At KidTREC Camp (previously known as GirlTREC), University of Arkansas, I had the joy of leading an Aerospace Engineering and Aviation workshop for a group of bright and curious 5th–6th grade girls. We explored the basics of airplane systems and spent hands-on time with a flight simulator. But what truly surprised me? Almost every student was more excited about crashing the airplane than flying it safely! At first, it felt counterintuitive, but as I reflected, I realized that at this age (called tween), kids are naturally curious and love to explore boundaries. Crashing a virtual plane for them is a safe, thrilling way to experiment with control, understand the cause and effect without fear of failure. So yes, that day we had a lot of intentional crashes. But we also had a room full of curiosity, questions, and excitement. Who knows, maybe a few future pilots and aerospace engineers were born that day!

At the Girl Scout Mini Camp, University of Arkansas, I led a Rocket Science 101 session for K–8th grade students. We split the activities by age with mini straw rockets for the younger girls and stomp rockets for the older group, using hands-on demos to explain basic principles of force, thrust, and motion. What I loved most about this event was how eager the girls were to learn about aerospace and how excited they were while designing and launching their rockets. Watching them take pride in their designs and ask questions about how rockets really work reminded me why I love STEM outreach so much.

At Purdue, I volunteered with Asha for Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy among underprivileged children in India. As part of the Purdue University chapter, our mission was to support education-related projects across India by raising funds and conducting events. As an Event Coordinator, we organized a variety of fundraising and outreach events, including cultural fests, trivia nights, film festivals, and food stalls at global festivals. Through Asha, we also had the opportunity to invite KK, the legendary late Indian singer, for a live concert at Purdue. I feel grateful to have such an unforgettable experience. I also pushed myself to take part in 5K runs for fundraising, something I only discovered (and surprisingly enjoyed!) after joining Asha. My time with Asha Purdue will be one of the most memorable parts of my graduate life, filled with meaningful work and lifelong friendships with fellow volunteers.

As a self-proclaimed feminist, I’m passionate about equal access and representation in engineering. I genuinely LOVE seeing more women in engineering and realizing their superpowers. At Purdue, I was part of the Women in Engineering Program (WIEP) as an Access Engineering Program Leader. I led a team of amazing female engineering students as part of the Access Engineering summer program, where we ran interactive sessions to spark curiosity and confidence in young girls. As a program mentor, I also shared insights on how to pursue engineering as a career with high school girls. Through all of this, I found a strong, supportive community of women who were passionate about making space for each other in engineering, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it.

One of the most exciting highlights of my time at Purdue was being part of Purdue Space Day (PSD), a huge STEM outreach event that brings hundreds of school kids to campus for a day full of hands-on space-themed activities. As an Activity Head, I got to design and lead sessions where we taught kids rocket concepts using activities like stomp rockets. Their eyes would light up as they launched paper rockets! PSD also gave me the opportunity to meet invited astronauts, Jerry Ross (the first human to be launched into space seven times) and Mark Polansky (the first person of Korean ancestry to fly in space). Listening to their experiences and stories about spacewalks, and finally getting photos clicked with them was surreal.

In my final years of college, I volunteered as a Math teacher with Make A Difference (MAD), a non-profit that empowers children in shelter homes across India by providing long-term support through education, life skills, and emotional well-being. I taught both elementary and high school students, using real-life examples to help them grasp tricky concepts. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures from those times, but I still remember the classroom, full of curiosity, excitement, and joy of learning.

When I began my undergraduate studies, I became actively involved with the Rotaract Club Chandigarh Himalayan, the youth wing of the prestigious Rotary International. During my time with the club, we organized many community-focused events, including blood donation camps, a “Kids Olympics” for children with special needs, and Diwali and Christmas celebrations at senior citizen homes and orphanages. We also led several fundraising initiatives to support local causes. My time with the club was incredibly rewarding, and became even more meaningful by the close friendships I formed, some of whom remain my best friends to this day.

After finishing my high school exams at the age of 19, I joined a local non-profit organization to teach underprivileged students in grades 9 and 10 Math and Science. It was my first experience teaching in a classroom setting, and perhaps the moment that sparked my interest in teaching and the joy of connecting with students. I was so passionate about teaching them the practicalities of reflection and refraction that I remember buying mirrors, lenses, and prisms out of my own pocket, using my meagre savings :) These early interactions helped me appreciate the meaningful bonds that can form through teaching. I’m still in touch with some of those students and feel incredibly proud to see them grow into doctors, engineers, and choreographers. This phase was one of my favorite memories from my late teenage years.