Speaker Series -Riya agrawal

for the second bridge the gap speaker series we called our alumni Riya Agarwal an incoming sophomore at Cornell University, majoring in math. She shared her views and experiences in the field of math and also talked about the stem gap, and students asked her questions regarding the same.

She talked about the field of math, especially theoretical math. She also shared her interest in the ‘Number Theory’ and addressed questions related to it. She talked about the broad stem fields and all the opportunities that come along with it. She further discussed the gender gap and the broad differences that are seen. She also shared her personal experience, being a part of the stem field and how she sometimes felt out of place in the classrooms due to the gender ratio. She also elaborated what keeps her going on in spite of these external discouraging factions and her motivation and commitment to the field. She explained the importance of pursuing what your heart truly desires and what you hold a keen interest in, keeping all the societal and gender factors aside, she encouraged everyone, especially the girls to go ahead and pick their field of interest without being scared of the world. She motivated the students towards the stem fields, also talked about mental health and procrastination and ways to deal with it. She gave tips on how to deal with the IB pressure and also stay focussed towards the goal you want to achieve. She educated the students about the careers available in math and discussed the wide spectrum of opportunities available.

Speaker Series -Prof. Anuradha Sourirajan

For the first session of Bridge the Gap: speaker series, we invited Prof. Anuradha Sourirajan, who has a Phd in biotechnology and 75+ publications.
During her session, she was asked 10-12 questions regarding her journey and work by us and the students. Her talk not only told her story and how she achieved her goal at present, but also inspired young girls to see biotechnology as a prospective fun subject to pursue. She shared her work in biotechnology on CRISPR technology, and with her wide research experience, Prof. Anuradha Sourirajan touched the hearts of many young minds through her knowledge. She talked about how girls are just as good as boys in studies, it’s just the matter of opportunities and encouragement they lack. She shed some light on the stigma surrounding women in STEM, and how they are perceived in society.
We appreciate Prof. Anuradha Sourirajan for taking out time and sharing her knowledge and beliefs with us.

Speaker Series -Aruna Goenka Agrawal

 For the third speaker in the series, we were joined by Miss Aruna Agrawal, a PhD in natural science. She talked about the importance of scientific research and opportunities in STEM fields while expressing her views on biological sciences.

She talked about a plethora of STEM fields and opportunities within them, informing the students of the wide range of possibilities in STEM. She spoke about the broad scope of research and how one can explore a variety of topics in stem. She shared her personal experiences with her research in natural science. She also talked about the important steps in scientific research, encouraging the girls to take up STEM fields.