship, which comes with a prize of $10,000. Glaucoma is an eye disease involving the degradation of the optic nerve that carries visual information, leading to a gradual loss of vision. If not detected early, it can lead to some degree of permanent blindness. The condition is detected from images taken of the retinal fundus (the back surface of the eye's interior) during a standard examination by an opthalmologist. During his research, Rohan found that a person's socioeconomic condition impacts the diagnosis of glaucoma. "I learned that

oma. "I learned that there's a huge disparity in eye care treatment across the world," Rohan said, adding, "Diagnosis and prevention of glaucoma is not accessible."

[caption id="attachment_32712" align="aligncenter" width="596"] Rohan Kalia[/caption]

Moreover, he discovered that people in rural areas are worst affected as many individuals face difficulty in accessing glaucoma testing due to a shortage of eye doctors and testing centers, coupled with the expensive equipment, absence of health insurance, and high-test costs. Understanding the severity of the condition, Rohan knew he had to find a solution. Explaining the working of EyePal, he said, "The EyePal uses a quality camera, a Raspberry Pi minicomputer, machine-learning technology, and a mobile app. The camera takes photos of the fundus and sends them to a mobile device that can be examined by a specialist. EyePal showed 95 percent accuracy when tested on sets of fundus images."

Apart from its accuracy, the device's portability is yet another plus point as it can be employed in rural medical centres and health clinics as opposed to the standalone specialised equipment that can be used only in a doctor's office or vision testing center. "The device costs less than $100," Rohan said, adding, "It's 50 times cheaper than the average price of ophthalmology equipment, in addition to being highly portable. What I did was create this new ensemble-based system of diagnosis."

The invention won him the President's Scholarship, which refers to as a "nice surprise." Moreover, EyePal was presented at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May in Dallas, Texas.

The inventor, who loves creating solutions and plans to work in the field of research, advices future engineers to keep going despite the obstacles. "In an engineering project, you're going to face times you want to give up, but keep persevering. Pick a project topic that you really like,” the Global Indian says, adding, "When you’re really interested in the topic, it will give you the motivation to keep pushing through."

Meet Sneha Revanur, the Gen Z activist championing AI governance

(September 16, 2023) In an ever-evolving world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, a glaring gap in governance looms large. Despite the awe-inspiring strides of AI and its integration into our daily lives, governments worldwide have yet to craft the essential regulations and laws needed to both unlock AI's immense potential and guard against its unforeseen risks. There, however, is one young Indian American activist who is taking these issues head-on - Sneha Revanur. The 18-year-old student of Williams College in Massachusetts, is the founder and President of Encode Justice, the world’s first and largest youth activist group in AI. And just about a few days back, the young activist was recognised on the ‘Time AI 100,’ the magazine’s maiden list of people who work with this emerging technology and “make critical decisions on when and how to best use it." "I am working towards safeguarding human rights, you know, democracy and equity in the age of artificial intelligence," the Global Indian recently said in an interview, adding, "Encode Justice emerged from that ballot campaign with a focus on the use of AI algorithms in surveillance and the criminal justice system. It currently boasts a membership of 600 high school and

ttp://www.globalindian.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian recently said in an interview, adding, "Encode Justice emerged from that ballot campaign with a focus on the use of AI algorithms in surveillance and the criminal justice system. It currently boasts a membership of 600 high school and college students across 30 countries."

Diving in the world of AI

Originally from San Jose in Silicon Valley, the young activist started getting involved in tech advocacy when she was just 15. In 2020, she volunteered for a campaign that stopped a law in California that wanted to replace cash bail with a computer system. She got interested in it when she read an article in The New York Times about a clever AI chatbot. Lately, people have been worried that generative AI might trick and control people, and they're also concerned about a more advanced type of AI called "artificial general intelligence."

Speaking about her involvement in the campaign in California, the activist shared, "I came across an investigation into an algorithm called COMPAS, which is a risk assessment tool used to evaluate whether a defendant is at risk of committing further crimes or recidivating in the period between their arrest and sentencing. That really was my first encounter with this realm of algorithmic injustice and the existence of AI bias. What I found out through that investigation was that the algorithm was actually twice as likely to rate Black defendants as high risk even when they weren't going to commit any future crimes. We oftentimes perceive technology as perfectly scientific, objective, and neutral, but in reality, it's actually amplifying and encoding the existing systems of oppression. That really shocked me. Later, when I found out that there was a ballot measure in my home state of California in the US that would have expanded the use of the same sort of algorithms, I knew I had to do something."

[caption id="attachment_33104" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Sneha is a student of Williams College in Massachusetts[/caption]

The activist adds, "I was outraged to see that there was almost no youth involvement in fighting the measure and there was no organised pushback to it. So, I decided to jump onto the scene and we formed Encode Justice and our first initiative was focussed on fighting that ballot measure, California Proposition 25. After dedicated organising and advocating we were able to eventually defeat the measure by a 13 percent margin. That was a pretty energising victory for all of us."

Leading the way

In her inaugural year as a college freshman, Sneha couldn't help but observe the swift integration of the term "ChatGPT" into the daily vocabulary of our world. It struck her as a compelling development, one that bore witness to the remarkable adaptability of Generation Z in embracing generative AI tools. For the activist, this newfound omnipresence of AI in her generation's lives seemed to beckon an essential question: if they were at the forefront of its utilisation, should they not also play a pivotal role in shaping its regulatory landscape?

[caption id="attachment_33105" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Sneha speaking at a conference held at the White House[/caption]

"Our generation possesses probably the highest rates of digital literacy, we have been exposed to technology all of our lives; it's always been at our fingertips. And I think that it gives us a unique understanding of human-computer interaction, our relationship with technology, and also how it shapes our worldview. And that's why I think it is important for young people across the world to talk about this new technology and its long-term impact on society at large," the activist shared.

In 2022, the activist took a leading role in orchestrating an open letter, urging congressional leaders and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to integrate the perspectives of the younger generation into AI oversight and advisory boards. Her advocacy didn't go unnoticed; shortly thereafter, she received an invitation to participate in a high-level roundtable conversation on artificial intelligence, graciously hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris. “For the first time, young people were being treated as the critical stakeholders that we are when it comes to regulating AI and really understanding its impacts on society,” she told Time, "We are the next generation of users, consumers, advocates, and developers, and we deserve a seat at the table.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnfumRZL0Go

Talking about her future plans, the activist mentioned, "I am planning to continue to expand our current initiative to ban facial recognition. I also hope to continue to expand internationally and to elevate diverse perspectives, especially perspectives from the Global South, on AI development. I wish to reach out to more and more young people - especially through Encode Justice's workshop programmes."

Follow Sneha Revanur on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram

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Chess player R Vaishali: Meet India’s 84th Grandmaster

(May 12, 2024) Ever since she was little, R Vaishali found herself drawn to an 8x8 square grid with alternating dark and light squares - a chessboard. She would spend hours learning the game and coming up with strategies to oust her opponents. She harboured the dream of becoming a grandmaster someday, and that day finally arrived this month when R Vaishali was named India's 84th Grandmaster. "Achieving the title was a dream come true," said the 22-year-old chess player, who is the sister of Pragganandhaa, India's youngest Grandmaster. Vaishali achieved the necessary 2500 ELO points during the Llobregat Open tournament in Spain, making her the third Indian woman, following Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, to attain the title of Grandmaster. Nevertheless, she received the title officially during the FIDE Council meeting at the Candidates Tournament in Toronto last month. "Yeah, it took some time to get it official, but I'm happy that the title is finally out. I was okay with it (the delay)," the Global Indian said. [caption id="attachment_37771" align="aligncenter" width="619"] R Vaishali is India's 84th Grandmaster[/caption] The long wait In 2018, she achieved the title of Woman Grandmaster after fulfilling her final norm at the Riga Technical

m/youth///wp-content/uploads/2024/05/vaish1-1024x683.jpg" alt="R Vaishali | Global Indian" width="619" height="413" /> R Vaishali is India's 84th Grandmaster[/caption]

The long wait

In 2018, she achieved the title of Woman Grandmaster after fulfilling her final norm at the Riga Technical University Open in Riga, Latvia. However, she had to wait for six long years to obtain the GM title, and those years filled her with doubt, especially after her ratings stagnated due to the lack of competition during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In between, I could not play any tournament for two years due to the (Covid-19) pandemic. But I was working throughout, trying to improve my game. I completed my International Master (IM) cycle post-pandemic (in 2021)," she said, adding, "Although I was improving my game slowly, my rating became stagnant. There were some low moments when I felt I might not get the title, but people believed in me and helped me to attain it."

It was only a week before the Llobregat Open tournament in Spain that R Vaishali decided to participate as she was just short of three points to achieve the title of Grandmaster. "My only goal to participate in the tournament was to get the title, and I was glad that I achieved it in the first two rounds," said the Arjuna Awardee.

[caption id="attachment_37773" align="aligncenter" width="776"] R Vaishali receives Arjuna Award[/caption]

Hooked to the boardgame

Born in Chennai to a banker father and a homemaker mother, R Vaishali got interested in chess at a young age. At the age of 12 in 2013, she scored a victory against the future World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen during a simultaneous exhibition match that Carlsen conducted while visiting her hometown of Chennai for the World Chess Championship 2013. Three years later, she attained the title of Woman International Master (WIM), and by October of the same year, she held the second rank in India and was ranked as the 12th best U16 girl player globally. During this period, her Elo rating stood at 2300.

Two Grandmasters under one roof

Growing up, she played friendly matches with her brother R Pragganandhaa. Together they are the first brother-sister duo to become Grandmasters in chess history. Talking about her relationship with Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali stated, "We talk a lot about our games, which is natural since we have been playing together since our childhood." "He helps me a lot with my game. It's great to have such a strong player at home with whom I can discuss more about the game at any time."

[caption id="attachment_37772" align="aligncenter" width="689"] R Vaishali with mom Nagalakshmi and brother Pragganandhaa[/caption]

After getting the GM title, she is now looking up to the World Championship and "playing against some of the best women chess players in the world." Though she is currently pursuing a PG Diploma course in Human Resource Management, R Vaishali is keen to pursue chess as a career. "I am in the final year of my Human Resource Management course after having completed my B Com. But I don't have any academic aspirations. I just want to complete this PG and focus on playing chess full-time and professionally," says the girl who has found her support system in her parents. While her mother accompanies her to the tournaments on most occasions, her father takes care of the logistics, planning, and finances. "In fact, both of them take care of most of our needs, which indeed helps us focus more on our game. Really grateful to them," she added.

Making the right noise - globally

It was in 1988 that Vishwanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster and now R Vaishali is the 84th Grandmaster. Calling him an inspiration for chess players in India, she said, "It all started with one man - Anand sir, and it has reached where it is now. He has brought in many changes, and his Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, of which I am a part too, has helped us train with some of the top trainers. Moreover, he inspires us and encourages us."

The game of chess has been booming in India in a big way in the last few decades, and R Vaishali credits government support. "Moreover, a lot of sponsors are coming in, and tournaments happening in India which is helping the chess players shine. As we speak, there must be someone else who must be in the making of the 85th grandmaster title," says the girl who loves dosa, and that's the one thing she wants to gorge on as soon as she returns home from a tournament.

With many Indian names shining in the world of chess, R Vaishali is certain that the future looks bright. Moreover, she believes that Fishrandom chess, also known as Chess960, is the future of chess. "Going forward, we will have more Fishrandom tournaments."

India's 84th Grandmaster, R Vaishali, is happy that she is serving as an inspiration for many upcoming chess players. "I often meet a lot of kids during tournaments and I am happy that Chess is getting its due."

Follow R Vaishali on X

Indian horse rider Kavya Gopal – Saddled up with two golds, she is all set to train in the UK

(January 20, 2022) She is the veritable horse whisperer. And champion horse rider. Kavya Gopal understands the animal’s temperament, is instinctive. Thus, horses share a special bond with her. The Chennai-born demonstrated her resolve and grit as she clinched two gold medals at the Junior National Equestrian Championship held in Mumbai in December 2021. “Winning two golds (individual and team gold) was phenomenal, incredible and overwhelming. Intense training and hard work paid off. There is more to come,” smiles Kavya in an exclusive with Global Indian. She is now prepping up for horse riding championships on the international level. The first time Kavya rode a horse was on a family vacation to Manali when she was six. “It was a giant horse named Mustafa. I confidently sat on him with no fear. I told the horse owner to walk aside instead of holding the horse. I held the reins bravely and rode all around the place,” recalls Kavya, now 20. Her parents -- AS Gopal and Kavita Gopal, too, were surprised seeing their daughter ride the horse fearlessly. [caption id="attachment_9810" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Kavya Gopal in Manali[/caption] At age 12, her father took her to the Madras Riding School (now

="529"] Kavya Gopal in Manali[/caption]

At age 12, her father took her to the Madras Riding School (now Madras School of Equitation). “When I sat on the horse, the coach was surprised to see my perfect stance. I kept riding there. After each ride, I would feed carrots to the horses to build a relationship off the saddle. It was amazing to connect with them. I fell in love with the sport,” recalls Kavya, who is now pursuing MBA (online) from Manipal University.

The fall, and getting back up

Kavya has suffered multiple sprains and injuries as a horse bucked or threw her off. She was even rushed to a hospital after a fall. Her first though was six months into horse riding. Her favourite horse, Pelican Creek, buckled and threw her off and she landed on the ground, shaken. Most horses run towards the stable after buckling for a sense of safety. But in Kavya’s case, it stood there, staring. “Looking into her eyes, I understood that she was telling me not to take her for granted and give accurate riding aids (cues given to a horse). She seemed to understand that I was learning but wanted me to pay attention to proper riding aids to work well as a team,” informs Kavya, who went to Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School in Chennai after completing a BSc in zoology for three years from Stella Maris College.

Communication that is silent, yet apt

Such is her bonding with horses that Kavya did a detailed project on horse behaviour for her final year college project. “I delved deep into a horse’s behaviour, which was an eye opener, not only for me but for my professors too. They were surprised to know how a horse communicates with humans through a silent method,” informs Kavya, who did her diploma in equine management and psychology from the Centre of Excellence.

Kavya Gopal loves that all her communication happens in silence. “There is no beating, shouting or controlling the animal. It just needs to be trained and it communicates beautifully,” she says.

After a great deal of time and effort, one can build a partnership off the saddle. “I give them treats by offering carrots, bananas or jaggery, or massage them, walk or even play music as horses love to listen to music,” informs the horse-riding champ, stressing that the horse should be able to feel the presence, body language and temperament of a rider.

[caption id="attachment_9811" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Kavya Gopal with her coach Isabelle Futnani[/caption]

Horse-riding comes with its own dangers. Worldwide, horse riders have suffered severe injuries. Kavya Gopal has been lucky, though. “I have had a few mishaps - I sprained my leg, lower back and shoulder. Luckily, it was not serious,” adds the girl whose father is CEO at Infinitheism, a spiritual foundation company and mother is a project manager at IIT Madras.

A ‘Supreme Quest’ to cherish

Kavya was the proud owner of a thoroughbred named Supreme Quest which she bought in June 2020, and sold in December 2021. “He was with me for a year, we understood each other so well. We had a great partnership. I get to see him every day as he is in the same stable (Madras School of Equitation) from where I had bought him,” informs Kavya, who has also done show jumping and dressage with Supreme Quest.

Winning two gold medals at the Junior National Equestrian Championships takes dedication, a competition she has participated in for the past four years. “Six months before the championship, my father guided me into meditation. I would be asked to visualise my dressage (a form of horse riding in competitions which can be individual or team events), precision, accuracy and even winning the gold. It helped me a great deal in building confidence,” says the girl who eats nutritious food and weight trains four days a week, besides cardio to up her stamina and focus. Horse riding has a sacrosanct time – a few hours in the morning and evening.

Her first participation in the championship was in Kolkata, riding a pony - to gain exposure and understand horses. The second was held in Bengaluru on a leased horse (which did not go well). The third time, she won her first team silver on Supreme Quest and the fourth was in Mumbai 2021 where she won two gold medals in the Young Rider Dressage category. She won the individual gold medal with a score of 73.3475. In Dressage, the horse responds to a skilled rider’s minimal aids by performing requested movement while remaining relaxed and effortless.

The rider is a champ

Kavya’s passion for horses even got her a job at the Madras School of Equitation. She coaches young riders and trains horses at ₹15,000 a month. “I am at the centre in the mornings and evenings where I give classes, ride horses, feed and train them,” says the rider who prefers warm blood horses who are naturally bred for show jumping and dressage.

“Warmbloods have amazing natural gait, have the subtleness, and are great for young riders. I won the nationals (December 2021) on a German bred warmblood named Sechs Richtige,” the Indian horse rider adds.

Riding with the wind in her hair, she now wants to improve her skill set and train in the higher levels of dressage. “I am looking forward to participating in international championships organised by the Federation Equestrian International,” says Kavya who will be training under professional coaches and working with higher level horses at Talland School of Equitation, UK soon. Previously, she had trained at the Summer House Equestrian Centre, UK for a month too. A career in equine therapy and nutrition or as a professional dressage coach is on Kavya’s mind as she praises her Coach Isabelle Futnani’s support and training.

The avid swimmer who had even won a state level competition at just 10, calls her parents her pillars of strength. She hopes the government will recognise the sport as equivalent to cricket and football. “This sport is expensive and financial constraints deter those interested. To encourage people, the government can look at sponsoring them,” concludes Kavya.

Reading Time: 6 min

Scientist, innovator, TEDx speaker, trainee pilot – how teenage prodigy Gitanjali Rao is raising the bar

“I know a lot of people say that kids are the future, but I want to spread the message that we are here now, and we can make a difference.” - 11-year-old Gitanjali Rao in 2017 Meet Indian American teen scientist and TIME’s First Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao. She is wise, confident, knowledgeable, self-assured and loves reading Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s websites. A chat with her is refreshing: Lucid thoughts flow almost as if scripted. It’s hard to fathom how a 4 foot something girl with sparkling eyes oozes such clarity. Picture a pre-teen walking into the Denver Water Treatment plant with a lab coat over gummies, and holding forte among science professionals. https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/1356357624376287233?s=20 In an exclusive interview with Global Indian, She radiates poise as she speaks on her first prototype in use – Tethys, which detects lead contamination in water and shares that information through Bluetooth. Her occasional giggles make this child scientist more endearing. Today, at 15, she has 11 innovations to her name, of which three are in the prototype stage with one released. Innovation-driven by empathy Gitanjali, named after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s famous book of poems, has an altruistic sense of scientific purpose that takes one aback. In 3M’s Not the Science Type docuseries, she says: “All of us can make a difference. It’s just about finding that one thing

, She radiates poise as she speaks on her first prototype in use – Tethys, which detects lead contamination in water and shares that information through Bluetooth. Her occasional giggles make this child scientist more endearing. Today, at 15, she has 11 innovations to her name, of which three are in the prototype stage with one released.

Innovation-driven by empathy

Gitanjali, named after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s famous book of poems, has an altruistic sense of scientific purpose that takes one aback. In 3M’s Not the Science Type docuseries, she says:

“All of us can make a difference. It’s just about finding that one thing you want to change, and changing it. I want to use science to inspire kindness. Find yourself with it.”

https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1334727929037606912?s=20

Wearing multiple hats

A weighty quest for science guides the toothy teen scientist. She is described as a Forbes 30 Under 30, America's Top Young Scientist, TEDx Speaker, STEM Promoter, TIME Top Young Innovator, author and student. Moreover, she is a proficient glider, pianist, classical dancer, fencer, and a (self-proclaimed) average cook. This quest started with her proclivity to ask questions. Years on, those very questions led her to solutions. First, she tackled water scarcity and contamination that led to the Tethys prototype at just 11.

[caption id="attachment_5592" align="aligncenter" width="426"] At the age of 15, Gitanjali Rao has 11 innovations to her name.[/caption]

The technology, Rao says, can be easily enhanced to other contaminants. “More students, especially in the recent Regeneron Science Talent Research, Stockholm Junior Water Prize, etc have taken the same technology and enhanced it for other contaminants or water purification with doped nanotubes. Arsenic, Mercury and Cadmium are a few,” she tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview. Further, she has provided some Brazilian students her solution for further research.

“I am in the process of working with American Water Works Association to explore influencing state and federal policies on water testing,” says Rao.

She paid for Tethys materials through her Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge prize money, which she won when she was barely 12.

Addressing the opioid crisis

Rao became fixated with another question – how to address the opioid crisis - when a family friend was prescribed opioids after an accident. She developed Epione – a tool to diagnose prescription opioid addiction using an ELISA-based protein detection method. Epione works on a fluid sample and uses protein expression from the mu-opioid receptor gene to find out if a patient is at the onset of addiction. “The device uses standard colorimetry processes to identify addiction status. Results on a mobile app show the status of addiction, and includes a map of the nearest addiction centre,” Rao adds about this early-stage research.

[caption id="attachment_5611" align="alignnone" width="852"] Gitanjali Rao enjoys talking about science with kids.[/caption]

Parental guidance

Rao feels her upbringing - thinking, trying and ideating differently were encouraged - made problem-solving a habit. She probably inherited intellectual rigor from her parents - Rama and Bharathi Rao, who migrated from Mangalore to the US and have strong academic credentials. Her parents instilled the freedom to choose and that she says taught her to be resourceful and take risks.

“If I felt like learning to fly a glider, I had to earn it, find a scholarship. If I wanted to attend a space camp, I had to search for scholarships and apply. To learn more about a concept, they would help me search for an expert, article or professor. They ensured I was safe, and allowed me to take risks.”

Today, she has a student’s flying license and can fly a glider.

[caption id="attachment_5593" align="alignnone" width="1010"] Gitanjali Rao learning how to fly.[/caption]

The Raos knew they were raising a special kid very early on. As a 10-year-old, a parent can expect the kid to ask for a new video game or a toy but the Raos had to service a carbon nanotube request.

'Kindly' to prevent cyberbullying

Among the other technologies that Rao has developed is Kindly, where she started with the question of how to prevent cyber threats. Kindly is an anti-cyber-bullying app that detects words related to cyberbullying using machine learning and natural language processing. As trailblazers go, her meeting with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella helped guide her with the initial prototype for Kindly. In an awe-inspiring meeting, Nadella was “kind enough to meet a 13-year-old, listen to her ideas and support,” she says.

Kindly has a Beta standalone app and browser extension now, and she has partnered with UNICEF to roll this out as a product that can be used worldwide to measure the number of preventable cyberbullying events.

Promoting STEM education through innovation workshops

A three-time TEDx speaker and winner of the US President’s Environmental Youth Award, Rao is hoping to solicit new innovators to address the world’s problems through her innovation workshops. She has already reached about 50,000 students in 26 countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBEPYDLD3vg

“I hope to reach out to 50,000 more by 2021-end in partnership with MJP Foundation for schools in Cambodia, Royal Academy of Engineering for students in the UK, Transformation Ghana, and individual schools in India,” says the girl, who is now working on parasitic water contamination detection using genetic engineering. The key is to inspire girls to be unafraid of science and technology and help them connect it to real impact. But challenges abound. A workshop for girls in Gaza was canceled due to security issues. In Afghanistan and Chile, her struggle was to help people understand her accent.

“In a refugee camp in Kenya, some students had to walk 45 minutes just to listen, and had to leave before dark.”

The students at Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp started their own STEM classes using Rao’s book (A Young Innovators Guide to STEM – 5 Steps for Problem Solving).

“Schools in India that reach out and facilitate are much easier, though I have to tune my message for kindness, empathy, and collaboration.”

The TIME accolade has amplified her voice to influence and introduce innovation into the early education system. Since April 2018, Gitanjali has been working with UNICEF and was recognized as one of America’s Top Youth volunteers by Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. She even donated to UNICEF’s India COVID-19 response.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_li_TNwOEk

A family girl

She is often teased by her family that she might be “Kid of the Year” but she still has to do her chores and clean her room. Her friends can’t fathom how America’s top kid scientist forgets adding key ingredients like melted butter while baking.

Her Indianness comes out in glimpses - eating hot bhajiyas on a rainy day. Or sipping on borrowed chai from her mom with a Parle G biscuit or rusk. Due to the pandemic, Gitanjali missed her yearly visits to India to see her maternal grandparents in Navi Mumbai and paternal grandfather in Hyderabad. But she’s thankful they are in the US now.

Mentored by icons

Having good mentors is an important crucible in any Global Indian’s journey. Rao speaks of being under the tutelage of Dr Kathleen Shafer from 3M (Tethys), Dr Selene Hernandez (Denver Water), and Dr Michael McMurray who guided her on genetic engineering concepts. Moving forward, her goal is to reach out to the US Department of Education to bring innovation into daily curriculum, which means innovations in education.

[caption id="attachment_4066" align="alignnone" width="425"] When Global Indians meet: Gitanjali Rao with 3M's chief science advocate Jayshree Seth in 2018[/caption]

Marvel’s hero project

Gitanjali was featured in the web series Marvel’s Hero Project as Genius Gitanjali for her valuable contributions to society.

“I think that being a scientist is like being a superhero, because superheroes save people, and want to do what is best for their society – scientists do the same exact thing,” she earlier told Google.

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