2020 WINNERS

2

Adriana Sade Alcindor was inspired by movies and other media in which futuristic technology improved people’s lives, and she wanted to “hop on board” with the wave of innovation that was sure to change the world. Then, when her AP Computer Science teacher started a new Engineering and Computer Science Department at Adriana’s school and new opportunities in STEM opened up, the seed of her interest in computing began to grow. With the encouragement and support of her mentor, she became the computer scientist she is today. Now, she’s committed to passing it on by encouraging younger kids to give coding and engineering a try. Adriana has created a scavenger hunt app to make studying more fun for members of her youth group. She designed a robot janitor for a robotics competition, and she’s currently working with a friend to design and sell original inventions. In the future, she would like to build a robotic fish to aid in exploration of the world’s oceans.

ADRIANA SADE ALCINDOR | Prospect Hill Academy Charter School | Saugus, MA

Perisa Satish Ashar was introduced to coding when she attended a beginner-level Scratch Programming class at the MathScience Innovation Center. There, she learned basics of computational thinking — such as Boolean logic and conditional statements — that would be fundamental to her later explorations. She went on to teach herself other coding languages so that she could start writing her own computer games. Perisa started an international non-profit organization called STEMinate, which helps provide STEM opportunities to students who may not have them in their communities. As part of this work, she runs multiple coding programs for elementary and middle school students, in addition to teaching workshops at the MathScience Innovation Center, where she got her start in computing. She has presented at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) twice, and she was one of only two students selected to represent the United States at the Taiwan International Science Fair. Perisa hopes to go on to study biomedical engineering so that she can use technology to help people lead healthier lives.

PERISA SATISH ASHAR | Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International StudiesGlen Allen, VA

2020 WINNERS

3

Dejauhnae Cajay Beadle became interested in Computer Science during her freshman year of high school, when she was introduced to HTML and CSS in a multimedia and web design class in which she created web pages and animations. She was excited and encouraged to find that she, a high school student, could make a web page that looked just like one that was professionally done. The ability to create anything from scratch drew her to study Computer Science in greater depth, and since then, every career she has considered has been related to this field. She began applying code to her everyday life, and soon she began to use it to solve more complicated problems. For example, after the 2016 presidential election, she created a bot that helps people identify trustworthy news sources. She is currently working on refining the bot and expanding its scope. She would like to earn a degree in Computer Science and create low-cost software with low-performance requirements to help people like herself to pursue their dreams.

DEJAUHNAE CAJAY BEADLE | Independence High School | Mint Hill, NC

Elizabeth Berenguer considers her most rewarding experience to be the work she has done with CODeLLA, a non-profit dedicated to teaching underrepresented girls about STEM topics. Elizabeth first became involved with the organization when she taught for one of their summer immersion programs in 2018. From then on, she knew she had to stay active. She went on to lead two NCWIT AspireIT projects with CODeLLA, including another summer program and a conference. During the first half of 2019, she worked with an electrical engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to create a calibration algorithm for spectrometer chips under NASA’s Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program. The algorithm she wrote was used onboard rektangle-II, which launched on October 17, 2019. Elizabeth loves using her skills to solve problems, which has led her to become very involved in entrepreneurship ventures, and she was the 2018 National Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Inventor Pitch Challenge Runner-up. Her goal is to apply her love of statistics, computer science, and mathematics to examine both the electronic and physical world.

ELIZABETH BERENGUER | José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy | Hialeah, FL

2020 WINNERS

4

Mireille Christiane Boumedine was first inspired at the age of three by watching a girl character in a movie hack computer systems to help her family, and she has wanted to work in cyberdefense ever since. She has been inspired along the way by coaches, Computer Science teachers, her parents, and by NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Community Member Krithika Iyer, who came to St. Thomas to run an NCWIT AspireIT camp. From Krithika, Mireille not only learned how to use App Inventor, but she also learned how a young woman not much older than herself could foster Computer Science in her community. Now, Mireille volunteers in a robotics club for younger students and at the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum, where she helps kids learn computing skills. She is a team captain on cybersecurity competition teams such as CyberPatriot, RadCTF, and GirlsGoCyberStart. At Stanford University’s AI4ALL program, she studied graph traversal algorithms and machine learning, and her group completed a project categorizing post-disaster tweets using natural language processing to guide first responders and improve assistance.

MIREILLE CHRISTIANE BOUMEDINE | Peter Gruber International Academy | St. Thomas, VI

Kary Angelly Cabrera grew up taking apart old devices to study how they worked. She was fascinated by the mechanics and engineering behind computers and smartphones, and she went on to attend an engineering-focused high school. She participates in clubs such as Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Achievement (MESA) and Solar Boat, where she learned to program a telemetry system to enable long-distance communication. In the summer of her junior year, she participated in a research program at USC to study the causes of muscular dystrophy, which helped her to realize that she enjoys working in a laboratory setting and conducting hands-on experiments. Kary is currently working with a team to develop a project for the upcoming Exploravision competition. The project will introduce self-sustainable and eco-friendly lighting to local communities in order to reduce carbon emissions, save millions of dollars spent on wasted energy, and light up communities that lack electricity. In the future, Kary hopes to study Electrical Engineering and invent technology that will reverse the effects of climate change and serve underprivileged communities.

KARY ANGELLY CABRERA | Lennox Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy | Inglewood, CA

2020 WINNERS

5

Julia Christina Ayalde Camacho has had a strong interest in Computer Science since elementary school, when she first began learning how to code, but her passion fully blossomed when she discovered the field of Computational Biology in middle school. What she loves most about Computational Biology is seeing how groundbreaking discoveries directly impact our daily lives. Throughout high school, she has developed her own research projects using machine learning and artificial intelligence to explore unanswered questions in cancer diagnosis and treatment. She has presented her research at competitions such as the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where she received 4th place in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and the Texas Junior Academy of Science, where she earned first place in Computer Science. As the Director of Competitions for her school’s Research Organization, she helps her classmates share their novel work with the public through papers and presentations. She also shares her passion for science with others through her non-profit organization, SparkSTEM, which aims to make STEM opportunities available for students of all backgrounds.

JULIA CHRISTINA AYALDE CAMACHO | Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science | Plano, TX

Maria Elizabeth Cheriyan loves both science and the humanities; she is the editor-in-chief of her school’s academic journal, Eureka!, and she sings with multiple auditioned vocal ensembles. In 2018, Maria had the opportunity to participate in the highly selective AI4ALL program at Stanford, which inspired her to pursue AI for positive social impact. After the program, she was chosen as a Midwestern Chapter Lead, and this year, she is the co-Head Chapter Lead of the organization. Maria has experience coding in Java, R, and Python; she is especially interested in genetics, medicine, natural language processing, and affective computing. Her first project using Python was an algorithm that identified what a person was requesting and what a first responder could provide using tweets posted during Hurricane Sandy. Her second project used a map of landslide occurrences and descriptions of landslides to predict when a landslide would be most likely to happen. Currently, she is studying how machine learning can be better used to diagnose heart disease using both image data and genetic data.

MARIA ELIZABETH CHERIYAN | Detroit Country Day School | Farmington Hills, MI

2020 WINNERS

6

Sarah Flora Chocron’s thirst for knowledge led her to an appreciation for the power of eloquent writing, a love for the patterns and relationships of mathematics, and the thrill of cracking an enigma, or rather, the code. Her interest in artificial intelligence began when she attended Carnegie Mellon’s AI4ALL program and met Professor Rosenfeld, head of Machine Learning Studies, who asked, “What if I told you I could predict the future?” His research focused on predicting epidemics based on complex machine learning algorithms. In that moment, Sarah realized that AI was a perfect collision of her many interests, demanding her left-brain love for the craft of programming and statistical analysis while also requiring her right-brain inclination for expressing her scientific ideas and using creativity to conceptualize learning algorithms. Within a week, she would lead her team project in machine learning diagnostics for thyroid diseases. Today, she works to promote technology in her school’s curriculum and destigmatize AI by demonstrating its potential for positive applications.

SARAH FLORA CHOCRON | Wichita Collegiate SchoolWichita, KS

Xitlali Cruz was first inspired to explore Computer Science by movies like WALL-E and The Interns. With limited STEM activities available in her small, rural town, Xitlali’s parents encouraged her to look for opportunities outside of school to develop her passion for computing. This led her to attend both Stanford’s AI4ALL program and Carnegie Mellon’s AI4ALL program, where she got to meet other students who shared her interests. Returning home, she began attending a robotics club in a neighboring school district, and she is working towards starting a robotics club at her school. Xitlali’s hope is that through her efforts, other students who are interested in technology will have an easier time finding what they are looking for. She hopes to study Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or Astrophysics. Her research interests include developing technology for space exploration and designing more environmentally-friendly airplanes. She would like to be able to say that she made the world a better place by helping to create new technology while inspiring young Latinas to learn more about careers in science.

XITLALI CRUZ | Chelan High SchoolChelan, WA

2020 WINNERS

7

Kathryn Rose Dark took her first Computer Science class in 6th grade, and it quickly grew into a passion as she fell in love with the fascinating complexity of coding and its vast potential for realizing social equality. In 2017, she attended a pre-college summer program at Cambridge University in the UK; and the following summer, she participated in a youth cybersecurity initiative with the NSA. Wanting to share her passion for computers with those less privileged, she developed and taught an afterschool program for underserved Latinx youth at the dual immersion school she had previously attended, which had lost the funding for its Computer Science classes. Currently, Katy is fundraising to revamp the school’s entire program with newer technology to allow students greater access to Computer Science, and to combat the digital divide that Utah’s underserved populations face. It is her hope that the program she is developing will provide a model that other Title 1 schools can utilize to further break down the digital divide.

KATHRYN ROSE DARK | Rowland Hall Upper SchoolSalt Lake City, UT

Maya Kahló De Los Santos took a Junior STEM class in 8th grade, and she quickly fell in love with working with her peers to design and test creations to solve fun challenges. This experience led her to apply to the Academy of Engineering and Design Technology, where she has discovered her passion for electrical engineering. She became a FIRST Robotics team member, participated in hackathons, and began teaching younger students about STEM through camps and workshops. Combining her love for both electrical engineering and environmental conservation, she is currently working on a project that utilizes I2C sensors protected by a waterproof casing to measure external factors that affect coral reefs and transmits the data over WiFi to an IoT website that allows her to visualize the data in graphs. She has presented her work at a science convention in Japan, and she looks forward to implementing it in Israel this year. Maya’s experiences have shown her that successful engineers serve as a bridge between the solutions invented and their ethical and fair integration into society.

MAYA KAHLÓ DE LOS SANTOS | Bergen County Academies | New Milford, NJ

2020 WINNERS

8

Meredith Delatorre was inspired to become interested in technology by her Dad, who was an outstanding electrical engineer in Cuba and who continues to incorporate technology in his life to this day. Meredith is proud of having created the first Coding Club in her school, as it allows her to share the joys of technology with her peers. She considers this her greatest technical accomplishment to date. Another accomplishment that she will forever treasure is being the first Tech Manager in her school’s Theatre Society, as it is something that was never considered previously, but will now remain as a significant position in the club. Meredith would like to study Computer Science at Miami Dade Honors College and, in the near future, fulfill her lifelong dream of establishing her own company revolving around computer software and programming. She would like to invent a device that grants people with visual impairment the ability to see in 3D, an issue that she herself faces as someone who can only see from one eye.

MEREDITH DELATORRE | Miami Coral Park Senior High School | Homestead, FL

Sanskriti Deva discovered her love for technology and how it worked when she began hosting her school’s morning announcements in the 3rd grade. This is when she realized she had a passion for troubleshooting. Before she had graduated 5th grade, she began running a radio show with more than 100,000 listeners. She won her 8th grade science fair with a project that proved time travel into the future was mathematically possible. She invented the SmartCan, a trash can that sorts out landfill from recyclable items, and is working with a major company to bring her product into the market. As she grew older, she realized there were greater things to troubleshoot than just technology. Growing up and going to school in the inner city, Sanskriti and her peers did not have a lot of resources, and being a natural problem solver, she aimed to find a solution. She began her own initiative called InventSTEM, which aims to provide STEM resources to underprivileged students. Her current projects include exoplanet identification and dark energy research.

SANSKRITI DEVA | North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics | Charlotte, NC

2020 WINNERS

9

Kavi Dolasia was first introduced to technology through her middle school robotics team. As one of the four girls on a team of 30, and with no prior robotics knowledge, she felt out of place. However, that changed when she created her first robot: Larry. Over the next two years, she brought home the gold (Line Follow) and silver (Best of Show) medals at the International ROBOGames. Wanting to share the feeling of accomplishment and excitement that robotics gave her with students who didn’t have the same opportunities, Kavi and her sister launched Reaching Out With Robotics, a volunteer organization that aims to expose underserved students to robotics. After starting out at a local middle school with limited access to science education, ROWR now has eight chapters across California and has impacted more than 4,000 students. Kavi was one of ten girls selected as an ambassador for TechGirls, a U.S. Department of State STEM initiative that strives to increase understanding between the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia through educational and cultural exchange.

KAVI DOLASIA | Tamalpais High SchoolMill Valley, CA

Natalie Ellen Friede first found her love of coding when her 9th grade Python teacher taught the subject in an engaging way that encouraged analytical thinking. Natalie later learned Swift, Java, and the foundations of engineering in Robotics Club. She has collaborated on a variety of fun projects, from crowd poll apps to a banana farming RPG starring her school’s mascot, Coolio the Cougar. In 10th grade, she began a research project with a professor at the University of Arkansas. With the help of Professor Gashler, she created a neural network focused on analyzing electroencephalography data to better understand how electrical impulses in the brain correlate to thought. Attending a Computer Science course at the University of Arkansas allowed her to compete in the university hackathon. After winning the hackathon, she started working at J.B. Hunt, where she works to this day. Natalie hopes to continue her research on the human brain and learn to emulate human consciousness with artificial intelligence in order to better understand the brain and how it functions.

NATALIE ELLEN FRIEDE | The New SchoolFayetteville, AR

2020 WINNERS

10

Amulya S. Garimella is currently doing research at the Neurogenomics Lab at Carnegie Mellon University to develop early-detection, accessible biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. For her work, she has been awarded the Carnegie Science Award, selected as a national finalist at ProjectCSGirls, and has won 3rd place at the national Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Amulya is also working to spread awareness about how students can use science and technology to build a healthier and happier planet. She founded the STEM Outreach Club at her school, which hosts an annual symposium — a day-long program where students attend sessions led by researchers, entrepreneurs, and professors. Amulya’s work was recognized by the national she++ #include Fellowship, which supports tech outreach programs that help their communities. Amulya was one of 50 fellows throughout the country invited to the 2019 she++ Summit. In the future, Amulya plans to keep pursuing computational biology, do innovative research, and ultimately to pursue a PhD in computational neurogenomics. One of her ultimate goals is to develop an epigenomic early-detection screening test for Alzheimer’s.

AMULYA S. GARIMELLA | Fox Chapel Area High SchoolPittsburgh, PA

Makayla Gates became interested in Computer Science through studying Physics, because Physics is the basis of technology. She believes that the next steps in Computer Science will come from the field of Physics, with new developments in quantum computing and other ways to expand storage capabilities for broader advancements in technology. Makayla has shared her passion with others by representing diverse groups in computing at public events, such as talks with the Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico. Her greatest technological accomplishment to date is having been selected by the Governor to be on the New Mexico Computer Task Force. She completed a science project using fire satellite imaging to show spikes in Valley Fever cases corresponding with dry foliage instead of the sand where the fungus grows. Makayla plans to attend New Mexico State University and study Physics, with the goal of becoming a professor and researcher of particles. She would like to create online support lines to help people deal with problems and challenges in a more positive way.

MAKAYLA GATES | Valencia High SchoolAlbuquerque, NM

2020 WINNERS

11

Robyn Marie George took her first programming class during her freshman year, and she was inspired by the endless possibilities that Computer Science presented to her as a problem solver and as a creator. Computer Science courses and clubs soon became a productive way for her to channel all of her critical-thinking and teamwork skills. Today, she uses her Information Technology knowledge in her role as the Wisconsin Future Business Leaders of America State Reporter, where she can innovate the use of social media and communications at a state-wide level. In the future, Robyn plans to attend college in pursuit of a degree in Economics or Public Policy with a minor in Computer Science, in hopes of becoming a legislator or litigator. While she does not see herself being a full-time programmer, she intends to carry all of her technological knowledge with her into any job she obtains, designing new technologies, enforcing the ethics of their use, and using technology as a tool to make society more inclusive and progressive.

ROBYN MARIE GEORGE | Menomonee Falls High School | Menomonee Falls, WI

Anusha Ghosh has been passionate about Computer Science since her first programming course in elementary school. As a freshman in high school, she used Arduino and Python to prototype a closed-loop glucose monitoring system to deliver insulin automatically to diabetes patients. After she discovered machine learning during sophomore year, she created a program to automate the detection of lung cancer with the diagnostic accuracy of doctors. During her junior year, she created an image-based electronic interpreter that uses machine learning to translate the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet into English, and she is currently extending this work to encompass ASL words and sentences through a combination of computer vision and natural language processing. To share her passion for Computer Science, she has taught advanced Python workshops for Girls Who Code. She co-founded the HAX Club to introduce students from under-resourced schools to computing and robotics, and she serves as Outreach Coordinator for her school’s Women in Computer Science Club. In addition, Anusha interns for a company that focuses on using artificial intelligence to diagnose breast cancer.

ANUSHA GHOSH | Presentation High SchoolSan Jose, CA

2020 WINNERS

12

Carolina Isabel Gonzalez has always aspired to pursue Engineering, but it was not until high school that she realized she wanted to study Computer Science. Many people have encouraged her along the way, including her Computer Science teacher, Mr. Landa, who has helped her to further her passion through hands-on activities and projects in which she was able to see real-world examples of how she could use Computer Science for the greater good. Carolina’s greatest technological accomplishment is being able to code a fully functional website, including an online store, for a non-profit organization as a way to bring more members of the community to participate in the organization’s events. This was a big milestone for Carolina as she was able to prove to herself that not only does she know how to code, but she is able to make a positive change through this skill. Carolina would like to attend the University of Southern California and major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science.

CAROLINA ISABEL GONZALEZ | Girls AcademicLeadership Academy | Los Angeles, CA

Charlotte Marie Gorgemans was first introduced to Computer Science during her freshman year, when her science teacher recommended a robotics course. As a sophomore, she learned how to code an app and a video game in a C++ programming class. She is an active member of her school’s robotics team, and she has helped coach the robotics drive team during FIRST Robotics competitions. Last year, Charlotte built the gear boxes and engine for her team’s robot, which competed and placed in a FIRST event. She has shared her passion for Computer Science with others by helping teach a Robot C class to prospective robotics team members and reaching out to middle school students. Additionally, she has helped an international school start their own robotics team. As an intern for a local agency, Charlotte helped to design, build, and code a weather station under the supervision of electrical and computer engineers. She is also helping to analyze social behavior among ants and bees via computer models in conjunction with a local university.

CHARLOTTE MARIE GORGEMANS | Boulder High School | Boulder, CO

2020 WINNERS

13

Erica Huei Ling Hsueh is fascinated by the way Computer Science can be applied to solve many different kinds of problems. She first developed an appreciation for algorithms when she realized they could be used to solve a Rubik’s Cube. She later joined her high school’s Cubesat team, in which students from different schools collaborate to launch a nano-satellite into space. Her interest in using Computer Science to solve problems led her to design Alertive.co, a wearable device that detects anomalies in a person’s vital signs and provides instant notification to doctors and relatives, and Smartshop, a mobile app that tracks food expiration to help busy people save money and reduce food wastage. After learning about gender inequality in the computing field, she founded Bytes of Code, which offers community classes in technical skills such as, web development, circuitry, Arduino, and more. She has created a multilingual online curriculum and established more than 20 global ambassadors in the United States, Mexico, Liberia, India, and Saudi Arabia, impacting more than 75,000 girls.

ERICA HUEI LING HSUEH | Northwood High SchoolIrvine, CA

Maya Jordan Hunter is well on her way to becoming a Medical Technopreneur, using technology to improve health outcomes in underprivileged populations. She is currently running a year-long NCWIT AspireIT program for disadvantaged 4th grade girls while utilizing an additional AspireIT grant to help another group of 4th graders develop (and run!) school-wide robotics programming during the school day. Meanwhile, she is expanding her year-long kindergarten coding program, now in its third year. Maya has also developed a number of community-based programs that use technology to improve health outcomes for disadvantaged populations, including her Pediatric Pals program, a virtual pen pal program that connects pediatric patients with one another, decreasing the loneliness and isolation that often occur during extended hospital stays. She started a local chapter of the national Teen Science Cafe, a program that provides opportunities for teens to learn about careers in STEM by hosting events where science professionals give hands-on presentations about their work. This year alone, Maya’s initiatives have brought opportunities to more than 200 youth from underrepresented demographics in computing and STEM.

MAYA JORDAN HUNTER | Cherry Creek High SchoolCentennial, CO

2020 WINNERS

14

Kathleen Julca had a childhood that was full of scientific experiments, books, circuit boards, and projects. The experience of being a military child fuels her drive to always pursue more than what she sees around her: she can dream of studying in England, collaborating with scientists at CERN in German, or being the ambassador to create protocol for human interactions with extraterrestrial life. Currently, she is an intern working with Dr. Hillary Stephens to build a plasma ray through a grant from Princeton Laboratories. Her greatest technical accomplishment is creating an accessible cloud chamber, which combats the lack of women in Physics by recreating advanced, hands-on learning opportunities in schools. Kathleen shares her passion for equity in technological education by facilitating discussions around gender disparity as a cadet in Civil Air Patrol, and through the branches of Girls’ Coding Clubs that she leads. If she could create anything, it would be a portal for all women to experience what inclusion, justice, and validation feel like in the STEM workplace, so they could be encouraged to persevere.

KATHLEEN JULCA | Harrison PreparatoryJoint Base Lewis-McChord, WA

Shreeya Raj Khurana is an activist for empowering women in STEM. In 8th grade, she gave her first oral research presentation to a large audience of national and international scientists in the field of heliophysics. Her enthusiasm for research continued as she developed a passion for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. Participation in science fairs and coding competitions further fueled her interests. As an intern at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, she developed a biologically-inspired algorithm for using autonomous swarms in humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions. This work was recently accepted for presentation and publication in the proceedings of the 2020 International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence. Shreeya has led community-outreach programs, such as MATHgirls and an NCWIT AspireIT club called Code Girls, to motivate and empower middle and high school girls to follow a career in STEM and help them overcome fears and self doubt. A competitive figure skater since 2nd grade, she also coaches skaters with special needs to help them prepare for the Special Olympics and other competitions.

SHREEYA RAJ KHURANA | Montgomery Blair HighSchool | Potomac, MD

2020 WINNERS

15

Maria (Masha) Larina was brought up to love the logical complexity of problem-solving in Computer Science and robotics by her parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Russia and pursued professions in engineering and mathematics. Masha has engaged in active competition throughout high school as a member of the UIL Mathematics, UIL Ready Writing, Computer Science, and SkillsUSA academic teams. Her many work experiences include an internship at the University of Houston Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where she did extensive research and Python coding to create a program that accurately and efficiently fits the Paxinos rat atlas to user-acquired brain scans and finds cell concentrations in brain parcels. Masha is also interested in cybersecurity, and she recently undertook a large, independent project focusing on the development and representation of cryptographic techniques on an online platform to encourage user security. In achieving this, she spent countless hours teaching herself HTML, PHP, CSS, and JavaScript. Masha volunteers for the Friendswood Public Library, and she has a part-time job tutoring middle school kids in Mathematics.

MARIA K. LARINA | Friendswood High SchoolFriendswood, TX

Joanna Liu was one of 32 girls worldwide to attend Stanford’s AI4All in 2017. During these two weeks, she had the opportunity to explore the intricacies of artificial intelligence through AI guest lectures and a project that involved programming an autonomous system using PID controls and Dijkstra’s Algorithm. After experiencing the camaraderie of an all-girls classroom, she wanted to bring the same energy to her hometown. This led her to co-found Allgirlithm, an organization geared toward making AI education accessible to underrepresented minorities, and scale it into an organization that has reached thousands of students around the world. She created Allgirlithm’s AI club curriculum, which is currently being used in nearly 70 schools worldwide, and she worked with the International Society for Technology in Education to introduce Allgirlithm to more than 300 Computer Science educators across the nation. Last summer, as a data science intern at the ClearDemand software company, she utilized machine-learning models, Python, Matplotlib, and Seaborn technologies to predict the profit-maximizing package prices of various products.

JOANNA LIU | BASIS ChandlerChandler, AZ

2020 WINNERS

16

Rachel Ann Loberger was inspired to explore technology by her sisters, who taught her about STEM topics from an early age. She tried many fields before narrowing her primary interests to cybersecurity and Computer Assisted Drafting. She has shared her passions in STEM through Girl Scouts, mentoring FIRST Robotics teams, and Boys Build IT!, a summer camp she created for young boys to have female STEM role models. In 2017, at an AFA (Air Force Association) CyberCamp, she ran through a cybersecurity simulation on a VirtualBox program used in real-job training with the AFA. Participants practiced on a Windows system, but when they were tested on Linux security, Rachel received one of the highest scores in the group, despite being the youngest person there. She has advanced to the World Championship with her FIRST Robotics team and attended Apple’s ETC (Engineering Technology Camp) in Cupertino, CA. As part of an independent study, she also used CAD modeling to design a Hobbit house using Revit, a program used by professional architects.

RACHEL ANN LOBERGER | Liberty High SchoolHillsboro, OR

Sofiya Lysenko prototyped an app to assist children with autism at the 2015 ProjectCSGirls competition. At this event, she was inspired by women bioengineers to use her science fair project, a homemade gel electrophoresis device, and algorithms from Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio to predict the next mutation of the Zika virus for the 2016 ProjectCSGirls competition, where she won the 4th Place national prize. Currently, she is interested in implementing her DNA nanorobot designs, as well as educating and inspiring other girls. Her projects have included designing biological computational circuits for treating cancer and the programming of swarm DNA nanorobots for treatment of beta amyloid plaques formed due to Alzheimer’s disease. Sofiya has also designed and run several workshop series for girls in Computer Science, including the “You Can Code: Just For Girls” series and an “Intro to Python” course. She established her high school’s first Society of Women Engineers club as well as BioHackPhilly and BioEnGene, two community labs in Philadelphia and her high school, respectively.

SOFIYA LYSENKO | Abington Senior High SchoolHuntingdon Valley, PA

2020 WINNERS

17

Maya Lillian Maciel Seidman was inspired to become interested in Computer Science by Mr. Zabell, her 6th grade computer class teacher, who introduced her to programming. Upon starting high school, she immediately joined her school’s FIRST Robotics Competition team. Mr. Zabell became her robotics mentor, and he has continued to support her as she pursues her love for Computer Science and technology. She has shared her passion for STEM with others by volunteering at the Long Island Children’s Museum, where she plans and supervises STEM activities for young children. She enjoys watching the children become fascinated by STEM, just as she did when she was younger. To date, her greatest technical accomplishment was placing third at the 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition Detroit World Championship as part of her high school’s robotics team. It was a thrilling experience to be the robot operator and to compete against top teams from around the world. Maya has also won the 2019 Long Island Engineering Design Challenge with her Arduino powered dehydration sensor.

MAYA LILLIAN MACIEL SEIDMAN | Bethpage HighSchool | Old Bethpage, NY

Jayda Simone Murray began her journey into Computer Science during the 5th grade, when she was introduced to the fantasy video game, “Kingdom Hearts.” She was hooked, and a few days later she decided to create her own video game. With the help of her Mom, Jayda started Khan Academy and Codecademy’s programming courses and began teaching herself how to build a game using Unity 3D. At age 11, she led an after-school tech club in her dining room, where she facilitated MIT Scratch coding classes with 10 other kids. Jayda was awarded a scholarship to become a Front-End Web Developer through the Udacity Nanodegree program. She volunteered with CodeCrew in partnership with St. Jude Hospital to create an app using artificial intelligence to help children at the hospital. She also collaborated with her sister Anaya to build an app called “Safety U,” a game designed to help educate first-year female college students on how to navigate campus life while staying safe from sexual assault, which won the Congressional App Challenge for their district.

JAYDA SIMONE MURRAY | Faith Heritage ChristianAcademy | Cordova, TN

2020 WINNERS

18

Adunola (Adun) Elizabeth Oladeji has been fascinated by the power of computing since elementary school. She took AP Computer Science in 7th grade and has continued to learn more about coding and artificial intelligence since then. She is currently in her third year of dual enrollment with Georgia Tech, and she will be participating in artificial intelligence research with Dr. Ayanna Howard in the spring of 2020. Adun is passionate about helping young people, especially girls, develop an interest in STEM, and she started her own organization called KidGineers to teach kids about engineering and Computer Science through fun activities. She is currently planning an all-day hackathon, which will be hosted in conjunction with the Atlanta Science Festival in March 2020. Because of this work, she was selected as an EngineerGirl Ambassador by the National Academy of Engineering and as an #include Fellow by she++. In her future career, she aims to help develop potential applications of machine learning in healthcare, such as algorithms to diagnose diseases and conditions based on image scan data.

ADUNOLA ELIZABETH OLADEJI | Bellflower Scholastic Academy | Alpharetta, GA

Lucinda Quintal is an IB Diploma candidate and volunteers for several organizations elevating women in STEM. She leads coding workshops and lectures for Technovation throughout the year and has recently been sponsored by Microsoft to organize an AI hackathon for middle and high school girls in San Francisco. Lucinda has also recently been recruited to be a workshop leader by Tech Trek, an organization making STEM fields exciting and accessible for girls. She has gone on to pioneer her own initiative, Girls Get Coding, an intensive coding and innovation program designed to reach girls from underserved communities. Currently, Lucinda is expanding Girls Get Coding to run workshops for high school girls, training them in leadership skills they can use to teach coding to girls in their own communities. She knows from first-hand experience that traditional coding education does not work for everyone, especially women and minorities. Lucinda makes her own coding curriculum for her programs because she believes that innovative approaches to coding education attract and retain much-needed diversity in the field.

LUCINDA QUINTAL | Quarry Lane High SchoolSan Leandro, CA

2020 WINNERS

19

Maryssa Maria Rodriguez first became interested in computing through her respect and love for her Mother. Growing up in an environment that looked down on women entering a male-dominated field, her Mother eventually went to college, earned her bachelor’s degree, and founded her own security tech company. Her efforts and perseverance inspired Maria to become invested in technology as well. Maria believes that technology is the key to growth and understanding, not only as a society, but also as people. She wants to create and work with code that can open doors for the young and old to participate in an online world together. She is interested in gaming and apps because of their ability to both entertain and bring people together. She hopes to study Computer Science in college and, one day, develop a company of her own. Although she will most likely focus on software rather than hardware, she would like to continue using her knowledge of security systems to assist friends or family in need.

MARYSSA MARIA RODRIGUEZ | Lexington High School | Johnson Lake, NE

Haley Marie Sanchez was fascinated by the attractions at Disney World as a child. When she realized that technology was the driving force behind the magic, she aspired to be Head of Information Technology at Disney World. Seeing her interest, her Mom signed her up for a Lego robotics camp, and she fell in love. She has continued to follow her love for Computer Science ever since. She is currently captain of the competitive programming team and captain of the VEX robotics team at her school. Last summer, she had the opportunity to be part of the NASA SEES internship, where she got real-world experience in web development. As part of the Flood Response team, she helped develop a website from scratch using APIs, rest endpoints, geospatial data, Vue.js, HTML, and Javascript. She also worked at CodeNinjas, where she was able to share her love of Computer Science with the next generation. Haley hopes to one day write code for rockets and rovers going to different planets in our solar system and beyond.

HALEY MARIE SANCHEZ | George M. SteinbrennerHigh School | Lutz, FL

2020 WINNERS

20

DaiGianna Williams initially became interested in Computer Science through the Scratch club at her school in 5th grade. Later, becoming a part of Technovation opened her up to the idea of merging technology with other fields. Realizing that technology can have a tangible impact on the world led her to seek ways that she could employ technology to help alleviate world issues, such as environmental degradation and poverty. DaiGianna loves that coding encourages both creativity and analytical thinking, which is what makes it such a unique area of study. As a #include Fellow, she had the opportunity to connect with many women in all fields of technology, from data analytics to engineering to cyber security, and the she++ Summit helped her to clarify the areas where she would like to specialize. Her passion for improving the environment and maintaining the health of the Earth has led her to develop an interest in geo and environmental engineering, including methods of extraction of greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere and the reduction of recyclable materials from landfills.

DaiGianna WILLIAMS | Lane Technical College PrepHigh School | Chicago, IL

Troy Kennedy Womack-Henderson is an aspiring Computer Scientist and Astronaut who is passionate about programming, innovation, physics, and space exploration. She was first introduced to Computer Science while creating a “cloud light” for her room in middle school. Troy had the vision to sync the lights inside to transition with the sound of music. She came up with the idea to create a remote control app that could accomplish this, so she began to teach herself how to program. Her idea evolved into a cloud light business, “Cloud Creations.” In 2018, she started an NCWIT AspireIT program, “STEM-IT LV,” an after-school program that teaches young girls from underrepresented communities how to program and do robotics, while planting a seed of innovation and imagination in this generation of future women in STEM. Troy was recognized in 2018 by the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists for her achievements in computing and for her active role in mentoring youth. One of her many dreams is to be one of the first humans to set foot on Mars.

TROY KENNEDY WOMACK-HENDERSON | Odyssey Charter High School | Las Vegas, NV

2020 WINNERS

21

Stephanie Yen was first exposed to coding when she used Scratch in middle school, but it was not until she took AP Computer Science in 10th grade that she truly fell in love with the versatility of technology. Throughout high school, she has explored the interdisciplinary spectrum of technology, from taking Honors Design & Engineering classes to being an advisee in the BUILT BY GIRLS WAVE program. As a Joyce Ivy Foundation Scholar in 2018, she received funding to take an engineering design course at Brown University, where she learned how to program microcontrollers with Python. She has also interned at RoadPrintz, a startup company developing a road-painting robot. As an NCWIT AspireIT Program Leader, she is currently working on GirlCodeCLE, a free four-day program for African-American, Hispanic, and/or low-income middle school girls. This past summer, she volunteered at Beauty and the Bolt, a non-profit that promotes “making” and engineering, especially for girls and minorities. With the team, she taught hundreds of girls how to power drill at Detroit Maker Faire – all while dressed as a princess.

STEPHANIE YEN | Beachwood High SchoolBeachwood, OH

Shirley Z. Zhu noticed that 1.3 billion pounds of food is wasted every year, yet one-fifth of the Houston population is food insecure. This led her to found Fresh Hub, an organization that rescues unsold fruits, vegetables, and bread that would otherwise have been thrown away, and redistributes the food to residents of Houston food deserts. Through more than fourteen events, Fresh Hub has rescued 8,500 pounds of food and has served more than 1,100 clients. The Fresh Hub app, which Shirley created, provides a map and a calendar of events, as well as nutrition and recipe information. The app also sends out notifications to the users three days prior to and on the day of market events. Shirley sees Computer Science as a beautiful tool that she can use to build a better future. When she finds a problem in her community, she takes action to create a sustainable and progressive solution. In 2019, her app was named the winner of the Congressional App Challenge in her district.

SHIRLEY Z. ZHU | Bellaire High SchoolHouston, TX