>>>
>>> INNEAR LAKE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ESHIKA SAXENA GRADUATES.
HER INVENTION EARNED HER A
$40,000 PRIZE.
$40,000 PRIZE. AND SHE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT
HER FUTURE PLANS.
THERE IS THE INVENTION.
IT IS NOT JUST THIS PRIZE.
YOU'VE WON OTHER SCIENCE
CONTESTS, RIGHT?
CONTESTS, RIGHT? >> I'VE BEEN COMPETING FOR FOUR
YEARS AND I'VE WON OVER A
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
>> WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO
COLLEGE?
COLLEGE?
COLLEGE? >> I'M GOING HARVARD.
>> WHAT IS THIS CALLED?
>> I CALLED THIS -- IT IS LIKE
A MIKE SCOPE, YOU CAN SLIDE IT
INTO THE ATTACH.
MENT AND WITH JUST THE REGULAR
CAMERA APP, IT IS LIKE A
SELFIE.
SELFIE.
SELFIE. HERE I HAVE SOME PHOTOS OF
BLOOD CELLS THAT I'VE TAKEN
BEFORE AND I DEVELOPED AN
APPLICATION THAT ANALYZED THE
CELLS IN THE IMAGES AND IT MAY
GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHAT
DISEASES YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> WHY IS THIS SUCH A USEFUL
AND IMPORTANT THING?
>> IN DEVELOPING REGIONS,
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE CAN BE
EXPENSIVE AND NOT ACCESSIBLE.
SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE THIS TEST IN
THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME AND
BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IF THEY
HAVE A DISEASE OR NOT.
>> THAT IS INTERESTING.
>> SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
DISEASES THIS MIGHT HELP WITH?
>> SO I FOLK YOU USED ON SICKLE
CEILING DISEASE.
CEILING DISEASE. THERE IS A REGION IN INDIA
THERE IS A SICKLE CEILING
DISEASE.
DISEASE.
DISEASE. IT COULD HAVE SEVERE SYSTEMS.
THERE IS A LOCAL COST
MEDICATION.
MEDICATION. BUT THE TESTING IS VERY
EXPENSIVE SO WITH THE SMART
PHONE CAMERA AND THE SIMPLE
INEXPENSIVE TREATMENT, THEY CAN
BE TREATED FASTER.
>> THAT IS AMAZING.
WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF GOING
FORWARD IN SCIENCE?
>> I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HOW
WE CAN USE THAT TO IMPACT THE
REAL WORLD.
REAL WORLD. AT HARVARD, I'M GOING STUDY
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND HOPEFULLY
GO ON AND PURSUE THIS AREA AND
BOOKED A PROFESSOR OR
RESEARCHER SORT OF SOLVING
PROBLEMS WITH TECHNOLOGY.
>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY
AND BACK GROUND.
WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN
SCIENCE?
SCIENCE?
SCIENCE? >> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED
IN MATH.
IN MATH.
IN MATH. AND I LEARNED HOW THIS PROGRAM
IN 8th GRADE AND I FOUND THAT
LOGICAL.
LOGICAL.
LOGICAL. THAT WAS EXCITING TO ME.
I WAS INSPIRED BY A PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE WHERE I HAD FOOD
POISONING THIS IS AN AVOIDABLE
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. SO I REACHED OUT TO A BUNCH OF
LABS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON AND WORKED WITH THEM
WITH A DEVICE TO DETECT FOOD
QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUES.
THAT WILL IS HOW I GOT STARTED
ON THIS PATH.
>> HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN THAT
HAPPENED?
HAPPENED?
HAPPENED? >> 14 OR 15.
>> SO 17 NOW?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> WHEN YOU GOT THIS IDEA WITH
THE 3-D PRINTER, DID YOU HAVE
ANY THAT YOU BOUNCED IDEAS OFF
OR JUST WORKING ON YOUR OWN.
>> I WAS INSPIRED TO DO THIS
PROJECT BY A TALK BY A
PROFESSOR.
PROFESSOR. AND I WAS INTERNING WITH THE
LAB.
LAB.
LAB. I
LAB. I HAD MENTORS.
AND THEY WERE HELPFUL IN GIVING
ME FEEDBACK AND 3-D PRINTING.
THAT IS WHERE I GOT SOME OF THE
FOUNDATION.
FOUNDATION. BUT IT WAS EXCITING TO WORKING
ON THE PROJECT.
>> I WOULD THINK SO.
AND IT IS GOING TO HELP SO.
>> WHAT TIME IS GRADUATION
TODAY?
TODAY?
TODAY? >>
TODAY? >> 2:00 P.M.
>> ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THAT?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> YOU HAVE THE SUMMER OFF
BEFORE YOU GO TO HARVARD.
>> I'LL BE TRAVELING.
>> WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR
TONIGHT, THE BIG CELEBRATION.
>> WE HAVE A SENIOR PARTY WHERE
THE SENIORS IN THE CLASS WAS
ORGANIZED BY THE PARENTS.
>> DO YOU HAVE SIBLINGS?
>> I HAVE AN OLDER SISTER.
>> IS SHE INVOLVED IN SCIENCE
AS WELL?
AS WELL?
AS WELL? >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. SHE RECENTLY GRADUATED AT MIT
AND WORKING A SELF-DRIVING CAR
COMPANY.
COMPANY.
COMPANY. >> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO
YOUNGER GIRLS THAT MAY BE
INTERESTED IN MATH AND PURSUING
A STEM EDUCATION.
>> MY BIGGEST ADVICE IS DON'T
GIVE UP.
GIVE UP.
GIVE UP. OBSTACLES WILL COME UP.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO
PERSEVERE AND STAY MOTIVATED.
>> AND EVENTUALLY FIND