It was my first visit to NASA at the age of 7 when my dad said, “Rockets are the hardest thing man has ever built, and it is even harder to fly in one.” That day sparked an idea I never lost track of - an idea that strengthened the purpose of my life. I am an aspiring Mars walker and aerospace entrepreneur. I enjoy being on the final frontier (Unintentional homage to Captain Kirk), of the unknown, disproving theories developed on Earth, and applying innovations to curate solutions to tomorrow’s problems. I aspire to land on Mars and be the bridge for the next generation of explorers to extend our species farther than imagined. I find the greater beauty of space to be its impact on everyone and every industry. My most recent and exciting adventures have been researching the benefits of CRISPR and gene technology in microgravity, and working on improving the safety of a rear-facing toddler car seat using space suit life support technologies. With the help of Dr Don Rethke, lead life support engineer of the Apollo 13 mission, I developed miniature spinoffs from the oxygen supply and thermal regulation systems from a spacesuit to improve oxygen flow, heat regulation, and prevent seat belt entanglement in toddler car seats. My aerospace innovation journey encouraged me to ask questions like how MOXIE, the technology demonstration on the Perseverance mission, could be used to improve the quality of air on Earth. Similarly, how the design of the Mars Ingenuity helicopter could be used to improve efficiency of drones on Earth. As an astronaut entrepreneur I hope to bring back knowledge to curate solutions that not only get us deeper into space, but also use space as a platform to devise spinoffs improving medicine, agriculture, energy systems on Earth- improving the human condition while garnering public support through communicating the importance of the aerospace industry. I enjoy asking people what they would change about the world and keeping a personal diary of ideas and innovations to improve society. Mars is not an obstacle; it is an opportunity to unite people and accomplish our destiny. It is an opportunity to expand as we have never imagined, regardless of origin, culture, race, or gender, because we are one. I look forward to advancing the commercial space industry to inspire, propel, and advance humanity together.

My interest sparked during my first visit to NASA at the young age of 7, when I was awe-struck by the giant, powerful machines that were destined to reach corners beyond the visible horizon. As I was walking around with my dad he said, “Those are rockets. It is the hardest thing man has ever built. And it is even harder to fly in it.” That day sparked an idea I never lost track of. I wanted to be the one to fly the hardest thing man has ever made, do the hardest thing man has ever done, push our limits beyond the planet. The sky is not the limit, it's just the beginning. It's the first base that one many land on, but only some desire to explore beyond. I hope to set bars way beyond the skies and let mankind explore new terrains. I want to dedicate my life to training, learning, and teaching to make my dream of becoming an astronaut a reality. After high school, I will complete a Masters's Degree in the realm of Aerospace Engineering while regularly training to fly to eventually fly jet aircraft potentially as a US Air Force Pilot. I am willing to fully commit to reaching this dream through extensive training and getting involved in all opportunities. I plan to continue to work towards these goals by working in the aviation industry and training rising pilots as I advance my proficiency. I will take part in various research initiatives and pay crucial attention to my physical fitness to achieve my dreams. I will keep my eyes on the final vision of reaching Mars while empowering people around me to give in their best ideas to build the next generation of leaders. By mastering the art of flying by growing past solo and private pilot onto flying jet aircraft in the near future, I am preparing myself to handle the ultimate challenge of flying a rocket which I will take to Mars, and I will go there soon. I am determined to lead and enable generations of leaders to attain an impactful vision. I remain a resilient and accountable leader that inspires persistence to achieve a visionary goal. I will dedicate not just the next few years, but my entire life to flying and eventually taking off to new heights in a rocket to make space exploration a reality. Receiving this scholarship will be a great motivating factor to advance my training to be of service to my community, state, and nation. Attaining this scholarship will take some financial burden off my family who faced financial disruptions amidst the pandemic and allow me to spend more for further rating and goals towards aviation and aerospace. After receiving the pilot certificate, I will continue to advance up the ranks till I get my hands proficient with controlling jet aircraft which will allow me to become an astronaut. I will use all the opportunities laid in front of me to discover my very own answers to unraveling the mysteries of space. The scholarship will provide money to further sharpen my tools not only in the realm of strong academic, technical, and research knowledge, but also sharp skills pertaining to teamwork, leadership, and professional development. I am prepared to take on new challenges and be the bridge to allow the next generation of astronauts to build a civilization of mars, achieving the feat of humankind becoming the only known interplanetary species. I lead with my passion and get motivated by making an impact to benefit and improve the universe.

There was a time I used to be quite scrawny. My mom enrolled me in dance lessons in third grade to force me to be hungry enough to eat food. Yet after watching seniors perform strenuous moves with grace, I was inspired to embark on this empowering journey. Initially quite apprehensive, my (questionable) performance on the stage was followed up by intense enhancement of poses, gestures, and facial expressions. However, these defeats only made me more ambitious. Committing to a new method of expression led me to better understand my emotions, connect with my body, feel a sense of confidence. It is in this jumble of physical movement and auditory overload that my mind actually feels clearest. Integrating religious and folk tales, Bharatanatyam also presented a window into my cultural heritage and added another layer to my personality. We overcame the physically draining training by fostering an encouraging environment. We polished each other’s choreography and expressions before presenting them to our teacher, took pleasure in teaching younger dancers, and enjoyed showcasing our culture in district and regional competitions. After 6years of rigorous training, I finally earned my diploma in Bharatanatyam. As a part of lead productions, I have been the catalyst to raise funds to support senior citizens and first responders, improve access to education through the Agraj Seva Kendra, and promote cultural acceptance. Performing to diverse communities from coordinating with Korean traditional dancers in art festivals to bringing smiles on the faces of senior citizens made us felt proud highlighting our millennia-old cultural traditions. I have also co-managed events at my local community to foster the expression of cultural diversity celebrating Diwali and Holi, Dhoom talent show at high school, and religious offerings. More recently, it’s become a stress reliever as well. In the midst of youtube lectures on analytical subsonic aerodynamics or spacecraft propulsion, I find myself taking breaks to dance as I process the information. My body moves by muscle memory as my mind wanders reflecting on the lessons. It is in this jumble of physical movement and auditory overload that my mind actually feels clearest. In fact, some of my profound moments have come in the middle of such sessions: the design for the VisualEyes robotic invention contest, delegation speech for an Air Force leadership lesson, and the answer to which item on taco bell’s menu is the best - the quesadilla. And, it is that duality — the ability to invoke massive amounts of adrenaline or a state of tranquility — that I love most about dance. I am grateful to be able to use this medium and make an impact through dancing for fundraisers and improving inter-cultural literacy while entertaining my audience.

I enjoy being on the final frontier (Unintentional homage to Captain Kirk), of the unknown, disproving theories developed on Earth, and applying innovations to curate solutions to tomorrow’s problems. I aspire to land on Mars and be the bridge for the next generation of explorers to extend our species farther than imagined. As an aspiring astronaut, I aim to advance solutions to significant issues on earth. I hope to improve oxygen production and space habitation technology to create similar devices that cure mobility and respiration issues on Earth. By overcoming the obstacles of surviving in the barren environment of space, I aim to devise spinoffs that improve medical solutions and progress technology on Earth. Much of space exploration in recent decades has been marked by international cooperation rather than competition. I aim to strengthen this environment where scientists from different nations share data, launch space telescopes, and remain open during international conferences to receive the best feedback and progress humankind. As a teen congresswoman in congressman Frank Pallone’s Youth Advisory council, I debated and developed policies on immigration, climate change, education, and drug control which were passed on as bills to congressional committees. I am excited to expand through liberal arts education at the University to develop fair policies that promote the peaceful exploration of space and bring together all of humanity, regardless of background, color, gender, or age, to unite and achieve our destiny as the first interplanetary species. Through the aerospace industry, I aim to connect all members of our planet to understand our place in the universe and unravel the wealth of unknown yet to be explored outside the pale blue dot. Constantly learning and discovering to curate solutions to tomorrow’s problems in a universe left to explore excites me to make an impact through aerospace engineering.

It was my first visit to NASA at the age of 7 when my dad said, “Rockets are the hardest thing man has ever built, and it is even harder to fly in one.” That day sparked an idea I never lost track of - an idea that strengthened the purpose of my life. I enjoy being on the final frontier (Unintentional homage to Captain Kirk), of the unknown, disproving theories developed on Earth, and applying innovations to curate solutions to tomorrow’s problems. I aspire to land on Mars and be the bridge for the next generation of explorers to extend our species farther than imagined. Recently, I conducted research on prototyping a new spacesuit design under Dr Don Rethke, Apollo 13 life support system engineer, to prevent muscular atrophy and improve communication for Artemis astronauts. This sparked an interest to specialize in human factors to improve mobility, prevent decompression sickness, and find solutions to overcome deterioration of body organs due to long-term stay in space. As an aspiring astronaut, I aim to advance solutions to significant issues on earth. I hope to improve oxygen production and space habitation technology to create similar devices that cure mobility and respiration issues on Earth. By overcoming the obstacles of surviving in the barren environment of space, I aim to devise spinoffs that improve medical solutions and progress technology on Earth. Much of space exploration in recent decades has been marked by international cooperation rather than competition. I aim to strengthen this environment where scientists from different nations share data, launch space telescopes, and remain open during international conferences to receive the best feedback and progress humankind. As a teen congresswoman in congressman Frank Pallone’s Youth Advisory council, I debated and developed policies on immigration, climate change, education, and drug control which were passed on as bills to congressional committees. I am excited to expand through liberal arts education attaining a degree in International Relations to develop fair policies that promote the peaceful exploration of space and bring together all of humanity, regardless of background, color, gender, or age, to unite and achieve our destiny as the first interplanetary species. Through the aerospace industry, I aim to connect all members of our planet to understand our place in the universe as an engineer and by creating equitable space policy to unravel the wealth of unknown yet to be explored outside the pale blue dot. Driven to provide equal educational opportunities to underprivileged areas and developing countries, Furthermore, I decided to create curriculums for virtual seminars in beginner electrical engineering and Python. Through 2020 and 2021, I networked with international school administrations virtually teaching over 3,500 children ages 6-13 from Africa, Australia, Afganisthan, Dubai, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Mexico. Although there were (many, many) struggles, the ability to contribute to increasing accessibility of education made it all worth it. By providing an introduction to complicated topics, we gave many of our students their first glimpse into STEM. As one of the few females on my robotics team and as the first female president, I shared FIRST experiences at New York Metrohacks hackathon empowering 400+ girls in STEM, was interviewed on Girls in STEM USA, and featured on Cheddar News to inspire women to break barriers. Hoping to make an impact on my community as a 6-year Indian classical dancer, I fundraised for senior citizens, educational impact, and cultural acceptance programs through dancing events. I performed lead role in various Dance School Productions, won various competitions, and actively helped organize cultural events. I seek to advance technology, serve the human condition, and inspire next generations.

According to the World Health Organization, over 285 million people around the world are visually impaired, and an additional 39 million are completely blind. These individuals struggle with common daily tasks, such as finding objects and navigating in new locations. To combat this as the president of my robotics team, John P. Stevens High School’s “The WarHawks,” I hoped to address the challenges that the visually impaired face by designing an innovative device that would assist in maintaining optimal mental and physical conditions to overcome societal limitations and navigate unfamiliar environments. In response to the challenges faced by the visually impaired, I led my team to find a solution that balances technical capability, affordability, and portability. VisualEyes is a hat that can aid the blind with mobility and spatial awareness by utilizing cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and AI image classification algorithms to quickly detect and identify objects in the user’s environment. The device can recognize common household items, such as a water bottle or an unoccupied chair, essentially allowing them to visualize their environment. Once the location of the object in question is determined, our device relays this information to the user via spoken text, guiding them to the object and warning them about obstacles in the way. To effectively do so, VisualEyes utilizes pathfinding algorithms, which determine the optimal path to an object based on criteria determined by the requests of the user and the limitations of the surroundings. At the same time, using a feature called “learn mode”, the hat is able to pinpoint the location of objects that are unique to the individual as well, stored privately and separately from the shared database of common objects. With a variety of customizable options for the level of granularity for navigation instructions and aesthetics, this product aims to be as effective as possible to help visually impaired users with any level of experience and severity. In terms of mental health, VisualEyes will be able to help acclimate the visually impaired to unfamiliar environments, reducing stress, which in turn could decrease susceptibility to common mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, VisualEyes will drastically improve the mobility of the visually impaired while maintaining their level of comfort by supplementing, not replacing, the white cane. We believe that our device will aid the blind in overcoming common social stigmas and barriers, therefore allowing them to be more comfortable in society.