Shripriya Kalbhavi

The fellowship was one of the best summer experiences that I've ever had! What drew me to this fellowship was the idea of a supportive space where students from all over the world interested in STEM could explore their passions and learn about opportunities to make a difference. By attending the various Fireside Chats by incredible mentors in STEM, I gained much knowledge about potential fields of STEM that I could explore as well as the steps that I can take to achieve my goals, and during the Fellowship, I had many opportunities to network with other students who share my interests and goals. Thanks to my time in the fellowship, I received much guidance on how to start projects that I had been interested in for a long time. Overall, I would say that the fellowship was a transformative and impactful experience for me, one that I know will stick with me throughout my years in high school, college, career, and beyond. I would definitely recommend it to other students who are passionate about STEM and are looking for ways to pursue their interests!

Shripriya Kalbhavi is a high school student from California with a passion for biology, medicine, and using her skills to create impactful solutions in healthcare. For the past few years, she has been developing an innovative drug delivery system using microneedle patches and oscillating hydrogels. She has been recognized as a finalist in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, where she was named America’s Second Top Young Scientist. Recently, she secured a provisional patent for her invention.

In addition to her research, Shripriya hosts The Double X Effect, a podcast celebrating the achievements of women in STEM. Outside of academics, she’s active in basketball, her school choir, and studies Carnatic vocal music. Inspired by Amanda and Zoya, two mentors from the fellowship, Shripriya recently launched the JUMP Initiative, a platform designed to introduce students to medical careers. Read on to learn more about Shripriya’s journey, her dedication to research and scientific discovery, and her commitment to empowering future medical leaders!

Meet Shripriya

How did you first become interested in STEM? Are there any fields you’re particularly interested in?

My interest in STEM began back in elementary school. My school hosted a science fair for the upper grades—mostly for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders—so as a 1st and 2nd grader, I wasn’t able to enter. However, I was encouraged to attend, so I went to see what the older students were working on, and I remember being really inspired by their projects. I knew then that I wanted to participate as soon as I was able, and that’s where my STEM journey began!

Now, I’m particularly interested in biology because it’s such a fascinating field with so many intricacies. Biology also overlaps with other areas of STEM, like chemistry and math, which makes it a great area to explore. I really enjoy working at the intersection of these fields and seeing how they connect.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

My biggest extracurricular is definitely research. My main project is developing a novel microneedle patch, which I’ve been working on for a couple of years now. I’ve had the chance to compete in various competitions and science fairs, like the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the California Science and Engineering Fair, and JSHS, which have all been amazing experiences.

In addition to my research, I also host a podcast called The Double X Effect. My focus is on highlighting the achievements of women in science and STEM. It’s been a great experience — a lot of my friends are listeners, and they’ve told me that they’ve been really inspired by the stories we share.

Outside of STEM, I play basketball, which I love. We’ve been in off-season training, and now we’re gearing up for the regular season. I also play club basketball in the summer. Singing is another big part of my life—I’m in my school choir and also study Carnatic vocal music outside of school.

Could you tell me more about your microneedle project and your experiences participating in science competitions?

Absolutely! My project focuses on creating a novel drug delivery system using microneedle arrays and oscillating Belousov-Zhabotinsky hydrogels. One of my goals has been to bring awareness to needle phobia, which affects so many people. I was selected as a finalist for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, and at the Final Event, I was honored to be named America’s Second Top Young Scientist! Competing in these science fairs has been an incredible way to get involved in research and explore my interests, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Recently, I received a provisional patent for my invention, which was another huge milestone for me.

Summer Experience

What was your favorite part of the fellowship?

My favorite part of the fellowship was definitely the chance to connect and network with a variety of mentors. Before the fellowship, I never really had access to so many people who might have had similar interests as me and could guide me in the fields of STEM. During the fellowship, I was able to experience a lot of different opportunities, and the mentors helped guide me in the right direction for some of my projects and ideas. I also loved attending all the talks and Fireside Chats—they were really inspiring and gave me a lot to think about.

Did you have a favorite Fireside Chat or speaker from the summer?

Yes! Several talks really spoke to me, but the ones that stood out most were Jiwoo’s principles on finding your North Star and Isabella and Alexa's Fireside Chats. Jiwoo’s idea of having a North Star has become a guiding principle for me since the fellowship. Isabella and Alexa’s Fireside Chats really resonated with me because they were both closer to my age, and I felt like I could see myself going through the same things they did in high school. A lot of what they mentioned—like time management or networking with others—are really applicable to my life. Knowing that I’m going into junior year soon, I know I need to be really good with time management to handle a larger class load and more extracurriculars. Their talks felt immediately relevant to me, and they left a great impact that I wanted to bring into my school year.

What are some specific skills or lessons you learned from the summer?

The speakers were all incredible, and many of their lessons really stuck with me. Two skills, in particular, have been very impactful. First, Jiwoo’s North Star principle has been invaluable—I’m now using it to ensure I’m guiding myself toward things I’m genuinely passionate about. The other skill I picked up was networking. I learned how to connect with like-minded people, put myself out there, and craft a resume. Networking is something I developed a lot through the program, and it’s proving to be so helpful.

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

My advice would be: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Make sure to make the most out of the summer by attending as many of the Fireside Chats and events as possible, and engaging with the mentors. This is such a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and discover new doors opening for you. It can be hard to find mentors in STEM, and even if they’re out there, they’re often not very accessible. The fellowship was a really unique opportunity, and one of the best experiences I've had, so be sure to make the most of it!

Future Aspirations

What type of career are you hoping to pursue?

I’d really like to go into something medicine-related. What stands out to me about medicine is the opportunity to help so many different people and make an impact on their lives. That’s what I’ve always wanted—to work in a field where I can make a meaningful difference. With my interest in biology, medicine felt like the perfect fit. When I get to college, I’d like to apply for an MD-PhD program. This was something I’d been considering before the summer, but the fellowship really solidified that path for me. I’m particularly drawn to neurosurgery; it’s a field that truly resonates with me.

During the fellowship, I got to learn from each mentor’s high school experiences and how they paved the way to pursue their careers. It was also incredibly helpful for me to learn from those who are currently in medical school—it helped me see what was possible and inspired me to commit to my goal of pursuing an MD-PhD. One of the mentors, Jessika, is currently doing an MD-PhD at Harvard Medical School, and she gave me valuable advice on choosing a path I’m passionate about and staying committed to it.

What have you been up to since the fellowship? Are there any new projects you’re excited about?

Yes, definitely! Toward the end of the fellowship, I started working on a project I’d been thinking about for a while called the JUMP Initiative, or the Junior Medicine Professionals Initiative. The fellowship gave me the motivation to turn it into reality. One of the mentors, Amanda, started a non-profit in high school, and was so inspiring. Another mentor, Zoya, focused on building educational projects and curricula for schools, and she was really inspiring as well. Seeing them put themselves out there with their initiatives inspired me to go forward with JUMP.

Since then, I’ve been developing JUMP as a platform for students interested in exploring medical careers. I’m working on getting it incorporated into schools, developing a curriculum that students and teachers can use in clubs or classes, and we’re planning some exciting events soon. It’s been really rewarding to build a place where students can dive into medicine and find direction, and I can’t wait to see where we go next!