As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my Odissi mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. I have been dancing since I was three and math always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractals and overlays. One day, I ripped open an old laptop to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. Why should I kill one facet of my personality to nurture the other? Mastering an Odissi bhangi (pose) after hours of practice fills me with the same childlike pleasure as solving an unyielding differential equation. I use the principles of rotational dynamics to perfect a bhramari (spin) and rhythm to admire the beauty of sinusoidal AC waves. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Seeing their eyes sparkle with joy when her programs were executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. But I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark like “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. “I hope this is clear, boys?” my teacher would remark after explaining every new concept. “Raise your hand!” As my teacher scribbled white marks on the blackboard, I did not understand a bit. I moved nervously on my chair in a class where I was the only girl among thirty students. The boys growled about the latest tech stuff’ while I felt only timider. I never felt this in classes with my girlfriends when we used to sit together and solve a difficult integration problem or have a merry laugh. It is a forum where girls in STEM voice their opinions freely without fear of being judged or looked down upon. We spend hours coding on JupyterNotebook and watching videos to prepare our quizzes. This exercise boosted my self-confidence too, and we spoke up more in class against cyberbullying. GirlsWhoScience eventually grew into a full-on after-school program with over fifty confident young women. As an engineer, I will apply spatial and pattern-recognition skills from Odissi to improve motion-capture technology in robots and design sustainable urban infrastructure projects. My mission is to design intelligent AI systems without compromising the sanctity of the environment or ethics in the process. I aim to create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?”

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. I have been dancing since I was three and coding always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Two now work as database managers and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs were executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. So, I decided to study Computer Science. But I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark like “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. I realized that it is not the lack of ability, but confidence that is holding girls back. I established ‘GirlsWhoScience’, a forum where girls in STEM voice their opinions freely, without having the fear of being judged or looked down upon. We spend hours coding on JupyterNotebook and watching IoT videos to prepare our quizzes. This exercise boosted my self-confidence, and we spoke up more in class. GirlsWhoScience eventually grew into a full-on after-school program with over fifty confident young women. As a woman and a person of color in engineering, I will offer a fresh perspective in the field or in research that affects the lives of over half of the population. I hope to bridge the gender gap a tad bit more and inspire more girls into perceiving engineering as something that they are capable of and create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?” My mission as an engineer is to apply spatial and pattern-recognition skills from Odissi to design sustainable urban infrastructure projects and help farmers make rational decisions to optimize agriculture, without compromising the sanctity of the environment or ethics in the process. It is a misconception that Computer Science or engineering can not solve the world’s ecological problems, and I want to change that. Computers have helped revolutionize the commercial world and transformed the lives of the general public through the Internet and mobile technologies, but have created a negative impact on our planet by generating e-waste. Computers are supposed to alleviate human suffering. So, it is high time we use them to help preserve and protect the environment. And This is exactly where I want to work. If I had an unlimited budget, I will take an interdisciplinary approach to solve climate problems by including programmers, applied mathematicians, economists, and environmental scientists to work on computational sustainability to address challenges that computer scientists have not traditionally handled and together, tackle a range of issues from wildlife management to poverty reduction. Computers can be used to design corridors where wildlife can be encouraged to travel so that they are less impacted by the encroachment of land development. The computers assimilate mountains of data about the wildlife, the environment, the geography of the area, and other factors to create models of the area. Computers prove especially useful to tackle global warming. Computer models can show changes occurring in the polar regions and use data to link deterioration in polar ice fields to human intervention. They can accurately predict an environmental future by identifying pertinent data from huge fields of information and making logical deductions from it. This is something that is nearly impossible for people to do because of the time it would take, but computers can complete the process in a relatively short time. I want to work on smart farming techniques, especially species selection and soil management. These tedious problems involve searching for specific genes with the most efficient water and nutrients usage, adaptation to climate change, and disease resistance. I will conduct research and create bio-robots that use Deep Learning algorithms and spatial statistics to analyze decades of field data and understand the ecological dynamics of soil moisture, and temperature to predict which genes will create a healthier plant. Computational Toxicology is an important component of regulating things like fertilizers and pesticides. The EPA has used it for years in stream restoration to understand how excess nitrogen levels or the presence of certain organisms can negatively impact streams and then to restore them. Computers can combine huge amounts of data and use Machine Learning algorithms for agencies to monitor gaps in areas of conservation and suggest remedies to governmental and private entities on how they can best combine their efforts for the biggest impact with the least economic stress. With climate change becoming a stark reality, Indian farms severely lack freshwater infrastructure. By using a CS program, I can develop sustainable water-resource systems, crucial for meeting potable water requirements in the world's drought-prone areas. Whether I am designing a new algorithm or developing disaster-resilient irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

“I hope this is clear, boys?”, my teacher would remark after explaining every new concept. “Raise your hand!” As my teacher scribbled white marks on the blackboard, I did not understand a bit. I moved nervously on my chair in a class where I was the only girl among thirty students. The boys growled about the latest tech stuff’ while I felt only timider. I never felt this in classes with my girlfriends when we used to sit together and solve a difficult integration problem or have a merry laugh. Math has always intrigued me. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark or a passive-aggressive comment from my friend, “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. I tried to “man up” to fit into the stereotype I was determined to change the status quo. I realized that it is not the lack of ability, but confidence that is holding us back. I established ‘GirlsWhoScience’, a forum where girls in STEM voice their opinions freely, without having the fear of being judged or looked down upon. We spend hours coding on JupyterNotebook and watching IoT videos to prepare our quizzes. We organize meetings and give presentations. We also used our support groups to help girls facing problems in continuing their science education. This exercise boosted my self-confidence, and we spoke up more in class. GirlsWhoScience eventually grew into a full-on after-school program with over fifty confident young women. A group of women domestic helpers works in my locality. They are miserably underpaid. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching them SQL and GoogleSuite. I also teach them some basic spoken English expressions and phrases. Two of them now work as database managers at the local grocery store and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. They regained their confidence and have improved their standard of living in a society that still considers them as ‘outcastes’. Diversity in STEM is a beautiful, living, and breathing phenomenon. It is not the goal, but the means to achieve a higher goal: humankind’s progress. I decided to study computer science because I wanted to continue my mission of getting more women in STEM. There is a huge gender gap in engineering. As a woman and a person of color in engineering, I will offer a fresh perspective in research that affects the lives of over half of the population. I hope to bridge the gender gap a tad bit more and inspire not only three women, but millions of girls into perceiving STEM as a place where they belong. My mission is to create space in engineering where no girl fears ‘raising her hand’ and clubs like ‘GirlsWhoScience’ are no longer required. Whether I am developing a new algorithm or designing self-sustaining irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

“I hope this is clear, boys?”, my teacher would remark after explaining every new concept. “Raise your hand!” As my teacher scribbled white marks on the blackboard, I did not understand a bit. I moved nervously on my chair in a class where I was the only girl among thirty students. The boys growled about the latest tech stuff’ while I felt only timider. I never felt this in classes with my girlfriends when we used to sit together and solve a difficult integration problem or have a merry laugh. Math has always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark or a passive-aggressive comment from my friend, “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. I tried to “man up” to fit into the stereotype A group of women domestic helpers works in my locality. They are miserably underpaid. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching them SQL and GoogleSuite. I also teach them some basic spoken English expressions and phrases. Two of them now work as database managers at the local grocery store and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. They have been my role models ever since and a source of inspiration in life. They regained their confidence and have improved their standard of living in a society that still considers them as ‘outcastes’. I was determined to change the status quo. I realized that it is not the lack of ability, but confidence that is holding us back. I established ‘GirlsWhoScience’, a forum where girls in STEM voice their opinions freely, without having the fear of being judged or looked down upon. We spend hours coding on JupyterNotebook and watching IoT videos to prepare our quizzes. We organize meetings and give presentations. We also used our support groups to help girls facing problems in continuing their science education. This exercise boosted my self-confidence, and we spoke up more in class. GirlsWhoScience eventually grew into a full-on after-school program with over fifty confident young women. Diversity in STEM is a beautiful, living, and breathing phenomenon. It is not the goal, but the means to achieve a higher goal: humankind’s progress. It is a festival, meant to be celebrated. I accept, it is a human tendency to be uncomfortable with differences in opinions. However, it is the only way to get out of comfort zones and look at the world from a fresh perspective. I decided to study computer science because I wanted to continue my mission of getting more women in STEM. If I want to inspire not only three women, but millions of girls to take up computer science and witness how a few lines of code and transform lives. There is a huge gender gap in engineering. As a woman and a person of color in engineering, I will offer a fresh perspective in the classroom or in research that affects the lives of over half of the population. I hope to bridge the gender gap a tad bit more and inspire more girls into perceiving STEM as something that they are capable of and a place where they belong. My mission is to create space in engineering where no girl fears ‘raising her hand’ and clubs like ‘GirlsWhoScience’ are no longer required. Whether I am developing a new algorithm or designing self-sustaining irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

“I hope this is clear, boys?”, my teacher would remark after explaining every new concept. “Raise your hand!” As my teacher scribbled white marks on the blackboard, I did not understand a bit. I moved nervously on my chair in a class where I was the only girl among thirty students. The boys growled about the latest tech stuff’ while I felt only timider. I never felt this in classes with my girlfriends when we used to sit together and solve a difficult integration problem or have a merry laugh. Math has always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark or a passive-aggressive comment from my friend, “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. I tried to “man up” to fit into the stereotype I was determined to change the status quo. I realized that it is not the lack of ability, but confidence that is holding us back. I established ‘GirlsWhoScience’, a forum where girls in STEM voice their opinions freely, without having the fear of being judged or looked down upon. We spend hours coding on JupyterNotebook and watching IoT videos to prepare our quizzes. We organize meetings and give presentations. We also used our support groups to help girls facing problems in continuing their science education. This exercise boosted my self-confidence, and we spoke up more in class. GirlsWhoScience eventually grew into a full-on after-school program with over fifty confident young women. A group of women domestic helpers works in my locality. They are miserably underpaid. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching them SQL and GoogleSuite. I also teach them some basic spoken English expressions and phrases. Two of them now work as database managers at the local grocery store and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. They regained their confidence and have improved their standard of living in a society that still considers them as ‘outcastes’. Diversity in STEM is a beautiful, living, and breathing phenomenon. It is not the goal, but the means to achieve a higher goal: humankind’s progress. It is a festival, meant to be celebrated. I accept, it is a human tendency to be uncomfortable with differences in opinions. However, it is the only way to get out of comfort zones and look at the world from a fresh perspective. I decided to study computer science because I wanted to continue my mission of getting more women in STEM. If I want to inspire not only three women, but millions of girls to take up computer science and witness how a few lines of code and transform lives. There is a huge gender gap in engineering. As a woman and a person of color in engineering, I will offer a fresh perspective in the classroom or in research that affects the lives of over half of the population. I hope to bridge the gender gap a tad bit more and inspire more girls into perceiving STEM as something that they are capable of and a place where they belong. My mission is to create space in engineering where no girl fears ‘raising her hand’ and clubs like ‘GirlsWhoScience’ are no longer required. Whether I am developing a new algorithm or designing self-sustaining irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my Odissi mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. I have been dancing since I was three and math always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays—my first non-textbook application of math. “It’s beautiful!”, I exclaimed, “but I can’t touch it!”. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. My brother explained how the microscopic switches on the motherboard generate 0s and 1s to execute wonderful things. “Oh! So the laptop is the flesh and the motherboard the heart? “Yes!”, he replied. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Two now work as database managers and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. Thus, I feel compelled to study computer engineering. My mission as an engineer is to design intelligent AI systems to help farmers make rational decisions to optimize agriculture, without compromising the sanctity of the environment or ethics in the process. I want to expose myself to circuits, regression models, sensors, and their practical implementations. The wide range of AI specializations will teach me how to implement AI on data to identify solutions to root causes such as estimating costs and risks, improving crop yield, and minimizing waste. The ‘Mathematical Programming’ class will show me how to optimize systems of equations, a valuable skill for designing AI algorithms. I want to take an interdisciplinary approach to research and have the freedom to explore diverse connections between STEM and humanities. I want to work in horticulture on using soft bio-robots in vineyard harvesting. Through the Cornell Initiative for Digital Agriculture, I am excited to work with her to deploy Deep Learning algorithms in bio-robots that use spatial statistics for real-time yield forecasting and predicting which genes will create a healthier plant. Indian farms severely lack freshwater infrastructure. I want to develop sustainable irrigation systems, crucial for meeting agricultural and potable water requirements in the world's drought-prone areas. As a responsible engineer, I have always been interested in addressing ethical and privacy concerns in big data strategically. I will delve deeper into psychology and contextualize my work in engineering through information ethics, law & policy. Whether I am designing a new algorithm or developing disaster-resilient irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my Odissi mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. I have been dancing since I was three and math always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays—my first non-textbook application of math. “It’s beautiful!”, I exclaimed, “but I can’t touch it!”. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. My brother explained how the microscopic switches on the motherboard generate 0s and 1s to execute wonderful things. “Oh! So the laptop is the flesh and the motherboard the heart? “Yes!”, he replied. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Two now work as database managers and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. Thus, I feel compelled to study computer engineering. My mission as an engineer is to design intelligent AI systems to help farmers make rational decisions to optimize agriculture, without compromising the sanctity of the environment or ethics in the process. I want to expose myself to circuits, regression models, sensors, and their practical implementations. The wide range of AI specializations will teach me how to implement AI on data to identify solutions to root causes such as estimating costs and risks, improving crop yield, and minimizing waste. The ‘Mathematical Programming’ class will show me how to optimize systems of equations, a valuable skill for designing AI algorithms. I want to take an interdisciplinary approach to research and have the freedom to explore diverse connections between STEM and humanities. I want to work in horticulture on using soft bio-robots in vineyard harvesting. Through the Cornell Initiative for Digital Agriculture, I am excited to work with her to deploy Deep Learning algorithms in bio-robots that use spatial statistics for real-time yield forecasting and predicting which genes will create a healthier plant. Indian farms severely lack freshwater infrastructure. I want to develop sustainable irrigation systems, crucial for meeting agricultural and potable water requirements in the world's drought-prone areas. As a responsible engineer, I have always been interested in addressing ethical and privacy concerns in big data strategically. I will delve deeper into psychology and contextualize my work in engineering through information ethics, law & policy. Whether I am designing a new algorithm or developing disaster-resilient irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, I will immerse myself in the power of simple lines of code to transform lives.

Self-love can be the best love, but I have had to go through a journey of self-hate, or at least intense dislike before I could reach the other side. I think the term "self-love" is incredibly cliched right now, and I would rather give myself the time and space to define what it means in my own life, that is, without getting stuck in surface-level wellness practices like manicures and solo dates. Self-care for me is becoming comfortable with yourself and listening to and nourishing your mind, body, and spirit accordingly. I struggled with loving myself for most of my life due in part to subconscious conditioning that if I am a woman and if I look a certain way, I have to follow all the norms that society has set up for me. Especially coming from a country like India, where women are constantly judged on what we wear, the length of our skirts, or the shades of our lipstick. I have a naturally curvy body. Now what many women would consider as an asset, actually turned out to be a nightmare for me. From getting unwanted attention to being catcalled and objectified, I have been through it all. My classmates would often make fun of me behind my back and as much as I tried not paying attention to it, it would still get into my head and I would hate myself for my body. I stopped wearing dresses and skirts and started covering up more thinking that it might get rid of some of the stares. But nothing seemed to work. Unwanted sexual advances, sexist remarks, and jeerings became part of my life. I have even been harassed and stalked in broad daylight. All of these incidents lead to severe depression and self-hate. I would miss school for days and cry myself to bed. But sometime later, I realized that I can not curl up in a ball in my house forever. How can I give up on my dreams and aspirations just because of the way I look? That was when I started fasting every day for better physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Fasting allowed me to develop a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image. Slowly, I started accepting my flaws and I have fully acknowledged that there is nothing wrong with me. It took me a while, but I realized I was trying to fix something that wasn't broken. I was so lost in my thoughts that I never stopped to appreciate the abundance of what I had: a beautiful, well-functioning body. Self-love is being truly being happy with who you are trusting yourself to forge your own path with confidence. My experience with my body image has taught me a vital life lesson: you cannot change the way people look at you, but you can definitely change the way you look at yourself. And this is something that I am going to keep with me for the rest of my life.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. I tap my right foot and the ghungroo dance bells lining my ankle jingle, simulating the heartbeat of Mother Earth. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. My woman crush is Hedy Lamarr. She was known for being one of the finest actresses in the world but she was also a brilliant scientist and engineer who developed the Wifi technology we all use today. But no one ever gave credit to her for it. Why were all her accomplishments and talents reduced to how well she can please men? She was much more than just a pretty woman. The woman I am indebted to the most is my mom. She is a fantastic teacher, manager, wife, sister, and daughter. She was a phenomenal dancer and social activist during her time. She gave up her dreams and career after marriage as it was considered taboo for women at that time in India to work after marriage. She sacrificed everything for me and my brother. She always tells me, "Adya, I want you to follow every dream and have a future that I never did." She always put my education first. I received a full scholarship to attend Syracuse University this fall, but I am scared of literally moving across the world and getting out of my comfort zone, especially given where I come from. But she always encouraged me to follow my dreams and become independent. Coding has always intrigued me. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers programming. Seeing their eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was inspired by how a few lines of code could empower women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. But I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark like “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. Dance is my refuge in the darkest times as it embroils me with passion and sets my soul free. Why should we kill one facet of my personality to nurture the other and conform to the 'status quo'? Why should our gender, beliefs, and how we look have anything to do with our dreams in life? Beauty to me is not just about surface-level practices like manicures and makeup. It is being comfortable with yourself nourishing your mind, body, and spirit accordingly. In India, we are constantly judged on what we wear, the length of our skirts, or the shades of our lipstick. I have a naturally curvy body. Now what might be an Instagram "gold-standard", is a nightmare for me. My classmates would make fun of me behind my back and I would hate myself. I stopped wearing dresses and skirts and started covering up more thinking that it might get rid of some of the stares. But nothing seemed to work. Unwanted sexual advances, sexist remarks, being harassed and stalked in broad daylight, I've been through it all. All of these incidents lead to severe depression and self-hate. I would miss school for days and cry myself to bed. Soon, I realized that I can not curl up in a ball in my house forever. How can I give up on my dreams and aspirations just because of the way I look? I started fasting for better physical, mental and spiritual well-being and to develop a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image. Slowly, I started accepting my flaws and I realized I was trying to fix something that wasn't broken. My experience with my body image has taught me a vital life lesson: you cannot change the way people look at you, but you can definitely change the way you look at yourself. I aim to create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?”. I want to encourage every little girl out there to believe in herself and that she's beautiful and that she looks like an engineer, CEO, manager, singer, musician, and anything that she wants to become.

Math has always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays—my first non-textbook application of math. “It’s beautiful!”, I exclaimed, “but I can’t touch it!”. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. My brother explained how the microscopic switches on the motherboard generate 0s and 1s to execute wonderful things. “Oh! So the laptop is the flesh and the motherboard the heart? “Yes!”, he replied. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Two now work as database managers and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. My mission as an entrepreneur is to use AI to help women farmers make rational decisions to improve agriculture. I want to start a company that implements AI on worldly data to identify root causes and solutions to social issues. For example, an AI program could estimate costs and risks, improve crop yield, minimize waste, and optimize agricultural production. My company would not be just about profits, but about sustainable design. I want to address ethical questions and privacy controversies in big data responsibly as an entrepreneur. I will collaborate with researchers on smart farming techniques, especially species selection and soil management. These tedious problems involve searching for specific genes with the most efficient water and nutrients usage, adaptation to climate change, and disease resistance. Some of my products will include robots that use Deep Learning algorithms to analyze decades of field data and understand the ecological dynamics of soil moisture, and temperature to predict which genes will create a healthier plant. Understanding environmental engineering principles will help me to develop sustainable water-resource systems, crucial for meeting potable water requirements in the world's drought-prone areas. I plan on engrossing myself in learning communication, leadership, and networking skills and gain hands-on learning experience to help bring the benefits of cutting-edge research to the public. I want to empower rural women the most as I believe that when the foundations of a country are strong, it can make great progress. I want to inspire not only three, but millions of girls around the world to believe in their dreams and know that they are capable of becoming leaders of whatever field they choose. Whether I am developing a new algorithm or designing self-sustaining irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity. Thus, by becoming an entrepreneur, I will immerse myself in the power of leadership to transform lives.

My favorite movie of all time is 3 Idiots. The film follows the friendship of three students at an Indian engineering college and is a satire about the social pressures under an Indian education system. Farhan is passionate about wildlife photography but reluctantly chose to join engineering in order to appease his father, while Raju is desperately in need of a career that will extricate his family from poverty. Their roommate, the eccentric and charismatic "Rancho", who is genuinely passionate about engineering, gives unorthodox answers in class and frequently clashes with the director, "Virus". Rancho, (played by Aamir khan) explained, “Humans tend to get scared very easily. No matter what the problem, always tell yourself that all is well.” He taught us that education is not to create machines that memorize lessons. “It is important that one must understand the meaning as well. What is the point of blindly cramming a bookish definition? Study to be accomplished and not affluent.” How great would it be if the students can enjoy what they are doing? Without the pressure and hindrances stopping them? It flatters my heart hearing him say to his friends to follow their hearts and their talent. “Follow excellence and success will chase you,” The film also taught me that no matter how close we are to someone we will never know about someone’s struggles, so be kind. I loved the entertaining musical theme that allowed the viewers to enjoy the movie while learning something out of it. Moreover, the acting skills are so effective that they can make a viewer laugh, cry, feel motivated, reflect in life, and touch the audience’s heart. The admiring friendship of the lead characters, the importance of family understanding, and dedication towards learning warm my heart.

Self-love can be the best love, but I have had to go through a journey of self-hate, or at least intense dislike before I could reach the other side. I think the term "self-love" is incredibly cliched right now, and I would rather give myself the time and space to define what it means in my own life, that is, without getting stuck in surface-level wellness practices like manicures and solo dates. Self-care for me is becoming comfortable with yourself and listening to and nourishing your mind, body, and spirit accordingly. I struggled with loving myself for most of my life due in part to subconscious conditioning that if I am a woman and if I look a certain way, I have to follow all the norms that society has set up for me. Especially coming from a country like India, where women are constantly judged on what we wear, the length of our skirts, or the shades of our lipstick. I have a naturally curvy body. Now what many women would consider as an asset, actually turned out to be a nightmare for me. From getting unwanted attention to being catcalled and objectified, I have been through it all. My classmates would often make fun of me behind my back and as much as I tried not paying attention to it, it would still get into my head and I would hate myself for my body. I stopped wearing dresses and skirts and started covering up more thinking that it might get rid of some of the stares. But nothing seemed to work. Unwanted sexual advances, sexist remarks, and jeerings became part of my life. I have even been harassed and stalked in broad daylight. All of these incidents lead to severe depression and self-hate. I would miss school for days and cry myself to bed. But sometime later, I realized that I can not curl up in a ball in my house forever. How can I give up on my dreams and aspirations just because of the way I look? That was when I started fasting every day for better physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Fasting allowed me to develop a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image. Slowly, I started accepting my flaws and I have fully acknowledged that there is nothing wrong with me. It took me a while, but I realized I was trying to fix something that wasn't broken. I was so lost in my thoughts that I never stopped to appreciate the abundance of what I had: a beautiful, well-functioning body. Self-love is being truly being happy with who you are trusting yourself to forge your own path with confidence. My experience with my body image has taught me a vital life lesson: you cannot change the way people look at you, but you can definitely change the way you look at yourself. And this is something that I am going to keep with me for the rest of my life.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. I tap my right foot and the ghungroo dance bells lining my ankle jingle, simulating the heartbeat of Mother Earth. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. With the crimson spotlight chasing my figure, I shift my balance onto my left leg and deflect my body at the knees, the hip, and the neck in the classic Odissi Tribhangi (three-part bend) posture to depict Lord Krishna playing the flute, searching for his beloved Radha. I have been dancing since I was three. Fifteen years later, I started my Youtube channel where I upload dance videos, host GirlsWhoScience sessions, and give free study abroad counseling for international students. My channel is a medium to express myself and carve my niche in the world of creators. Dancing sets my soul free and sets my soul on fire. It embroils me with passion and allows me to escape the harsh realities of life. Through my channel, I hope to fill my audience with the same ecstasy that I feel when I dance. Creativity is beautiful and powerful. Dance can be our refuge in our darkest of times and is therapeutic. I have been dancing since I was three and math always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractals and overlays. One day, I ripped open an old laptop to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and DBMS. Seeing their eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. But I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark like “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. Why should I kill one facet of my personality to nurture the other? Mastering an Odissi bhangi (pose) after hours of practice fills me with the same childlike pleasure as solving an unyielding differential equation. I use the principles of rotational dynamics to perfect a bhramari (spin) and rhythm to admire the beauty of sinusoidal AC waves. Why should we confine ourselves to the cages of the 'status quo'? Why should our gender, beliefs, faiths, and socio-economic backgrounds have anything to do with our dreams in life? Wouldn't the world be different where no person is denied their hopes and aspirations simply because they lack resources, opportunities, and knowledge? The internet has leveled the playing field and enabled even a small-town girl like me to pursue her dreams. It has empowered me with knowledge and opportunities that I never knew existed. I am grateful to all the online mentors and creators who have guided me on this journey. So, I want to give back to the family in whatever way possible. My current project is a combination of my efforts to bring opportunities and resources for everyone. It is an effort to make people value their rich culture, traditions, heritage, and diversity. Through dance as my medium, I hope to encourage people that creativity is our greatest asset, and without it, we are nothing. Working on such an ambitious project has its challenges. Oh, what a wonderful feeling it would be, to not worry about livelihood but life? To express yourself and share your joy with others, without thinking of likes, views, shares, and subscribers? How beautiful it will be to follow your creative pursuits without being pressured to make money out of them? It would be pure, raw, and vibrant. In the future, I hope to grow my channel and diversify my media, and design better platforms. I believe dancers make excellent designers. Achieving proficiency in dancing requires us to think about every muscle movement which requires strong spatial skills, memory, and adherence to a pattern of steps. As designers and content creators, these skills become critical to iterating visual elements and then seeking feedback to ensure that our content is fluid and correct. Thus, my mission is to grow, enhance and diversify my channel. I want my audience to feel at home when they visit my page and leave with a feeling of happiness and hope. I aim to create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?”. I want to encourage every little girl out there to believe in herself, and never give up her creative side to enter the tech field. As I take my finishing leap, the crimson spotlight glows softer and the cheerful tintinnabulation of ghungroos reverberates in the auditorium. Krishna finds his Radha and their souls unite in cosmic harmony.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. I tap my right foot and the ghungroo dance bells lining my ankle jingle, simulating the heartbeat of Mother Earth. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. With the crimson spotlight chasing my figure, I shift my balance onto my left leg and deflect my body at the knees, the hip, and the neck in the classic Odissi Tribhangi (three-part bend) posture to depict Lord Krishna playing the flute, searching for his beloved Radha. I have been dancing since I was three. Fifteen years later, I started my Youtube channel where I upload dance videos, host GirlsWhoScience sessions, and give free study abroad counseling for international students. My channel is a medium to express myself and carve my niche in the world of creators. Dancing sets my soul free and sets my soul on fire. It embroils me with passion and allows me to escape the harsh realities of life. Through my channel, I hope to fill my audience with the same ecstasy that I feel when I dance. Creativity is beautiful and powerful. Dance can be our refuge in our darkest of times and is therapeutic. I have been dancing since I was three and math always intrigued me. As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractals and overlays. One day, I ripped open an old laptop to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and DBMS. Seeing their eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. But I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly biased remark like “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. Why should I kill one facet of my personality to nurture the other? Mastering an Odissi bhangi (pose) after hours of practice fills me with the same childlike pleasure as solving an unyielding differential equation. I use the principles of rotational dynamics to perfect a bhramari (spin) and rhythm to admire the beauty of sinusoidal AC waves. Why should we confine ourselves to the cages of the 'status quo'? Why should our gender, beliefs, faiths, and socio-economic backgrounds have anything to do with our dreams in life? Wouldn't the world be different where no person is denied their hopes and aspirations simply because they lack resources, opportunities, and knowledge? The internet has leveled the playing field and enabled even a small-town girl like me to pursue her dreams. It has empowered me with knowledge and opportunities that I never knew existed. I am grateful to all the online mentors and creators who have guided me on this journey. So, I want to give back to the family in whatever way possible. My current project is a combination of my efforts to bring opportunities and resources for everyone. It is an effort to make people value their rich culture, traditions, heritage, and diversity. Through dance as my medium, I hope to encourage people that creativity is our greatest asset, and without it, we are nothing. Working on such an ambitious project has its challenges. Oh, what a wonderful feeling it would be, to not worry about livelihood but life? To express yourself and share your joy with others, without thinking of likes, views, shares, and subscribers? How beautiful it will be to follow your creative pursuits without being pressured to make money out of them? It would be pure, raw, and vibrant. In the future, I hope to grow my channel and diversify my media, and design better platforms. I believe dancers make excellent designers. Achieving proficiency in dancing requires us to think about every muscle movement which requires strong spatial skills, memory, and adherence to a pattern of steps. As designers and content creators, these skills become critical to iterating visual elements and then seeking feedback to ensure that our content is fluid and correct. Thus, my mission is to grow, enhance and diversify my channel. I want my audience to feel at home when they visit my page and leave with a feeling of happiness and hope. I aim to create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?”. I want to encourage every little girl out there to believe in herself, and never give up her creative side to enter the tech field. As I take my finishing leap, the crimson spotlight glows softer and the cheerful tintinnabulation of ghungroos reverberates in the auditorium. Krishna finds his Radha and their souls unite in cosmic harmony.

Self-love can be the best love, but I have had to go through a journey of self-hate, or at least intense dislike before I could reach the other side. I think the term "self-love" is incredibly cliched right now, and I would rather give myself the time and space to define what it means in my own life, that is, without getting stuck in surface-level wellness practices like manicures and solo dates. Self-care for me is becoming comfortable with yourself and listening to and nourishing your mind, body, and spirit accordingly. I struggled with loving myself for most of my life due in part to subconscious conditioning that if I am a woman and if I look a certain way, I have to follow all the norms that society has set up for me. Especially coming from a country like India, where women are constantly judged on what we wear, the length of our skirts, or the shades of our lipstick. I have a naturally curvy body. Now what many women would consider as an asset, actually turned out to be a nightmare for me. From getting unwanted attention to being catcalled and objectified, I have been through it all. My classmates would often make fun of me behind my back and as much as I tried not paying attention to it, it would still get into my head and I would hate myself for my body. I stopped wearing dresses and skirts and started covering up more thinking that it might get rid of some of the stares. But nothing seemed to work. Unwanted sexual advances, sexist remarks, and jeerings became part of my life. I have even been harassed and stalked in broad daylight. All of these incidents lead to severe depression and self-hate. I would miss school for days and cry myself to bed. But sometime later, I realized that I can not curl up in a ball in my house forever. How can I give up on my dreams and aspirations just because of the way I look? That was when I started fasting every day for better physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Fasting allowed me to develop a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image. Slowly, I started accepting my flaws and I have fully acknowledged that there is nothing wrong with me. It took me a while, but I realized I was trying to fix something that wasn't broken. I was so lost in my thoughts that I never stopped to appreciate the abundance of what I had: a beautiful, well-functioning body. Self-love is being truly being happy with who you are trusting yourself to forge your own path with confidence. My experience with my body image has taught me a vital life lesson: you cannot change the way people look at you, but you can definitely change the way you look at yourself. And this is something that I am going to keep with me for the rest of my life.

Aah, the freedom! How often do we let ourselves be chained to a crippling fear of losing money, being broke, and failing at life? What if money was never an issue? I would most certainly spend more time with my music. Music is seen as just a pat time, especially from where I come from. It is just a hobby, never a career. But why do we get a job in life? To earn money and be happy? But what if money was never a constraint and we could all truly pursue whatever our hearts told us to? I do not know about others, but I would certainly let my creativity shine through. I would immersive myself in the rhythms of nature, dance to the chirping of the birds, sway in the melodies of flowing creeks and let my soul be in harmony with my true self. What a delightful world it would be! We would certainly see people being more creative, honest, and happy. I would travel the world and learn the sounds of the cumbia of Colombia, the cellos of Europe and the shenais of the middle east. It would be blissful state with no more wars, destruction, inequality and bitterness. A world that is finally at peace. A world where I can truly express myself without being judged. So, if money was not an issue, I would spend it in having a raucous laughter and cheerful time with my family, feeding the little cuckoos a little longer and making my melodies and dancing to the beats of nature, a little longer.

As the curtains rise, I swirl across the stage, rhythm pulsating through my body. With my body draped in an ivory white, embellished silk saree, the movements of my upper torso symbolize waves and the graceful fluidity of my mudras (hand gestures) mimic swaying palm trees. With the crimson spotlight chasing my figure, I shift my balance onto my left leg and deflect my body at the knees, the hip, and the neck in the classic Odissi Tribhangi (three-part bend) posture. Enter grade 11, I decided to pursue science with math. I had never been the stereotypical ‘born-to-code, socially inept nerd’. An implicitly-biased remark from my science teacher or a passive-aggressive comment from my friend, “It’s the calculus class sweetie, not your dance show” would cripple my spirits. Being one of the seven girls in a class of fifty students, I had to keep proving myself, despite getting better grades than my male peers. “Maybe I don’t belong here,” I thought, frustrated. I tried to “man-up” to fit into the stereotype and even avoided the Dance Room, heeding people’s taunts; “dance and studies do not go together!” Why should I kill one facet of my personality to nurture the other? Mastering an Odissi bhangi (pose) after hours of practice fills me with the same childlike pleasure as solving an unyielding differential equation. I apply the principles of rotational dynamics to perfect a bhramari (spin) and use rhythm to admire the beauty of sinusoidal AC waves. Mathematics and Odissi are two lovers interlaced in the universe's fabric. Odissi is three-dimensional geometry in motion. The sculpturesque maneuvers of the body create angles juxtaposed with circular and parabolic curves through intricate footwork. The basic Chouka (square) posture involves keeping the arms at 90 degrees with the legs facing away at 67.5 degrees and shifting the body’s center of gravity below the pelvis. Failing to conform to the stereotype, I returned to my Odissi tribe. From drilling harder in classes to fasting 23 hours a day to be mentally, physically, and spiritually stronger, I gave it my all. As an engineering major, I will apply spatial and pattern-recognition skills from Odissi to improve motion-capture technology in robots. I aim to create an inclusive environment in STEM where no girl asks “Do I belong here?” As a 6th grader, I was amused to see a few lines of C++ code making beautiful fractal patterns and overlays—my first non-textbook application of math. “It’s beautiful!”, I exclaimed, “but I can’t touch it!”. One day, I got hold of our old laptop and ripped it open to find an intricate network of tiny circuits, and shiny green slips jotted with silver spots. “Oh! So the laptop is the flesh and the motherboard the heart? “Yes!”, he replied. I was elated to see how a tiny tangible chip breathes life into a powerful machine. I first applied coding in the real world by teaching three women housekeepers SQL and GoogleSuite. Two now work as database managers and one fondly recounts how she uses GoogleSheets to track crops grown and fertilizers used on her farm. Seeing her eyes sparkle with joy when her programs executed successfully, I was astounded by how a few lines of code could empower marginalized women and transform their lives in a patriarchal society. My mission as an engineer is to use AI to optimize tech processes without compromising ethics or hurting the environment. Whether I am developing a new algorithm or designing self-sustaining irrigation systems in India, my greatest loyalty as an engineer is to humanity.