Gitanjali Rao
TIME’s First-Ever Kid of the Year; America’s Top Young Scientist
SPEAKER FEE RANGE: $15,000–$22,000 [FEE NOTE]
TRAVELS FROM: Colorado
Gitanjali Rao was recognized as America's Top Young Scientist and received an EPA Presidential award for inventing her device "Tethys"—an early lead detection tool. Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione”—a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and "Kindly"—an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and Natural Language processing.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "TIME Kid of the Year" in 2020 for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which has inspired over 50,000 students in the last two years across six continents and 27 countries. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM.
Gitanjali is the author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM," which guides students, educators, or teachers with a prescribed 5 step innovation process.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "TIME Kid of the Year" in 2020 for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which has inspired over 50,000 students in the last two years across six continents and 27 countries. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM.
Gitanjali is the author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM," which guides students, educators, or teachers with a prescribed 5 step innovation process.
Gitanjali Rao was recognized as America's Top Young Scientist and received an EPA Presidential award for inventing her device "Tethys"—an early lead detection tool. Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione”—a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and "Kindly"—an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and Natural Language processing.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "TIME Kid of the Year" in 2020 for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which has inspired over 50,000 students in the last two years across six continents and 27 countries. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM.
Gitanjali is the author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM," which guides students, educators, or teachers with a prescribed 5 step innovation process.
Gitanjali Rao is 15 years old and an 11th grader at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Highlands Ranch, CO. She is conducting research in University of Colorado, Denver in department of Cell Biology to find a solution for prescription opioid addiction using the latest in genetic engineering and created a colorimetry-based app and device. This initiative received a recognition of a world finalist in a Technovation challenge and a Health Pillar award by TCS Ignite Innovation challenge nationally. She introduced the device in TEDtalks India.
She was previously named America’s Top Young Scientist of 2017 by the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, with a patented device to detect lead in water faster than any other current techniques. She was recognized as a 2019 Forbes 30 under 30, for science and invention of the lead detection tool. She is also an EPA Presidential award winner and is recognized as a Gloria Barron 'Young Hero' Honoree for community impact. Gitanjali has open-sourced her lead detector invention processor, her colorimetry-based algorithm for prescription opioid detection and app code for the community and it has been used for other applications.
Gitanjali recently launched an anti-cyberbullying service based on AI/Machine Learning using Natural Language Processing in the community called "KINDLY" under the guidance of Microsoft. She was awarded an ecybermission STEM in Action grant to implement the solution and has partnered with UNICEF to roll it out world-wide.
In 2020, Gitanjali was honored as Junior Eureka Finalist by Shanghai Media group where she solved a problem using AI for the first intergenerational care by creating a simple solution that understands the persona of elderly and children and helps staff members create and facilitate activities.
She is an active STEM promoter and is involved in promoting STEM based activities in schools, clubs and the community. She was selected as the National STEM Scout of the Year. She conducts innovation sessions weekly and have impacted more than 50,000 elementary, middle and high school students by sharing her process and tools globally.
Some of Gitanjali’s hobbies include playing the piano, Indian classical dancing and singing, swimming, fencing, and baking. She has been playing classical music for almost 9 years. She shares her talent of playing piano in local assisted-living centers.
Gitanjali is on the board of Directors for an organization called Children’s Kindness Network that spreads an anti-bullying message and promotes the importance of kindness in all of us. She conducts workshops in elementary schools and hopes to educate children about kindness when they are still young.
Gitanjali aspires to study genetics combined with computer science with product design. She hopes to keep writing, discovering, and sharing her knowledge in the future. She is an avid problem solver and thrives in collaborating with organizations that promotes innovation and creativity.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "TIME Kid of the Year" in 2020 for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which has inspired over 50,000 students in the last two years across six continents and 27 countries. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM.
Gitanjali is the author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM," which guides students, educators, or teachers with a prescribed 5 step innovation process.
Gitanjali Rao is 15 years old and an 11th grader at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Highlands Ranch, CO. She is conducting research in University of Colorado, Denver in department of Cell Biology to find a solution for prescription opioid addiction using the latest in genetic engineering and created a colorimetry-based app and device. This initiative received a recognition of a world finalist in a Technovation challenge and a Health Pillar award by TCS Ignite Innovation challenge nationally. She introduced the device in TEDtalks India.
She was previously named America’s Top Young Scientist of 2017 by the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, with a patented device to detect lead in water faster than any other current techniques. She was recognized as a 2019 Forbes 30 under 30, for science and invention of the lead detection tool. She is also an EPA Presidential award winner and is recognized as a Gloria Barron 'Young Hero' Honoree for community impact. Gitanjali has open-sourced her lead detector invention processor, her colorimetry-based algorithm for prescription opioid detection and app code for the community and it has been used for other applications.
Gitanjali recently launched an anti-cyberbullying service based on AI/Machine Learning using Natural Language Processing in the community called "KINDLY" under the guidance of Microsoft. She was awarded an ecybermission STEM in Action grant to implement the solution and has partnered with UNICEF to roll it out world-wide.
In 2020, Gitanjali was honored as Junior Eureka Finalist by Shanghai Media group where she solved a problem using AI for the first intergenerational care by creating a simple solution that understands the persona of elderly and children and helps staff members create and facilitate activities.
She is an active STEM promoter and is involved in promoting STEM based activities in schools, clubs and the community. She was selected as the National STEM Scout of the Year. She conducts innovation sessions weekly and have impacted more than 50,000 elementary, middle and high school students by sharing her process and tools globally.
Some of Gitanjali’s hobbies include playing the piano, Indian classical dancing and singing, swimming, fencing, and baking. She has been playing classical music for almost 9 years. She shares her talent of playing piano in local assisted-living centers.
Gitanjali is on the board of Directors for an organization called Children’s Kindness Network that spreads an anti-bullying message and promotes the importance of kindness in all of us. She conducts workshops in elementary schools and hopes to educate children about kindness when they are still young.
Gitanjali aspires to study genetics combined with computer science with product design. She hopes to keep writing, discovering, and sharing her knowledge in the future. She is an avid problem solver and thrives in collaborating with organizations that promotes innovation and creativity.
- A Conversation with Gitanjali Rao
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