Gitanjali Rao, a 17-year-old Indian American scientist and inventor, is one of 15 young women honored on International Day of the Girl for leading change and shaping a brighter future in communities across the United States.
First Lady Jill Biden celebrated the 15 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, at a White House event titled “Girls Leading Change” on Wednesday, according to a White House press release.
The first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration at the White House aims “to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities and their efforts strengthening our country for generations to come.”
Indian American Gitanjali Rao named Faces of Democracy’s 100th face (January 6, 2021)
Rao, from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her groundbreaking lead contamination detection tool won her an EPA Presidential Award and America’s Top Young Scientist by Discovery Education/3M.
Rao’s book ‘Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM,’ which offers a prescriptive five-step innovation process, is used as a STEM curriculum globally in selected schools.
Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali is committed to not only continuing her career as a scientist and inventor, but expanding her STEM education initiative, which has already touched more than 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students.
Indian American Gitanjali Rao is Time’s first ‘Kid of the Year’ (December 4, 2020)
“It is my honor to celebrate this exceptional group of “Girls Leading Change” at the White House,” said Biden, an educator for more than 30 years, who has continued to be a champion for young people at home and abroad
“These young women are protecting and preserving the earth, writing and sharing stories that change minds, and turning their pain into purpose. Together, they represent the potential of young people across the country, and it is my hope that others can learn from the power of their innovation, strength, and hope.”
In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a series of new actions that build on the Administration’s investment in young people and expand opportunities for women and girls at home and abroad.
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Indian American Gitanjali Rao is the winner of 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (October 19, 2017)