Inaaya Ahmed

Before I began the program, I only really knew that I wanted a "career in STEM, related to outer space." Now, while I still may not know exactly what I'm going for, the program helped me realize two things: One, the fact that I'm definitely more interested in research than anything else, something I had not realized previously- and two, it expanded my horizons. All the mentors we heard from were incredibly inspirational, and whilst generally everyone's career path was related to STEM, it was especially inspiring to see the varying paths that each and every one of them had. It made me realize that I can apply things like my love of biology and teaching and combine them into something such as a nonprofit, or even a business. Overall, the program was really beneficial, and gave me lots of perspective. However, my favorite part was the fact that all the mentors were very open and ready for questions at any time. All of them really do care about helping the youth in the program, and that is not always true in online programs like these. I left the program feeling more confident in myself, my abilities, my interests; and also with the knowledge that I now had a new community of reliable peers and mentors that truly did care about my success.

Inaaya Ahmed is a high school student from California with a deep passion for the intersection of biology, chemistry, and computer science. Inaaya is a leader of her school’s Science Olympiad team, where she explores a diverse range of subjects, from ecology to forensics to experimental design. Beyond STEM, Inaaya enjoys volunteering with programs like Buddies for Math and Dream Catchers, where she mentors younger students.

Since the fellowship, Inaaya has been channeling her technical skills and passion for teaching into impactful projects. She is creating a platform to share study resources for subjects like chemistry and developing a podcast and YouTube series to interview professionals, making career exploration accessible to her peers. Read on to learn more about Inaaya, her interests in STEM, and the recent edtech projects she’s been working on!

Meet Inaaya

How did you initially become interested in STEM?

I’ve always been interested in just about everything as a child, and I went through many different phases, a lot of which were related to STEM. I remember being fascinated by human anatomy and biology as early as when I was about five years old. Then, I went through phases where I was really interested in paleontology, medicine, and later engineering, computer science, and programming. I also became fascinated with astronomy, biology, and chemistry—pretty much every field of science at some point. There wasn't one specific moment when I thought, STEM is really cool; it’s more like I’ve always been captivated by it from day one, and I just kept exploring and learning more.

What STEM subjects are you the most interested in?

At the moment, I’m most interested in biology and chemistry. I know they’re both broad fields, but these are the areas I’ve found myself most drawn to over the past couple of years, especially last year. I took an honors biology class in freshman year, and it really opened my eyes to how much I genuinely enjoy learning about the subject. It reminded me of how fascinated I’ve always been by the human body and how cells work. That’s where my current interest lies, and I’m excited to continue exploring these areas further.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

The biggest extracurricular for me is definitely Science Olympiad. I founded the team at my middle school, and now I’m an officer on the high school team. This year, my events are focused on ecology, forensics, fossils, and experimental design. I really enjoy the variety of events in Science Olympiad because it allows me to explore different areas of science and find what truly excites me. It’s one of the reasons I love being a part of it—it gives me the chance to dive deep into the fields that intrigue me the most.

In addition to Science Olympiad, I’ve been involved in a few non-STEM activities. I did debate last year, and I’m currently playing soccer for my school team, with hopes of making varsity. Outside of school, I do a lot of volunteering. One of my most consistent volunteer activities is with Buddies for Math, where I go to elementary schools on Fridays to tutor second through fifth graders in math through fun games and activities. I really enjoy working with younger kids and helping them with math in a way that’s engaging for them. I also tutor middle school students as part of a program called Dream Catchers, where I’m assigned a student to work with one-on-one. I’ve always enjoyed teaching and working with kids, both my age and younger, and these volunteering opportunities have been some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had so far.

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of school?

I have a wide range of hobbies, just like I’ve had a variety of interests throughout my life. But my primary hobbies are in the arts. I love drawing, painting, and creative writing—those are some of my favorite ways to unwind from my busy schedule.

I also really enjoy baking, cooking, hiking, as well as reading.

While it’s somewhat academic, I also enjoy programming, particularly when it comes to making games and playing around with different programs. One thing I’ve recently done is create a 3D graphics interface using Java. I used matrices to plot points and create moving objects, like a rotating cube. I love challenging myself with graphics programming because I enjoy seeing how my code can bring something visual and interactive to life. When I make games, they’re usually simple, like platformers or character movement-based games, but I’m always focused on the visual side of programming. It’s really satisfying to see the results of my code in action!

Summer Experience

What was your favorite part about the fellowship?

One of my favorite parts of the fellowship was learning about nonprofits and businesses, and how you don’t have to be a CEO of a large company or have a business degree to create a nonprofit based on your interests. It made me realize that I don’t have to wait for a big opportunity or be in a certain position to start something impactful. I can start something even as a high school student.

Over the past year, I’ve been creating notes and tutoring students, and the fellowship made me see that I could turn that into an organization or a project of my own. It really opened my eyes to the possibility of creating something meaningful that aligns with my passions, and it doesn’t feel as far-fetched as I once thought.

Who was your favorite Fireside Chat, talk, or speaker from the summer?

That’s a hard question— I’m going to have to pick a couple! First, Sahar’s talk on the science behind storytelling was absolutely captivating. She did an incredible job storytelling, and her skill with language and the way she used words really left an impact on me. Even though I don’t see myself in her exact field, I found it fascinating. Sahar is such an inspiration, especially with the impact she’s had on the education system where she’s from. It was incredible to see how much one person can achieve when they put effort into something they care about.

I also really enjoyed Jenny’s talk. Her journey is amazing—from creating games in high school to winning competitions, and later starting her own company. Jenny’s story showed me that you can be incredibly successful, but the road to success is often filled with setbacks and mistakes. It was a reminder that perseverance is key and that success isn’t about avoiding failure but about how you handle it.

I would say that Jenny and Sahar’s talks were the ones that stuck with me the most. But I really loved hearing everyone’s talks. I attended all of the talks over the summer, even all the optional ones, and never once did I regret attending a talk!

What do you think was the most valuable lesson you learned over the summer?

The most valuable lesson I learned is that those far-fetched ideas you have—sometimes they’re much closer than you think. It takes a lot of commitment and hard work to reach them, but if you have big goals, like starting a nonprofit or entering a highly prestigious competition, you may be closer to achieving them than you realize. Even though these goals might seem overwhelming at first, you won’t know what’s possible until you actually go for it.

I think we often dismiss our big ideas, telling ourselves they’re too much of a pipe dream or too far-fetched. But the truth is, you can’t really know what you’re capable of until you start working toward those ideas. It’s not going to be easy, and it will require effort, but that’s the key takeaway I got from the summer—you never really know until you actually start trying to do it!

What advice would you give to future participants of the fellowship?

My biggest piece of advice is to fully participate in everything the fellowship offers. There wasn’t a single session or activity that I didn’t find valuable in some way. Whether it’s the talks, the mentoring, or the networking opportunities, everything contributes to your growth. So, make sure to engage with all aspects of the program.

Another key piece of advice is to stay in contact with the people you meet. I’ve been able to stay connected with so many amazing individuals, not just the mentors but also other fellows. Everyone I’ve talked to has such drive and motivation, and it’s incredibly inspiring to see how much people my age are already working toward their goals. Networking is such a powerful tool, and I can’t think of a better addition to my network than the peers and mentors I met during the fellowship.

Future Aspirations

What are your goals over the next five to ten years and career aspirations?

Right now, I’m still figuring things out, but I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can combine my interests in biology, chemistry, and computer science. One field that really intrigues me is pharmacology. It’s a practical application of both biology—understanding how drugs affect people—and chemistry, in terms of the makeup of the drugs themselves. That’s something I find really fascinating, and I’m definitely considering it as a potential career path.

In addition to my career, I’m also focused on passion projects I’d like to pursue. By the end of high school, I hope to establish some kind of program where I can combine my programming skills, people skills, and love of teaching science. I already do a lot of informal tutoring and share my notes with friends, especially for chemistry. But I’d love to build something more structured, like an organization, that allows me to help others in a more formal way.

I’m also passionate about writing. Since I was young, I’ve dreamed of publishing a book, whether it’s something science-related or a creative project. Ideally, I’d like to have a book published within the next 10 years. These are the things I’m working toward, and I’m excited to see where they take me.

How did the fellowship influence your career aspirations?

The fellowship really helped me clarify what I’m genuinely interested in when it comes to my career. Before the fellowship, I would have said I wanted to pursue aerospace engineering because I’ve always loved space exploration. However, as I explored more during the fellowship, I realized that it wasn’t the field of aerospace engineering or theoretical astrophysics that drew me in—it was more so about the impact the fields can have.

After hearing from the mentors and learning about other fields, my eyes were opened to so many new possibilities. I now feel that something in biology or chemistry—whether it’s research or medicine—might be a better fit for me. Of course, that could change again, but for now, I’ve come full circle back to what fascinated me in elementary school—medicine and research. The fellowship has really helped me take a step closer to finding the path that feels right for me.

What have you been up to since the fellowship?

Since the fellowship, I’ve been working on organizing and sharing my notes to help others. For example, my chemistry class is very lecture-based, and I’ve been taking really detailed notes. My friends have told me they appreciate them, so I’ve been thinking about ways to share them more broadly and help others study. I’d also love to hold weekly sessions where I explain topics in my own way, as I really enjoy breaking down concepts for others.

In addition, I’m working on a podcast and YouTube interview series with two friends, supported by one of their parents who runs a tech education company. Our goal is to create an accessible series for people our age, where we interview professionals about their careers. We plan to use formats like YouTube shorts and Instagram reels to make it engaging. It was actually partially inspired by the fellowship talks, and I’m excited about helping kids explore different career fields. Right now, we’re looking for people to interview, and I’ve even reached out to a couple of mentors from the summer to help get us started!