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MEET THE TEAM

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NATASHA MATTA

Founder and Executive Director

Natasha Matta is a rising junior from San Jose, California. She founded Rediscover STEAM to shed light on the stories of underrepresented women in history who broke down barriers and whose work made an incredible impact on our society and shaped the fields of STEAM into what they are today. She hopes this platform will inspire the next generation of female change-makers!
Natasha is interested in studying food allergy immunology, stem cell biology, and the intersection of neuroscience and psychology, and she is pursuing a cognitive neuroscience and psychopathology internship under a Harvard University PhD candidate this summer. She also co-founded headstartSTEM, a nonprofit organization which shares free resources and opportunities with high school students to empower all pursuing futures in STEM. Outside of STEM, Natasha enjoys hurdling and sprinting for her school’s varsity track and field team, writing for a number of youth advocacy organizations, participating in DECA, and traveling the world. A fun fact about Natasha is she loves watching Criminal Minds!

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ANISHKA RAINA

Senior Editor

Anishka Raina is a rising junior from San Jose, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wants to encourage young women to participate in the fields of science and technology. Anishka also wants to highlight the achievements of women that may have gone unacknowledged in the past. By educating and empowering the younger generation, this platform will enable a path for greater diversity in STEAM.
Anishka is interested in computer science and engineering and wants to apply the latest technologies and methods to solve some of the greatest challenges faced by the healthcare industry. This summer, she will be taking an AP Biology course and tutoring underprivileged students in reading and writing. Anishka holds leadership positions in GEMS, a nonprofit that empowers young women in the fields of STEM, and MusiCodes, a nonprofit that works to combine music and STEM to inspire the younger generation. Apart from STEM, she is on her school’s varsity girls’ tennis team, enjoys community service, and is an active member of her school’s robotics team. A fun fact about Anishka is that she loves being outdoors and going on hikes!

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AHELI BANERJEE

Student Researcher

Aheli Banerjee is a rising junior from Danville, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM to make an impact on her community with regards to the power of science and technology, and how it can change lives for the better. She serves as an ambassador for both Ladki Love and SHE organizations. She has also volunteered at various food banks through Pledge to Humanity and California Scholarship Federation throughout middle school and high school, and the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA. Since she was a child, her passion has been dancing Kathak, a North Indian classical dance, and has performed at many welfare organizations since! In her free time, she likes to read books and educate herself on science and politics around the world, play the flute, listen to music, and bake desserts. A fun fact about Aheli is that she is quadrilingual! She can speak English, Bengali, Hindi, French, and understand a bit of Korean.

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ALEXA BERNARD

Student Researcher

Alexa Bernard is a rising sophomore from Cary, North Carolina. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wanted to give acknowledgement to all of the women who have done great things for everyone. Alexa’s hobbies include swimming, playing piano, and reading, and she wants to major in either biology or political science in the future. A fun fact about Alexa is that she likes to maintain a positive attitude!

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ANINDYA BAKTA

Student Researcher

Anindya Bakta is a grade 10 student from Jakarta, Indonesia. She joined Rediscover STEAM to deepen her knowledge about women’s role in history and is looking forward to meeting people that share the same passion as her from all around the world. She has a passion for art and teaching and aspirse to share my knowledge to others and learn more and more everyday. Anindya wishes that someday after she graduates, she can volunteer to teach underprivileged children. She also likes to review her favorite movies/shows and post about it on my twitter/social media accounts.
A fun fact about Anindya is she likes to talk to herself and discuss her opinion or just rant alone in her room!

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AVA OCHOA

Editor

Ava Ochoa is a rising junior from Chicago, Illinois. She joined Rediscover STEAM, so she could be a part of something bigger than herself. Being an editor is just pushing out people’s stories in the best way possible, and she is thrilled beyond belief that she can be a part of this team. Ava is a competitive dancer, which may be because she herself is super competitive. She pushes herself to the maximum in jobs, school, and in everything she does. A fun fact about Ava is she has been a vegetarian for over five years!

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BANI KAUR

Student Researcher

Bani Kaur is a rising junior from Pleasanton, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM to help give female leaders the respect and attention they deserve for their contribution to our understanding of the world. As she became more interested in learning about science, she could not help but observe the number of female leaders who were not given the credit that they rightfully deserve, so by being a Student Researcher, Bani hopes to spread awareness about these wonderful women. Bani is interested in molecular biology and strives to work with CRISPR technology in her future. She is the President and Founder of her school’s Ocean Conservation club and runs a blog about environmental conservation. She is a part of her school’s debate team and has participated in many competitions. In her free time, Bani loves to read and play chess. A fun fact about Bani is that she has memorized the lyrics to three Broadway musicals!

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BRIANNA RENATTE

Student Researcher

Brianna Renatte Titiheruw is a grade 11 student from Jakarta, Indonesia. She believes Rediscover STEAM stipulates an unparalleled platform that endorses prospects of engaging, acclimating, and enlightening everyone on the historical and scientific breakthroughs of women throughout the STEAM spectra of which often remains obscure in the public eye. Rediscover STEAM divulges the tangible and intangible contributions of women, who albeit obscured, have been instrumental in revolutionizing the most diminutive of revelations to reforming methodologies of greater efficacy and productivity. Brianna aspires to concretize the spectra of her knowledge revolving around microbiology, stem cell specialization, food sciences, and in employing the usage of sustainable planting methods. Her future career aspirations reside in these subjects, with hopes of prompting a research-based NGO to propelling a start-up affixed in incentivizing the implementation of sustainable planting approaches! Her hobbies include (but are not limited to) writing for other publications, swimming, and planning communal health events! A fun fact about Brianna is she is an avid believer in Feng Shui and particularly enjoys reading up on how it aligns with other universal social and knowledge paradigms.

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CHETHANA MADIREDDY

Student Researcher

Chethana Madireddy is a rising junior from Cary, North Carolina. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she has a passion for astrophysics and other STEM-related topics and wanted to connect with other people who have the same interests as her. Chethana loves reading YA fantasy and science fiction, and her favorite books are The Cruel Prince, The Lunar Chronicles, and The Illuminae Files. She would like to pursue a career in business and technology. A fun fact about Chethana is she loves thunderstorms and walking in the rain!

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CAMRYN STALLINGS

Student Researcher

Camryn Stallings is a rising junior from Searcy, Arkansas. She joined RediscoverSTEAM to inform people of powerful women who have impacted STEAM and wants to encourage women to become more involved in STEAM. Camryn’s hobbies include reading, baking, and traveling. Camryn wants to major in political science and attend NYU. A fun fact about Camryn is her favorite show is Criminal Minds!

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CRYSTAL BANH

Student Researcher

Crystal Banh is a rising senior born and raised in San Jose, California. She decided to join Rediscover STEAM because she is very interested in history herself. In her US history class, she felt drawn to the stories of women and minorities. Despite the obstacles they faced, they left a big impact on the US. Through Rediscover STEAM, Crystal will be able to delve deeper into her interests and help shed a positive light on women’s roles in our societies. In her free time, Crystal enjoys reading and writing. She loves all kinds of books but usually read historical fiction or dystopias. Crystal also plays field hockey and video edits from time to time. She is interested in social justice and plans to enter the healthcare field to help eliminate the ethnic disparities in healthcare. A fun fact about Crystal is that her favorite TV show is Parks and Recreation!

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DAISY O’CONNOR

Editor and Student Researcher

Daisy O'Connor is a rising high school junior from the UK. She joined Rediscover STEAM to encourage other girls into STEAM careers, and she enjoys researching important women in history. Her hobbies include walking, playing flute, piano and oboe and reading. She enjoys reading YA fiction and modern classics. She is going to be starting the IB in September, focusing on history, english literature and biology. She wants to either do law or biology in the future. A fun fact about Daisy is that her favourite book series is A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket!

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DEA MYSHKETA

Student Researcher

Dea Myshketa is a rising senior from Durres, Albania. She came across Rediscover STEAM by chance while scrolling through her Instagram page @stoprapeinalbania, where she advocates for gender equality and women empowerment. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she believes that when young girls come together they are stronger than anything and can conquer the world. Dea's hobbies include sports, singing, dancing, and reading books. In her free time, she is engaged in various extracurricular activities like volunteering at Red Cross or Save the Children and conducting different youth projects there in the position of a leader. She is part of Outdoor Ambassadors Tirana where she and other youngsters from her country show support towards environmental issues as well as perform different activities like fundraisers, hikes, beach cleanings, etc.  Besides that she has created her personal YouTube Channel where she posts videos related to science and research as a way to help other students that are struggling in these fields. This summer she is going to represent her country in the International Mathematical Olympiad!

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FERNANDA DANIELA BOLAÑOS ROMERO

Student Researcher

Fernanda Daniela Bolaños Romero is a third year undergraduate at Universidad Católica de Santa María and from Arequipa, Perú. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she has always been very interested in gender issues and really thinks that being an active part of female empowerment initiatives (at least in an academic perspective) is an enriching experience as a student and as a woman. Fernanda is currently studying law and would like to major in international public law and human rights. She has participated in debates, moot courts and models of the United Nations. Fernanda is very passionate about women rights, and she believes that she can contribute (even if it is just a bit) in changing the situation in Peru for women. She also likes to read, write, listen to music, and exercise, so she organizes her time in order to do everything. A fun fact about Fernanda is she has a very messy sleep schedule right now!

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GABRIELLE ALINDOGAN

Student Researcher

Gabrielle Alindogan is a rising senior from Cebu, Philippines. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wants to contribute to a community which empowers the youth to pursue careers in STEAM and break the stigma against women. Gabrielle believes that as women speak louder about their opinions and beliefs, equality will be achieved. She is currently into Taekwondo and painting! In the future, Gabrielle hopes to get a career in medicine or biomedical engineering, and she is currently in the process of applying abroad from her home country.

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GALIBA ANJUM

Student Researcher

Galiba Anjum is a rising junior from the Bronx, New York. As someone who wants to pursue a career in software or another computer-related field, she would absolutely love to see more women in these fields! Galiba is not sure what exactly she wants to do in the future, but she hopes whatever she ends up choosing will be able to help people all over the world. In her free time, she is usually listening to music and watching anime. A fun fact about Galiba is that she hopes to travel the world and study abroad!

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HALEY OBA

Editor

Haley Oba is a high school student from California. She loves taking road trips on the Pacific Coast Highway, figure skating, coding, and learning new things because it shows how fascinating the world is!

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IOANNES SALAMANES

Student Researcher

Ioannes Salamanes is a rising high school sophomore from Sunnyvale, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM because of her passion for all things STEAM related. She became a student researcher because she loves researching, learning new things, and writing. She loves the idea of empowering women and sharing the stories of the amazing women in STEAM. She aspires to become a pediatric oncologist in the future. Ioannes is a volleyball player, theater actress, black belt in martial arts, and pianist. In her free time she enjoys watching tik toks and binge watching shows and movies on Netflix and Disney+. Her favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy, her favorite movie is Five Feet Apart, and her favorite musical is Hamilton. A fun fact about Ioannes is that she was born in California, lived in the Philippines from when she was 3 months old until she was 3 years old, moved back to live in California until the end of 5th grade, spent 6th and 7th grade in the Philippines living with her aunt, and then moved back to California the summer before 8th grade.

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IVANNA DELA CRUZ

Student Researcher

Ivanna Dela Cruz is a college sophomore from the Philippines. She is a
broadcasting major and considers herself an activist. She joined Rediscover STEAM for her desire to write about underrepresented women who made amazing impacts in different fields in our history. For her, that’s the problem– it’s always about history, so what about herstory? Her main interests are Biology, Forensic Science and Paleontology. Ivanna used to compete with different Science competitions during elementary and high school. She used to be a Campus Journalist for six years and eventually became the Editor-in-Chief at her high school publication. Outside STEM activities, Ivanna enjoys History, English and Literature. She aspires to be a lawyer and a forensic pathologist focusing on medico legal in her home country. When she’s not busy from school, Ivanna can be found reading, watching Forensic Files with bakery-bought breads or just simply dozing off somewhere. A not-so-fun fact about her is she sucks in Math!

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JASMINE LIANG

Editor

Jasmine Liang is a rising senior from San Diego, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM to interact with other students interested in STEM, discuss her own interests, and work alongside others to educate people and persuade them to consider STEM careers. She hopes that Rediscover STEAM will encourage others to join and learn about STEM fields, which should be open to everyone. She wants to pursue a career in Cosmology and loves studying space/time. She is interested in answering some of life’s biggest mysteries in pursuit of more knowledge about the universe. Jasmine is also invested in writing, activism, and photography. She loves to explore the intersectionality of each of her interests and use her writing to educate others about the things she is passionate about. A fun fact about Jasmine is that she enjoys playing DND!

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JAYLIN OSBORNE

Student Researcher

Jaylin Osborne is a rising junior from Atlanta, GA. She has been searching for STEAM programs to strengthen her knowledge and research skills and came across Rediscover STEAM. Jaylin is passionate about biology and anatomy and wants to attend UCLA for bioengineering. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, working on her volunteer organization, and yoga. A fun fact about Jaylin is that she is on her journey to getting her pilot’s licenses and will soon be able to soar the sky!

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JHENESY LOPEZ FUENTES

Editor & Student Researcher

Jhenesy Lopez Fuentes is a rising senior from Falls Church, Virginia. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she hopes to highlight the many unknown achievements of women in the field. No one’s achievements should ever go unnoticed and she hopes to bring attention to them through her writing. By focusing on minorities, she hopes to encourage young girls to step into the unknown and achieve amazing things! Jhenesy enjoys exploring new things, running, hiking, and doing what she can to make an impact on her community. She is also involved in track and field and her school’s competitive cheerleading team. Jhenesy is passionate about anything science related and hopes to attend Westpoint to study Mathematical science or life sciences. A fun fact about her is that she loves being busy!

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JUSTINA TORRES

Editor & Student Researcher

Justina Torres is a rising senior living in the Philippines. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wanted to be part of a community that uses its voice to tell the stories of the amazing women in STEAM. She aims to get the world to embrace women’s valuable positions in the different STEAM fields and use this platform to connect and explore her talents with others. In the future, she plans to take up Molecular Biology and Biotechnology to pursue her dream of becoming a Forensic Scientist. During her free time, she loves to bullet journal and collect lots of stickers and washi tape. If she’s not doing that, you could find her enjoying k-dramas and anime. Fun fact: All her siblings graduated college before turning 21. This was because the K-12 high school program hadn’t been implemented in schools back then, so they were able to graduate high school by 16. Times have changed and she got caught up to the announcement of the K-12 program. If this never happened, she would’ve been in her second year of college by now!

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KELLY NGUYEN

Student Researcher & Graphic Designer

Kelly Nguyen is a rising senior born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she thinks that it is crucial for people to stay educated, especially about those who have been underrepresented due to their gender and break the stigma regarding women in fields that have been strictly classified to men, by men. Kelly is devoted and passionate in supporting and assisting those with health disparities in her community and around the world. Her goal after high school is to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in Biology! In residing with her enthusiasm for nursing, Kelly loves to discover the world and watch sunsets. A fun fact about Kelly is she is her high school’s tennis captain!

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LILLIAN HIRAOKA

Student Researcher

Lillian Hiraoka is a rising junior from Danville, California. She has a big passion for STEAM, particularly music, math, and physics, and she believes that female figures in STEAM deserve as much respect as male figures in STEAM, which is why she joined Rediscover STEAM. Lillian loves to play the piano and violin, talk with friends, learn new things, read books, and participate in her 4-H club and award-winning school choirs. She is also the Treasurer of her local 4-H club, section leader in choir, and is also a member of the Choir Leadership team at her high school. Lillian hopes to major in the Physics field with a Double Major or Minor in Music in college. She also dreams of combining her musical and STEM skills to invent ideas for the future as an engineer. 
A fun fact about Lillian is that she is trilingual! She can speak English, Japanese, and Spanish (and do a bit of sign language).

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MAESEN SILVA

Student Researcher

Maesen Silva is a rising freshman living in Southern California. She joined Rediscover STEAM to further her knowledge of women in a variety of STEAM fields. Maesen wants to have a future career in the medical field or in computer science. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, going on hikes, and baking. A fun fact about her is that she is still active in her middle school’s forensic program but is afraid of crime shows.

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MAGGIE JONES

Student Researcher

Margaret Jones is a rising junior from San Antonio, Texas. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wants to research more about the crucial impact that women have had in science and technology. She hopes to share what she learns with those who need to hear these incredible women’s stories. Margaret plays club soccer and varsity soccer for her school team, and she is an avid reader. She recently discovered her passion for neuroscience. One fun fact about Maggie is that last year (2019) she got to see part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France!

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NANCY HU

Editor

Nancy Hu is a rising junior from Canada. She wants to inspire young women to become more involved in STEAM, which is a generally male-dominated environment. Nancy also wants to share stories of minority women who have made significant accomplishments in history. She believes that it is really important to educate young women and men about gender equality so they can learn and grow to be more open-minded. Nancy wants to spread the message of Rediscover STEAM to young women all around the world! She wants to pursue a career in the medical field and really loves biology! Nancy also wants to be able to work with patients one-on-one and work with them long-term. She also loves art, a field not as acknowledged in STEAM. Nancy always loves learning and trying new things. In her free time she likes to read, especially books with independent female leads!

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NICOLE VAN

Editor

Nicole Van is a rising junior from Orlando, Florida. She joined Rediscover STEAM to help create stronger voices for women to join and lead the STEM professions in the future and be part of something greater than herself while empowering and lifting up other women in STEM. Nicole is interested in pursuing the medical field area and continuing to support feminism and gender equality. A fun fact about Nicole is that she has traveled to Japan, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, England, and Vietnam and is hoping to study abroad during college!

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NIDA FATMA

Student Researcher

Nida Fatma is a rising high school senior from Kolkata, India. She joined Rediscover steam as she is passionate about Women Empowerment and has a lot of interest in doing research works related to women and their history. Nida has also started a page named HERstory Makers, where she talks about women and youth empowerment. Her hobbies include singing, dancing and writing.

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NITHIKA KIRUVEEDULA

Student Researcher

Nithika Kiruveedula is a rising junior from Lake Forest, California. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she believes that the lack of women in STEAM is predominantly caused by factors rooted in the education of youth. By exposing young women to STEAM, they are more likely to be encouraged to pursue STEAM careers in the future, eventually shrinking the gender gap in STEAM workplaces. Nithika is involved in Model United Nations, Academic Decathlon, and Varsity Tennis at her school. She also volunteers with various STEAM-based and female empowerment organizations, which primarily work towards raising awareness about certain issues in her community and giving back to those in need. In her free time, she likes to go to the beach, get boba, and make jewelry. A fun fact about Nithika is that she loves to travel and has been to over ten countries!

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RAINA TALWAR BHATIA

Student Researcher

Raina Talwar Bhatia is a rising senior from Mumbai, India. She joined Rediscover STEAM to help highlight the women that history often ignores and to shine a spotlight on women that have paved the path to show more girls that they are more capable of being successful in STEAM. Raina loves playing the drums and performing with her band, Evolution. She hopes to pursue a double major in molecular bioengineering and political science at university. A fun fact about Raina is she can’t hold a conversation without being sarcastic!

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SYDONAE ENGLAND

Graphic Designer

Sydonae England is a Grade 11 student from Kingston, Jamaica. She joined Rediscover STEAM as she wishes to inspire the upcoming generation of women in STEAM. A few of her hobbies include swimming, playing water polo, photography, reading and traveling. She also founded The Teens Cornerr as she is passionate about impacting and inspiring those around her. Sydonae wishes to pursue a career in Software Engineering!

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TANISHA SHAH

Student Researcher

Tanisha Shah is a rising senior from Parsippany, New Jersey. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wants to empower other students to pursue their interests through educating them about careers in STEM. She wants to showcase the influential and important work many women have contributed to the STEM field that has not been properly recognized. Tanisha is interested in learning about genomics, gene therapy, molecular biology, and stem cell and tissue engineering, and in the future, she is interested in working with CRISPR Technology. Tanisha volunteered at Students 2 Science Inc. last summer where she gained a lot of research experience working in the laboratory in order to test out experiments related to science (which are then taught to middle school students). She is also a Blood Donor Ambassador in the Biomedical Services Department at Red Cross, where she helps out and sets up blood drives. In her high school, Tanisha is a part of the Magnet Program, a STEM-based research program through which she has been trained in conducting her own research projects/studies and giving presentations/writing research reports. Other than research in STEM, Tanisha enjoys traveling to new places, playing tennis for her school’s tennis team, and being a professional dancer.  A fun fact about Tanisha is she enjoys watching the show Pretty Little Liars!

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TASNIM LOQMAN

Student Researcher

Tasnim Loqman is a rising high school junior from New York. She joined Rediscover STEAM in hopes to educate others on the impact women have had in the field and hopefully encourage others to pursue these fields as well. She is hoping that through Rediscover STEAM she’ll be able to learn more about the achievements of women in STEAM and inspire other youth as well. Tasnim hopes to pursue a career in the medical field and is interested in neuroscience. She loves to dance and has been learning Bangladeshi traditional dance and Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak and Bharatnatyam to keep in touch with her culture and pursue her passion for dance. She also loves music and plays guitar, violin and sings. Tasnim is currently an ambassador for an organization called OrchestraForAll which offers underrepresented youth access to musical instruments, instruction and to the global orchestra landscape. In her free time you’ll either find Tasnim creating art, decorating her room, watching anime, movies, reading comics or playing video games with her sisters. She is hoping that through her role as a graphic designer, she’ll be able to use her love for art to educate and inspire others in women empowerment in STEAM.  A fun fact about Tasnim is that she has probably watched Parks and Rec over 50 times and her favorite movie is Your Name!

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VALERIE SHIM

Student Researcher

Valerie (Yunhui) Shim is a rising junior from Northview, Georgia. She joined Rediscover STEAM because she wants to pursue a STEM career in the future, and Rediscover STEAM was a platform in which she was able to commit time to researching her role models, who are females that have made a difference in the world of STEAM. Valerie is passionate about helping others as she aspires to encourage other women to pursue careers in STEM fields. A fun fact about Valerie is she wants to study material science engineering in the future!

Meet The Team: Meet the Team
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