Avi Gupta: Indian-American teen revolutionises healthcare with affordable ventilator invention
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(September 13, 2023) “I want to take you back to March 2020. The coronavirus had landed in the United States. Social distancing entered into our vocabulary. Schools were closed and store shelves were empty. Against this backdrop, Europe grappled with its first wave of coronavirus. One of the key shortages they faced – ventilators,” that’s how Avi Gupta opens his TedX speech. The Indian American from Portland reveals that the US, especially Oregon, too faced a similar situation with a shortage of hundreds of ventilators for the critically-ill covid patients.
That’s when Oregon Health Authority reached out for help from many individuals and companies, including INTEL. However, it didn’t take the responsibility of designing and manufacturing a ventilator, instead the request was filtered down to the senior staff of the company, one of whom happened to be a manager of Avi at a former internship. That’s how the Stanford University student joined a team of doctors, researchers, and fellow engineers to co-found LifeMech, a non-profit that builds low-cost ventilators. Such has been the impact of his work that he was awarded the Truman Scholarship 2022 for his commitment to public service.
Avi Gupta played a key role in developing low-cost ventilator
Then an 18-year-old, Avi helped design the ventilator’s user interface, as amid the crisis, “rapid development and deployment of the technology were essential.” Interestingly, he wasn’t just the youngest member of the team but also the reigning Jeopardy Teen Tournament champion. “The original prototype which was fully functional was made in our garages. So, it’s truly something that can be deployed worldwide,” the Global Indian said in an interview.
Avi, who switched to Stanford to pursue his interests in artificial intelligence and public policy after a year of college at Columbia University’s School of Engineering, knew that the prototype had to be scalable in both design and manufacture. But more than anything it had to be “low-cost and open source to be deployed in communities worldwide.” “What it meant that anybody like a doctor or a non-profit in another country could download our designs and code and easily manufacture the ventilator with the parts available in their country,” he added.
Avi Gupta is currently studying at Stanford University.
Though he found the process of designing the interface stressful, he also found it equally rewarding as it could have a direct impact on someone’s health. Avi, who collaborated with his father, Dr Saurabh Gupta, a cardiologist for the making of the ventilator, said that the project epitomises the work that he wants to do – using technology to solve a bigger problem. “It’s using technology to advance public service,” he told the Stanford Daily. Later, the ventilator was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and used widely during the ventilator shortage.
Apart from this, Avi is also involved in Public Interest in Tech (one of the groups on the Stanford campus) which focuses on fostering conversations around technology’s role in society. Since his school days, Avi has been keen to make a change, so when he won the 2019 Jeopardy Teen Tournament, in honour of the host Alex Trebek, he donated a part of his winnings ($100,000) to raise awareness and fund early pancreatic cancer research. He partnered with OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to create and lead the #InspiredBy campaign, raising over $225,000.
It was in 2016 that he kickstarted his journey towards creating social impact when he founded Project 32, a student-run social startup that uses the power of education to tackle dental diseases in youth. Since its inception, Project32 has provided thousands of dental hygiene kits to children in the US, India, Guatemala, and Haiti.
In his free time, he loves to play chess and basketball and is a huge Portland Trail Blazers fan.
(July 12, 2024) "Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use." This quote by Steve Jobs resonates the most with Indian-American teen Naren Manikandan who at the age of 16 took it upon himself to find a solution for the growing issue of a lack of parking due to smaller driveways, narrow roads, and insufficient supply to maintain the demand in his neighbourhood. "Parking is a huge problem in Birkshires in Morrisville, North Carolina and I often heard my parents discuss it at home. That's when I realised that there are so many unused parking spaces that can be used efficiently to overcome the problem," Naren tells Global Indian. This led him to build Parkware, a parking solution for neighbourhoods nationwide that don't have access to extra parking lots and face severe restrictions based on city/town regulations and home construction. "The app connects homeowners with unused parking spaces with residents needing parking spaces for local events like parties, and birthdays," the 17-year-old reveals. [caption id="attachment_38601" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Naren Manikandan[/caption] Love
Hailing from Tamil Nadu in India, his parents, who are nurse practitioners, moved to the UK where Naren Manikandan was born. At the age of six, he and his family relocated to Tennessee in the US which he called home for several years before moving to North Carolina. "Obsessed with Lego while growing up, I always found myself building things. But once an uncle of mine introduced me to Quantum Mechanics which sparked my interest in astrophysics initially and eventually transformed into a love for computer science. I was intrigued that I could do so much with a computer," he says, adding, "I once tried to automate my blinds through my Arduino set. It was a fun project."
Growing up, he loved creating ideas, refining them, and eventually building them. It was online resources that came to his rescue and he learnt a great deal from them. "I also joined a Robotics team in school that helped me pitch ideas to businesses and developed speaking skills as well as creative thinking. Eventually, everything led up to Parkware - an idea I was holding onto for a long time," adds the rising 12th grader at Research Triangle High.
The journey of Parkware
He explains that in Morrisville the land is expensive, thus leading to smaller size homes with a limited parking space. "At times, we borrow parking spaces from friends but I wondered why we should restrict it to just friends. Before Covid, our community and neighbourhood hosted many events, and people would easily give their unused parking spaces to others. But Covid changed it all. We saw less sharing and fewer community events," says Naren, who values a strong sense of community. "It greatly helps the person organising an event. For me, it's a sort of public duty. It's not just about providing a solution but also helping neighbourhoods support each other."
[caption id="attachment_38602" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Multiple cars parked on the sidewalk in his neighbourhood[/caption]
Having seen the problem from close quarters, he knew that the neighbourhood was in dire need of a solution. It was in the summer of 2023 that Naren started working on Parkware, leveraging his programming knowledge to build the application. He began by asking neighbours on WhatsApp group chats about their parking woes and conducting surveys on parking needs. "This helped me understand the issue better and identify potential solutions. It was Airbnb's model that rang in my head while looking at this problem - this could be an Airbnb for parking. During vacations or office hours, many parking spaces are unused, so why not divert them to people who need them during those times?" he explains. By August 2023, he had the app ready to be tested in his neighbourhood and gather some feedback. "This year we got the opportunity to present it to the local government," shares the proud teenager.
Currently operational in his neighbourhood in Birkshires, the app is available on Android and iOS. "If you have an event coming up, you can raise a parking space request by providing details about the date, time, and number of spots required. People near the location will get a notification about the request, an can offer their free parking spaces," explains Naren, emphasising that it's an on-demand service. People don't need to list their parking spaces on the app; instead, they receive notifications through an event link shared by the event organiser. "You don't necessarily need to install the app. You can visit our website to create a link, and share it with your neighbourhood through WhatsApp or Facebook, which is later updated on the provider's end."
During this over-a-year-long journey, Naren had his moments of self-doubt and was constantly distracted by new ideas. "Being persistent was one of the biggest challenges. You can explore new things but it's equally important to stay focussed on something you are truly passionate about until you see some results." It was a sense of duty that kept Naren pushing forward because he knew the problem still existed. "There was a purpose driving me. I knew I could make an impact since it's an issue in my neighbourhood."
[caption id="attachment_38603" align="aligncenter" width="789"] Naren Manikandan pitching Parkware to the Morrisville Smart City committee[/caption]
Future plans
Ask him about the revenue model, and the teen is in two minds. "We could either adopt a commission-based business model where the organiser pays the provide for the parking spot, and we take a commission. Or we could position this as a community service project to help neighbourhoods, with the potential of local government involvement later on."
Naren plans to expand Parkware to cities and towns across the US facing parking problems. "As a community-based project, we can propose Parkware as a solution to local governments in cities with parking issues and potentially integrate it with any existing apps. Moreover, we can target committees and city planners looking for solutions," says Naren, who envisions the app being used beyond neighbourhood parking for events like sports games. "Often sports stadiums have expensive parking fees but nearby neighbourhoods have open spaces that could be used for overflow parking." Expanding to India is on his agenda, with modifications tailored to local needs. "I have a lot of connections in India, plus I visit it a lot."
[caption id="attachment_38604" align="aligncenter" width="605"] Naren presenting at the Emerge Conference after receiving 1st place in the Thinkubators competition[/caption]
With his eyes set on a major in computer science, Naren wants to continue building projects. Taking inspiration from the biographies he reads, he has realised "whether its apps or inventions or innovations, they are done by people who are exactly like you. Everyone starts from basics and nothing is unreachable. You can make a difference."
The teen, who practices Kalaripayattu, an Indian martial art, and also plays basketball, advices youngsters to stay focussed. "It's not a straight path, and don't expect it to be. But if you stay consistent you will get somewhere. Don't just keep looking at the results but also look at your progress. If you have a good purpose, keep going," he signs off.
(October 10, 2023) As the teams across the globe are battling out for the Cricket World Cup in 2023, the New Zealand cricket team has come to the field with the country's most promising allrounder - Rachin Ravindra. One of the fast-rising cricketers in the New Zealand set-up, the batsman and left-arm spinner, the cricketer recently turned heads with a courageous century to help New Zealand beat England in the opening match of ODI World Cup 2023, making him the youngest centurion in World Cup history for the country. His pivotal performance with the ball, including the dismissal of Harry Brook, significantly contributed to New Zealand's effective containment of England. At 16, Rachin - who was named after two cricketing legends ('Ra' from Rahul and 'chin' from Sachin) - was the youngest New Zealander to feature in the 2016 World Cup in Bangladesh, where he impressed everyone with his extraordinary talent. "Since I was a kid, I have been a batsman," the Global Indian said in an interview, "However, with time my bowling has improved and I am now an all-rounder for my team. All my efforts during this World Cup will be to ensure that New Zealand takes the
kid, I have been a batsman," the Global Indian said in an interview, "However, with time my bowling has improved and I am now an all-rounder for my team. All my efforts during this World Cup will be to ensure that New Zealand takes the cup home."
Living his father's dream
About three decades back, Rachin's father, Ravi Krishnamurthy played club-level cricket in his hometown Bangalore, with the likes of Javagal Srinath and J Arunkumar. And after shifting to Wellington in New Zealand, Krishnamurthy passed on his passion for cricket to his son. Speaking about Rachin in a recent interview, he said, "I tried to get my daughter into cricket and she didn't. With Rachin, I didn't try, and he did."
Interestingly, Javagal Srinath, whom Rachin affectionately refers to as 'Sri uncle', has had a deep impact on the allrounder. "He is a good friend of my father and would visit us every time he was in New Zealand on match referee duty. We also got to meet him whenever we were in Bengaluru. He's my gym buddy, but I can't lift the kind of weights he does," shared the cricketer, adding, "He is always happy to chat cricket with me whenever he's here. He's been very kind to spend time with me and talk about experiences that shaped him in his cricket career. How India's outlook is towards cricket, cricketers, and stuff like that. I've been fortunate to have been able to spend time with some former cricketers."
Krishnamurthy, who is also Rachin's coach, noticed that the allrounder loved cricket from a very young age. Even when he was just five years old, he would play with his cricket bat and practice hitting plastic balls in their backyard. As he grew up, he continued to play cricket in school and district matches, and he became known for his graceful and difficult-to-dismiss batting skills.
[caption id="attachment_33467" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Rachin with his family[/caption]
But playing well came with its price. The young allrounder had to balance cricket as well as his studies growing up, especially after he started playing for his national team, and would have to accompany them to international tournaments. "While I was pretty serious about cricket, I wanted to always go ahead with a backup plan. My father was a software engineer, and he instilled the value of a good education in me at a very early age. I want to either do law or computer engineering. And to be honest, I have had no problems balancing cricket and studies. My parents have always encouraged me to do what I want. It's just coincidence that my passion coincides with my dad's passion," the allrounder says.
On the strike
After a terrific performance at the 2016 and 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, as part of the Kiwi squad, the allrounder made his first-class debut for the New Zealand A team against Pakistan in 2018. With his roots in India, it was a good match for the allrounder to start his Test cricket career here two years ago. Now, he's about to make his first appearance in the World Cup in the same country.
[caption id="attachment_33466" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Rachin poses with Sir Richard Hadlee after winning New Zealand's Young Cricketer of the Year award[/caption]
"Looking back on my Test debut, it was a special and emotional time. Being able to play in India, the fanfare around the game here, to be able to experience that is pretty special," the allrounder said. Talking about being a part of the 2023 NZ squad, Rachin added, "It has been a great ride. You always think one day you might get a chance. Being a 19-year-old at that time, a few years into professional cricket, you have those dreams to be part of a World Cup. It is pretty cool how it has come to fruition. My only aim now is to be at the top of my game and take the cup home."
(January 13, 2022) We don’t talk about stigmas and taboos. Swara Patel does, and with immense conviction - Be it reproductive health, menstruation or sexual health. Founder and president of The Period Society, the undergraduate pre-medical student has made overcoming stigmas, and busting myths her raison de etre. And the outspoken straight talker does it impressively. The winner of the Diana Award 2021 for her resolve to further the cause of reproductive health and healthcare, she is also the Global Teen Youth Leader 2021. The Indian teen was just 16 when she started her society, and today, she has added the Talk Project to encourage open discussions on sexual and reproductive health. Right now busy in tomes of medical textbooks, Swara hopes to emulate her healthcare professional parents even as she breaks cultural barriers. Since The Period Society began in 2018, “It has served over a million periods, met monthly menstrual hygiene needs of over 30,000 menstruators for the next three years, and reached out to over 25,000 people through interactive sessions,” Swara Patel tells Global Indian. It has 20 youth-led chapters and four global initiatives today. From home to heart, what mattered most The Mumbai girl who moved to
The Mumbai girl who moved to the US in the fall of 2018 is a freshman at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College.
Indian teen studied at Bombay Scottish School (Mahim) where she made incredible friends and had amazing teachers who challenged her, and instilled a deep sense of respect for hard work and discipline. And being in a family of healthcare professionals had added an insightful edge to her musings. “My parents are the most open and supportive people I know, though they might take some convincing. My mother is a role model as a healthcare professional who was always busier than dad, and never gave into the societal guilt of being a bad mother. It was primarily dad who parented me and showed me that women can truly have it all. My father is an extremely compassionate physician and seeing him go out of the way for his patients, especially pro bono has set a standard. I am an outspoken person, and feel comfortable thinking independently,” smiles Swara.
Her grandfather Dr Shanti Patel, a freedom fighter and leader for labour rights for ship workers, was “an extremely important influence growing up.”
Migrating from India to the US, the Indian teen studied at Herricks High School, (New York) at 16, where she faced a huge cultural change. Overwhelmed, the kindness of her new surrounds made her realise, “It’s okay to take your time, and feel anxious when making such shifts. I also realised that while there might be cultural differences, your work ethic and ambition can shine through.” Today, Swara’s philosophy has been strengthened by her mentor-teachers and professors.
“As a student of the humanities and biological sciences on a pre-med track, I am deeply invested in furthering reproductive rights and bridging healthcare accessibility gaps in low-income communities by combining my skills of leadership, knowledge of global health inequities, and passion for change making,” says the Diana awardee.
The Period Society is a huge step to help break stigmas. It conducts menstrual hygiene education sessions across India, distributes eco-friendly reusable menstrual hygiene products, and dispels cultural taboos, many of which Swara herself experienced in Mumbai.
The change was palpable
The Indian teen's “modern progressive” upbringing apart, Swara had to first tackle her parents’ menstrual taboo influences. “Changemaking begins at home - it was difficult to convince my parents that this was a cause that could be spoken openly about. I was exposed to period poverty as a volunteer in a paediatric oncology ward when the mother of a patient confided that she was struggling to live with dignity as the cost of treatment left her family unable to purchase ‘luxuries’ like period products. I remember bitterly arguing with my mother every Ganesh Chaturthi about being forced to stay home while my parents visited relatives as I was on my periods. Or my father asking me to speak about ‘girl things’ to mom. It took persistence, perseverance, and grit to change the attitudes within my house before I stepped out to change ideas within my world. By repeatedly reminding my father (a physician) that menstrual blood was not ‘dirty blood,’ and that he couldn’t choose to shy away from speaking about female reproductive health when he did rotations in the OB-GYN department, I eased him into speaking about periods,” smiles the daughter who managed (over two years) to change her father’s view so much so that he would drive her to the sessions, and even distribute kits.
Patel has personally conducted menstrual hygiene education sessions in red-light districts, at municipal schools, with urban slum communities, and in collaboration with NGOs since she started. In fact, Patel wants other like-minded youth to begin a chapter or a global initiative or even remotely join the team to help too.
The youth leader and progressive med student
Passionate about setting wrongs right, Swara also addressed the taboos surrounding sexual health with the Talk Project in 2018. “It was started to drive conversations surrounding sexual health and amplify access to reproductive health resources via youth led advocacy programmes,” says the Indian teen whose passion for public health, STEM, gender equality, and social justice is aimed at an intersectional social-centered trajectory. She is also deeply involved in Model United Nations, and has won accolades and chaired conferences by Harvard and UPenn in the US, China and India.
For a mere student to juggle diverse ideologies and social endeavours is what spurs Swara on. “I intend to use my skills, coursework, and genuine passion to translate my interests into measurable social impact to make a tangible difference in the lives of real people,” she adds.
Her volunteer work earlier with the Impact Foundation at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai opened her mind, as she helped children in paediatric oncology engage in arts and crafts or even with their homework!
The pre-med student has been exposed to healthcare across two very different countries and feels her understanding of health transcends borders. “I love biology and learning about clinical applications of biological concepts and at the same time I aspire to become an advocate for my patients and play a role in eliminating these disparities,” says the double major in the biological sciences as well as women’s, gender, and sexuality studies.
In fact, she chose Hunter for its close proximity to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, Rockefeller Laboratories and Weill Cornell – which she hopes will be great resources as she furthers her medical studies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-mhoynuU1M
The outspoken straight talker now wants to be a physician who goes beyond treatment plans and advocates for the elimination of real-world disparities. Busy in college, Swara has the mindfulness to explore and understand medicine to realistically understand how to be a compassionate and effective physician.
In her free time, apart from juggling pre-med classes, she learns Bharatanatyam, loves to dive into a good book, and often takes a breather from the work she has set out to do to catch up with friends and just be an ordinary girl.
As the medical student is on her way to becoming the kind of physician she dreams of, Swara also sees herself integrating medicine with public health to care for marginalised communities and influence health policy.
(March 9, 2022) As a female Stem student, entering the hallowed corridors of Stanford University, Aashna Shroff was surprised to find that she was outnumbered by her high-achieving male peers. Understandably daunted, Aashna found that her peers and faculty at Stanford were awake to the problem. Professors and colleagues actively advocated for women in technology, unlike in India. This ability to acknowledge a problem, find a solution, impressed Aashna enough to want to give a little back. She and a few classmates from Stanford founded Girls Code Camp, an initiative to teach lower-income students how to code a few years ago. Aashna, worked with 12 schools, 30 classrooms, to enhance education in Hyderabad, making it a more practical and problem-solving methodology for over 1,200 students. Today, Shroff, now 26, continues to work with 30 children in bastis around her city, transforming education to create innovative minds. She is also working with 900 students in 10 schools. The girl who learnt to code Growing up in Hyderabad, she schooled at Chirec International School. The perfect all-rounder, she had a learning temperament. “I was basketball team captain, choreographed school performances, built rockets, and was just excited to learn,” says Aashna Shroff, in
owing up in Hyderabad, she schooled at Chirec International School. The perfect all-rounder, she had a learning temperament. “I was basketball team captain, choreographed school performances, built rockets, and was just excited to learn,” says Aashna Shroff, in an interview with Global Indian Youth. In high school, her sister, studying at MIT, would send her lectures and material being taught, which Aashna devoured almost ferociously. “I think those videos are what spurred my interest in education,” Aashna says.
Hugely grateful to her parents (in the fashion industry), who moved from Guwahati to Assam before she was born, she says, “They’ve worked immensely hard to give my sister and I a life of privilege and comfort. I’ve had front-row seats to see how hard they worked to send us to better schools so we could pursue our passions.”
Innovation at Stanford
When Aashna studied computer science economics at Stanford University, it brought her face to face with innovation. There, a younger Aashna explored all the computer science courses Stanford had to offer till 2017. “It was at Stanford my identity as a woman in stem became apparent,” she explains. Being a minority in a class with highly accomplished young men was overwhelming. “However, I was fortunate enough to be a part of several classes and clubs where professors and peers advocated for women in technology,” she explains. This enforced her belief about what good learning looks like – “the best learning experiences are those when students are equipped with agency, a sense of purpose and peer communities,” she adds.
During her time there, she worked at the robotics lab when she became curious about a haptic device students were working on. “I got to help in a haptic device research project which was used to help medical students perform ear surgery,” she recalls.
When young girls code
The “stark difference between two learning styles” made Aashna “determined to take action, to give young women in India the chance to be the next technological change-makers.” Thus, as an undergrad, she and a group of Stanford students came back to her high school in Hyderabad and taught a few eighth grade girls how to code. It soon transformed into a huge project. Getting an impetus when Aashna and her team won a $100,000 grant - from external organisations, CSRs and the Haas Center for Public Service. The Girls Code Camp was started in 12 more schools, and hundreds of middle school students were imparted knowledge.
The tinker revolution
In her “hands-on tinkering” camps, Shroff witnessed some low-income students tinker with technology to solve problems. During her masters, Shroff also travelled to Brazil and India on behalf of Stanford to research and build affordable tools that foster technological curiosity while combining it with students’ intellectual passions, culture, and local knowledge about how to build and make things.
“My work during my masters, with my advisor Paulo Blikstein, reiterated how one can design learning experiences and tools to enable students to problem solve, take risks, and influence and inspire others,” she says, adding, that she kept in touch with a student through email, who today, has a master's degree in computer science, and wants to start a Girls Code Camp in her community. “This is exactly what I’d hoped for – for students to be impacted in such a meaningful way, and then pass it on,” Aashna remarks.
Return to India
Armed with new technologies and learning approaches, when she came back to Hyderabad, the pandemic upended life. Not for Aashna though, who during lockdown taught students from a neighbourhood basti who were out of school during the pandemic. She worked with about 30 children from various grades. This was also when she confronted her biggest challenges. “I’m currently working with about 30 classrooms (900 students) in 10 schools that are a mix of government and affordable private schools. Students who are behind never get a meaningful education because of the obsessive focus on passing exams, so teachers have limited time, and motivation,” laments the coding pro who loves walking her dog, and doing CrossFit.
Now focused on fixing the foundational literacy problem in India, school by school, Aashna is spreading hope. “I have created different levels of learning within a single textbook, so students can access the same content but at their own pace,” she explains.
Currently testing her content programme in schools, she plans to build a reading app to help students have fun while reading. “Think of it as your buddy who listens to young readers and offers them help as they read,” says Shroff.
Tech to solve real-world problems
Her ultimate goal is to design educational technology to nurture real-world problem solving and innovation for students of low-income backgrounds -- for the inventors who never stepped into a classroom, creators whose inventiveness is unexploited, and curiosity-seekers who are eager to re-discover and re-invent the world. And she’s already doing an incredible job.
(November 5, 2024) In a small clinic in India, Kaavya Kopparapu watched her grandfather struggle with diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can lead to blindness if left untreated. The waiting rooms were crowded, the equipment was outdated, and specialists were scarce. Observing the challenges her grandfather faced just to receive a diagnosis, Kaavya, then only a teenager, began to see how her love for science could make a difference. She wanted to address the limited access to healthcare that millions in rural and underserved areas endure. Driven by this purpose, she invented Eyeagnosis, a smartphone app that uses AI to detect signs of diabetic retinopathy from retinal images. Designed for affordability and accessibility, Eyeagnosis offered a way for local clinicians to catch early signs of vision impairment and refer patients for treatment. "The lack of diagnosis is the biggest challenge. In India, there are programmes that send doctors into villages and slums, but there are a lot of patients and only so many ophthalmologists. What if there was a cheap, easy way for local clinicians to find new cases and refer them to a hospital?" the Global Indian said in an interview. [caption id="attachment_40183" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Kavya Kopparapu[/caption] This
This early project set Kavya Kopparapu on a path of innovation that would soon lead her to tackle one of medicine’s toughest challenges: brain cancer. In 2017, when she was still in high school, she read about US Senator John McCain's battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive and nearly untreatable form of brain cancer. She was shocked to learn that despite decades of research and advancements in medicine, glioblastoma patients' prognosis had barely improved in 30 years, with most surviving only eleven months post-diagnosis. Kaavya was taken aback. “To me, that was really surprising because we know so much more about the brain now, and we have so many improved chemotherapy and surgery techniques. It blew my mind that, despite all of that, we haven't gotten any better at improving patient quality of life and prognosis,” the Harvard educated said.
The Power of AI: Introducing GlioVision
Inspired, Kaavya developed GlioVision, a groundbreaking AI-powered system that analyses brain tumor images to predict the genetic profile of glioblastomas in seconds. Unlike traditional methods that can take days and cost thousands, GlioVision delivers its predictions with 100 percent accuracy and at a fraction of the cost. Kaavya explained, “Around 40 percent of glioblastoma patients have a genetic mutation that renders the standard treatment completely ineffective. So, these patients receive all the negative side effects of chemotherapy without any of the benefits of the treatment. That shows why genetic testing is so important.”
The impact of GlioVision was profound, earning Kaavya prestigious accolades, including the 2018 Davidson Institute for Talent Development Scholar Laureate, finalist status in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, and recognition as a U.S. Presidential Scholar. TIME magazine even included her in its 2018 list of “25 Most Influential Teens.” Now, Kaavya is a research engineer at DeepMind, Google’s AI research lab, where she continues pushing the boundaries of healthcare technology.
Her passion for science ignited in middle school when she witnessed two scientists conduct an elephant toothpaste experiment at a science fair. "Basically, it's when two chemicals are poured into a beaker together, and you get this giant column of foam that shoots up through the reaction. Seeing that as a sixth-grader, I was like, 'Woah, that’s cool. I want to do stuff like that as a job,'" she recalled in an interview. This was the start of her journey into the world of STEM, where her love for engineering blossomed and she began to realise its potential to create meaningful change in people's lives.
Yet, Kaavya’s journey is not just about personal achievement—it’s also a reflection of the impact that young members of the Indian diaspora are making in the US. With over four million members in the US, the Indian diaspora has been instrumental in driving innovations that address pressing global issues. And Kaavya stands out as a role model who represents the determination and creativity that are common in her community. By addressing the problems of glioblastoma and diabetic retinopathy, Kaavya is helping future generations of Indian Americans to explore careers in STEM fields and make a positive impact in both India and the US.
Championing Diversity: The Girls Computing League
In addition to her groundbreaking research, Kavya Kopparapu is committed to promoting inclusivity in technology through her work with the Girls Computing League, a nonprofit she co-founded. Dedicated to empowering girls and students from low-income backgrounds, it aims to increase diversity in the tech field by providing access to advanced computer science education. "We're really focused on teaching emerging technology to students across the world," she states. The organization has made remarkable strides, operating in 15 U.S. states and even extending its reach to Japan. By organizing coding clubs, AI conferences, and teacher development workshops, the Girls Computing League encourages young minds to explore the potential of technology and innovation. "Being able to directly interface with the people that I’m impacting at our events has been amazing. They’re the whole reason that I do it."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBHBZ6Lce4
Kavya's journey from a concerned granddaughter in India to a pioneering innovator in the U.S. exemplifies the transformative power of science and compassion. Her groundbreaking work in AI-driven healthcare not only addresses critical issues like glioblastoma and diabetic retinopathy but also serves as an inspiration for young people, particularly within the Indian diaspora, to engage in STEM fields.