Rising up, Reagan Excessive Faculty senior Varsha Shashishekar was impressed watching billionaire genius Tony Stark construct high-tech devices within the Marvel Comics films, and seeing the droid R2-D2 resolve all kinds of issues in Star Wars movies.
Shashishekar stated such sci-fi tales made her really feel like expertise can be utilized to construct virtually something. She adopted this fascination into center college, the place she had the chance to discover ways to code.
“Coding opened up a world of doorways for me, and I used to be drawn to the concept with just some traces of code, I may carry my very own concepts to life,” stated Shashishekar.
In 2023, Shashishekar used her coding expertise and fervour for expertise to launch PyGirls, a nonprofit group that encourages 4th-Twelfth grade ladies to discover science, expertise, engineering and math (STEM) research.
Shashishekar recalled first participating different college students all in favour of STEM at North East ISD’s Design and Expertise Academy, a magnet program, the place she discovered a gaggle of associates equally enthusiastic about constructing and problem-solving.
“Working collectively to design and program robots made me understand that the magic of STEM wasn’t simply within the expertise itself, but in addition within the collaborative spirit that drives innovation ahead,” Shashishekar stated.
However there’s a gender hole in STEM fields, Shashishekar stated, and that’s one thing she needs PyGirls to handle.
“I keep in mind moments in class once I was one of many few ladies in a coding class or robotics workforce, and I noticed how necessary it’s to have illustration and assist,” Shashishekar stated.
Since rolling out PyGirls, Shashishekar, her board members and workforce of 40-plus volunteers have used the group’s digital presence to distribute blogs and newsletters, interview STEM college students and professionals, arrange workshops, summer season camps and hackathons — all designed to induce younger ladies to pursue pc science and associated fields.
PyGirls’ social media channels additionally promote the historical past of girls in STEM careers and share statistics about girls in STEM.
In accordance with Shashishekar, PyGirls has had its share of ups and downs.
“Volunteer recruitment and outreach had been powerful at instances, however the rewards have been greater than value it,” she stated. “The suggestions has been unimaginable. We’ve been in a position to assist so many ladies take their first steps into pc science, and seeing their pleasure and development has been so fulfilling.”
Whereas PyGirls encourages ladies to hitch its board and volunteer workforce, the nonprofit has an advisory board that features Rita Mitra, cybersecurity professor on the College of Texas at San Antonio, and Turquoise Richardson, a doctoral candidate finding out digital forensics at UTSA.
Richardson launched Mitra to PyGirls after assembly Shashishekar at a collaboration occasion with the Girls in Expertise San Antonio chapter. Shashishekar expressed curiosity in collaborating with the UTSA pupil chapter of Girls in Cybersecurity; Mitra is the college advisor of the coed chapter, whose members later appeared on a PyGirls podcast.
“This nonprofit is passionately targeted on bringing variety into STEM fields by mentoring college students of their group and, importantly, organizing outreach to elementary and center college college students as effectively,” Mitra stated. “We’re impressed by PyGirls to do extra, be extra and provides extra to domesticate a STEM group that consists of a variety of backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints.”
Shashishekar stated PyGirls seeks to extend collaboration with native faculties, and strengthen the nonprofit’s mentorship program to make STEM much more accessible for underrepresented teams.
In accordance with Shashishekar, collaborating with companies and organizations energetic in San Antonio’s startup and tech scene may gain advantage PyGirls and the group.
“San Antonio’s tech scene has grown a lot, and it’s so thrilling to see native companies, faculties and organizations boosting ladies in STEM,” Shashishekar stated. “Nonetheless, there’s extra we are able to do. Increasing entry to scholarships, transportation and free STEM applications would guarantee inclusivity, whereas public occasions like hackathons may make STEM extra seen and thrilling, particularly for our youthful audiences.”
Shashishekar doesn’t but have a school in thoughts, however she plans to main in electrical engineering with a give attention to robotics. She additionally hopes to finally discovered her personal start-up that focuses on utilizing robotics to assist others and assist communities.
“I’ll be taking PyGirls with me each step of the way in which,” she stated.
