After my abstract was accepted, I started looking for new research opportunities and ultimately joined a Harvard lab focused on applied math and biomedical computation. At Harvard, I built on my research by developing an AI agent to separate overlapping signals in microscope images—has been accepted for presentation at SPIE Photonics West in 2026, with a full paper in progress.

I'm also leading a study on molecular differences in breast cancer recovery among patients from different ethnic backgrounds, work that aims to support more equitable healthcare outcomes.

All of this success would not have been possible without the amazing teachers and mentors at The Quarry Lane School. Along with the friends who make school feel like a place I belong, I wouldn't be where I am now and I hope to keep carrying what they've given me into my research going forward. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching has been staying connected with alumni who return to share their journeys. Recently, several former students came back to talk about how their college studies build on what they learned in math class, and I was especially moved to hear that some have chosen to pursue math at the highest levels, including PhD programs. These conversations are a powerful reminder of the lasting impact classroom moments can have, and it’s a privilege to play even a small part in sparking that lifelong passion.

My favorite part of playing tabla is the excitement I feel while performing. My teachers and I put in a lot of hard work preparing for competitions and performances, so it feels really rewarding to share what I’ve practiced and show what I can do, especially when everything goes well and I don’t mess up! 

One of my favorite artists and biggest inspirations is Pandit Swapan Chaudhary Ji. He is 80 years old and is still an incredible player. He teaches with so much passion and humility, and he motivates me to keep improving.

Mr. Hansen has always been very supportive and encouraging, and I really appreciate that he believes in me and helps recognize my work. In the future, I hope to play percussion with the same energy and enthusiasm that Mr. Hansen brings to his music. I am also very grateful that he encourages me to share my tabla and even shows my tabla videos to the class, which makes me feel included and proud of my culture and music.

I love many kinds of music. Early jazz, swing and blues are genres that I have a lot of professional experience with and I still play those styles with different groups around the Bay Area. I also love Classical music, especially the Romantic era composers, and I listen to it all the time. I grew up listening to 70s and 80s rock music, and these genres will always be near and dear to my heart. The faculty rock band is a fun way for me to play this music here at school. I try to include all these influences as I select music for our school bands to perform.

Every culture in the world has some kind of music, and I feel that highlighting the music from different cultures increases awareness of other people groups and helps students appreciate the beautiful music that different countries produce. We are all sharing this planet, and the more we understand each other, the more peaceful the world will be.

 My experience in Washington DC for finals week was the best time of my life, and I got to work with so many other students with similar interests to me, and interact with professional researchers. We also had a day where we spoke to the public about our projects, and I felt even more encouraged when someone who actually had dyslexia told me that he wished my project had existed earlier.

This year for science fair, I'm working on an AI system for people with epilepsy. I learned about epilepsy from my grandfather, who told me that his father had episodic seizures and required medicines to manage it on a regular basis. In the introductory neuroscience class I took at UC Berkeley, I learned more about the disorder and its drug-resistant form, which makes seizures completely unpredictable. This inspired me to create a system for early seizure prediction and detection, so patients and caregivers can be notified before they happen. The similarities between neuroscience and artificial intelligence are fascinating to me, and in the future, I want to continue working in this field.

Science is very hands-on, so it is super fun to teach. There are so many real world examples of how science is used, and it is very easy to relay to students why it is important. Many students come back to me and tell me how about experiences they had that relate to what they learned in my class. Last year I had a student tell me his retina was detached on his eye and he showed me a picture of his retina from the doctor’s office. He said it reminded him of the cow eye dissection we had completed in 7th grade.

I can’t wait for science fair and to see which students win big awards. I’m particularly excited to see some of the high school students that I worked with for many years go to science fair as well. I am so happy to see some of them continue science fair for many years.

Some of my favorite authors include Erin Hunter (a team of authors), G. Z. Schmidt, Kate DiCamillo, Shel Silverstein, and Beatrix Potter. I also love many artists, including Yayoi Kusama, Keith Haring, Joan Miró, Eiichiro Oda, and Rumiko Takahashi

I've had two book signings, one at Barnes & Noble in Dublin and another at the Quirky Crow Bookshop in San Ramon. It was a wonderful and uplifting experience that has inspired me to write more books. I was thrilled and grateful to have so many friends from Quarry Lane come to celebrate with me! I love learning and playing with my friends at school so it was really special that they came and supported me!

I'm currently working on my next book. In the future, I want to continue writing while also pursuing animation and fashion design.

What drew me to art and teaching is my passion for art that developed from a young age.  The spark grew and continued and to this day still  “lights me up”. What drew me to teaching was a desire to share that love and passion for art with students.  My joy is seeing them open to their own creativity and seeing the transformation

I have Illustrated two books one of which I wrote as well as illustrated. My book “Kalea the Mosaic Sea Turtle” was inspired by my experience with my students at my former school.  It became very apparent to me that some students were experiencing loneliness as well as problems finding friends to hang with.  I wanted to write a book on the importance of Inclusivity and that those students are not alone and there are others lie them that experience the same thing.  I want the message to reach the greater world that we are all unique with our own gifts to share.

“Colors of Ima” was a project that I will always feel a great connection to.  Working with Christine and meeting her horses as well as hearing her stories about each of them was a joy.  My favorite day with the horses was when one of them turned to me and “hugged me”. I had to do a lot of research on the musculature of the animals as well as spend time watching their movements.  All of this paid off and Christine was so appreciative.  I has given me immense joy to see the authors dream come to life in her book.

My favorite artist is Georgia O’Keeffe because of her love for nature and the beauty that surrounds us in nature.  I also love the artists large scale images which captivate viewers to this day!  Robert Reynolds will always be one of my favorites as his ability to capture light and the radiance in his subject matter is truly amazing.  Robert was my mentor and he told me I could do anything with my art.  I was fortunate to have studied under such a talented artist he truly inspired me.