Bio-Rad Employee: Suja Sojan, my mother. How is science or engineering making life better for people across the globe right now? I’ll answer this question by sharing my own experience. I grew up in the small town of Rindge, New Hampshire, and I lived there until the age of six, when my family moved to California. Growing up, I stood out in many ways. I struggled to speak and couldn’t even hold a crayon in kindergarten. After undergoing several tests and evaluations, I was diagnosed with dyspraxia, a condition that affected my motor and coordination skills. I then received a system of support, including adaptive technologies, speech and physical therapy, learning tools, and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) by first grade. While I felt ashamed being singled out in front of the class for IEP sessions, it was working. I worked hard and overcame many of my early struggles, eventually coming off IEP, and found myself excelling in academics. We visit my parents’ hometown in India regularly. During one such trip, I sat in as a guest student at a rural school where forty students shared two worn-out iPads. It was a striking contrast compared to my upbringing in Silicon Valley, where Teslas outnumber squirrels, innovation is constant, and technology is everywhere. As someone who is neurodivergent, I couldn’t help but wonder: if I had grown up there, would I have received the same diagnosis, support, or encouragement? Or would I have been dismissed as an “idiot “by the community and left behind? I began to understand how access to technology can shape opportunity and realized how privileged I was. So when I won a hackathon in junior year that paved the way to a summer internship at XceptionalLEARNING, a company focused on making special education tools accessible globally, I saw an opportunity to act. Today, advances in engineering and computer science are helping lower the geographic and economic barriers. We live in a connected world, and knowledge is not limited to classrooms or libraries. The evolution from physical textbooks to the internet and now to powerful AI systems that can personalize and expand learning has fundamentally changed how people access information. So, during my summer internship at XceptionalLEARNING, I worked alongside software developers to integrate AI into the backend of a learning application, including emotion detection and voice‑input features that support interactive learning. These features helped create an AI-assisted personalized virtual assistant for learners with disabilities. Three months flew by, and when school resumed, I continued working to see the project to completion. When the feature I helped develop was finally released in Indian languages, I felt an indescribable sense of fulfillment. I had helped create something that now helps children halfway across the world access the same kind of therapies that once supported me during my IEP days. This is a small example of how science and engineering are improving lives today. Along with scientific breakthroughs and engineering advancements, increasing accessibility is also making life better for people across the globe. Advances in medicine improve diagnosis, helping people live longer and more fulfilled lives. Educational technology is making learning more inclusive and accessible. Engineering is improving infrastructure, housing, and transportation. And breakthroughs in computer science continue to transform how we process and share information at an unprecedented scale. Science and technology provided the tools for my diagnosis, the treatments that helped me overcome my challenges, and are now allowing me to help others with similar challenges today. Thank you very much for considering my application for this scholarship!