Strong support system needed to bring change in students, says Gitanjali Rao

To bring about a change in students there should be a strong support system, as innovation is not limited when it comes to research and academia, said Gitanjali Rao, an Indian American teen inventor and scientist at a virtual programme organised by the US Consulate General in Chennai on the occasion of c and Girls in Science on Friday.

The programme, the sixth of US Mission in India’s Diaspora Diplomacy series, included a screening of the five-minute American Film Showcase documentary ‘Search on Positive Current’. The film highlights one of Gitanjali Rao’s inventions — a mobile device that detects lead contamination in water.

Gitanjali Rao is an inventor, aspiring scientist, author, speaker, and an active promoter of STEM education around the world. She was recognised as America’s top young scientist and was a recipient of a US Environmental Protection Agency Presidential award for her invention of Tethys, an early lead contamination detection tool. Her invention, an anti-cyberbullying service called Kindly that uses AI and Natural Language processing, made an impact.

“There are so many things to research when it comes to science as it is growing now and then. When talking about my journey, I felt a bit of pressure during the initial stage that is when I came up with ideas,” said Gitanjali Rao.

“But when the media started getting involved I understood that what everyone is expecting from me is what I expect from myself. That is the time I felt pressured on fulfilling others’ expectations,” she added.

When talking about how students can bring a change in their respective eco-system community the young scientist said there is a common stereotype in every place when it comes to students pitching their ideas.

“To bring a change in students there should be a strong support system, as innovation is not limited when it comes to research and academia.

However, involvement is very important, everybody’s idea does make a difference,” said Gitanjali.