Hello, I am Karthik Bagavathy, a high school senior currently studying at Neuqua Valley High School. Two words that I will use to describe myself would be curious and collaborative: During my ninth-grade year, I scrolled through my phone to find an online article about the importance of Lidar in autonomous cars. After reading, the potential of electronic components in emerging technologies excited and intrigued me. Curious to learn more about STEAM, I participated in the Argonne Coding for Science camp. That helped me learn about how programming and AI are applied to data that is used to detect high-energy particle collisions. I also decided to further explore engineering through participation in Fermilab's SMP program. Research lectures in the fields of quantum mechanics and quantum computing intrigued me. After the lecture, I approached and asked the researcher about the application of quantum mechanics in electronics. I wanted to explore this interest in electronics further by developing an object detection mini-car using an Arduino. I spent several months understanding machine learning and Arduino electronics to make this project possible. Finally, when the mini-car moved and used its sensor to detect objects, I was extremely excited and satisfied. I began to smile, knowing that this was my first successful major electronics project. The interest in self-driving vehicles and the potential of artificial intelligence, both in terms of computer hardware and computer software, greatly fascinated me. However, curiosity didn’t just lead me to an individual exploration of STEAM, it also led me to explore collaborative opportunities to explore the field. Namely, this was made possible through my school’s computing team. The American Computer Science League (ACSL) was the first competition through my school’s computing team. While I was successful in the contest, I was most proud of my preparation method for the contest. Before the contest, I spent countless hours gathering my information, searching all over for resources, and making sure that everything was perfect. My google search history was filled with numerous videos, websites, and pdfs of algorithmic problems and coding practice. The process was in no way individual. I shared all the resources I found with my peers in the club. That prompted them all to find and share resources of their own. The captains noted all these efforts and chose me as a captain for the following year. I was excited, as I can now implement the collaborative spirit throughout the club. During the first meeting of this year, I exclaimed, “It would be a great idea if we have a group programming practice!” As I unveiled the programming problems, the members began to share ideas, fix mistakes, and successfully move through the mock contest. I was ecstatic, to say the least. I began to notice better performances in algorithmic and programming practice contests. I had been coding for several years before joining the computing team. However, it was only after joining the club that I realized the potential of collaboration in a programming setting. Ultimately, my goal as a captain is not to be the only person to lead at the front. Instead, I hope to help the members lead the competitive programming journey through the support of their peers. Not only did that experience with my school’s computing team help me learn the value of leadership, but it also helped me display my collaborative spirit and help improve the club through that characteristic. These skills will be key to my potential future career in AI and engineering. STEM and Art share many similar characteristics, especially the fact that both require creativity and have the potential to benefit a large number of individuals, directly or indirectly. A perfect combination of these fields of study is the Japanese art of paper folding, known as Origami. When I was young, I used to play around with paper, making simple origami shapes. Some of these included objects like ships and paper airplanes. In fact, it was one of my favorite pastimes then and I still do it today. However, it was watching a video about the applications of origami in my middle school class that intrigued me the most. How can this paper art be used to solve engineering problems? That is when I found through further research that the mathematical principles that underlie origami are also used in structural engineering. Despite seeming to be in completely different domains, they had a connection! Origami folding principles have been of great use for NASA scientists who are working on the International Space Station. For instance, the solar array wings on the Space Station use a z-folding pattern used in origami. In addition, the “Ultraflex” solar panel that was used in the Mars Phoenix mission was also inspired by another origami folding principle: fan-folded folding. The mathematics that was used in origami can also be used for harder materials, such as solar panels, leading to space reduction in rockets. That is a key problem faced by many rockets because these panels are large and bulky and origami is one of the methods that allow for these to be transported by the rocket. In addition, the principles behind the opening of the airbag, the common and vital safety feature in the car, also relies on the origami mathematical principles. Being able to fold a large and stiff piece of cloth into the small dashboard area of the car is certainly a big challenge that engineers faced during the development of airbags. However, origami math was used to compute a crease pattern for folding the material, which helped in integrating that feature into cars. So, not only did origami principles help scientific research, but it has also indirectly saved lives. Science and Art aren’t two separate and mutually exclusive fields of study. At every major point in history, they are being integrated into ways that can greatly benefit society at large, and AI in Art is no different in this pursuit.

During my ninth grade year, I scrolled through my phone to find an online article about the importance of Lidar in autonomous cars. After reading, the potential of electronic components in emerging technologies excited me. Inspired to learn more about STEM, I participated in the Argonne Coding for Science camp. That helped me learn about how programming is applied to data that is used to detect high energy particle collisions. I also decided to further explore engineering through participation in Fermilab's SMP program. Research lectures in the fields of quantum mechanics and quantum computing intrigued me. After the lecture, I approached and asked the researcher about the application of quantum mechanics in electronics. I wanted to explore this interest in electronics further by developing an object detection mini-car using an Arduino. I spent several months understanding machine learning and Arduino electronics to make this project possible. Finally, when the mini-car moved and used its sensor to detect objects, I was extremely excited and satisfied. I began to smile, knowing that this was my first successful major electronics project. I wanted to explore this career path further. Luckily, I had the opportunity to discuss with computer engineers with the help of my friends. They talked to me about their career journey and the jobs they received. Specifically, they explained the role that computer engineers play in autonomous vehicles and how my interests will perfectly align with that career path. All the research, insight, and personal projects helped shape my interest in computer engineering. Through exploring these topics in great detail in university, especially through opportunities such as research, engineering clubs, and internships, I hope to achieve my goal of working on autonomous vehicles.

"This is how you solve the rational function," I explained to a 7th grader during our weekly tutoring session. I decided to tutor STEM through the Interact club in high school. It became an interest of mine after I began tutoring my brother on his STEM subjects. I wanted to increase my interest in tutoring with the middle school students in my community, and tutoring them furthered my interest in STEM along with them. I realized a mentor's motivating role by helping inspire middle school students to develop an interest in STEM. Senior year, I was given the role of Committee Head of the Interact Club. I can both volunteer and aid others interested in serving my community. I organized events, recorded hours, and communicated with members to answer questions and motivate them to volunteer. My interest in serving my community isn't limited to my contributions to the Interact club. I am also an active member of my public library's Teen Advisory Group (TAG). I decided to contribute to the library because when I immigrated to the United States, it was the place I would frequently visit. With my friends, I attended events and read exciting books. By participating in the TAG in high school, I planned new events and suggested new books for the library, which was a prospect that I found very fulfilling. Attending the meetings every month, I would help contribute to the team's discussion on ideas for new events and would help implement them based on the library's schedule. These memorable community service experiences from high school will continue to shape me as a kind, community-centered, and motivated individual, helping me contribute to my future college community in a meaningful way.

During freshman year, I scrolled through my phone to find an online article about the importance of Lidar in autonomous cars. After reading, the potential of electronic components in emerging technologies excited me. Inspired to learn more, I decided to explore engineering through participation in Fermilab's SMP program. Research lectures in the fields of quantum mechanics and quantum computing intrigued me. After the lecture, I approached and asked the researcher about the application of quantum mechanics in electronics. I wanted to explore this interest in electronics further by developing an object detection mini-car using an Arduino. I spent several months understanding machine learning and Arduino electronics to make this project possible. Finally, when the mini-car moved and used its sensor to detect objects, I was extremely excited and satisfied. I began to smile, knowing that this was my first successful major electronics project. I wanted to explore this career path further. Luckily, I had the opportunity to discuss with computer engineers with the help of my friends. They talked to me about their career journey and the jobs they received. Specifically, they explained the role that computer engineers play in autonomous vehicles and how my interests will perfectly align with that career path. All the research, insight, and personal projects helped shape my interest in computer engineering. Through exploring these topics in great detail in university, I hope to continue this drive to achieve my goal of working on autonomous vehicles.