By Audrey Seymour

Meet Anika, a bright and passionate 9th grader who is using her curiosity and love for engineering to inspire not only her own academic journey, but also those around her. Anika is an active participant in the Project Scientist Scholars Program, which has helped her deepen her interests in computer science, explore environmental science, and build lasting connections with mentors and peers. In our conversation, Anika shared how the program has shaped her confidence and motivated her to start her school's engineering club.

Can you tell us your name, pronouns, what grade you are in?

My name is Anika. My pronouns are she/her and I'm in 9th grade.

What inspired you to join Project Scientist?

What inspired me to join Project Scientist was my curiosity to continue pursuing my interest in engineering. So up until about halfway through middle school, I was kind of unsure about what field I wanted to get into. But I started to explore computer science and python programming and a few other kinds. And I started seeing, oh, I really kind of like this, is this something I would want to do for my career. So I started looking for programs to further that interest and Project Scientist happened to be one of them. I’ve been continuing with Project Scientist for a couple of years now and I really enjoyed it. It’s a really supportive community. The hands-on projects are amazing. And I think it’s really helped me further my passion for computer science and STEM as a whole.

Have you discovered new STEM topics or careers through Project Scientist? If so, which ones?

Yeah many actually. While we have discussed many areas related to what I’m already interested in engineering, I’ve learned a lot about things, such as climate change and environmental science. So that has helped my awareness of what's going on with our planet. It's made me more motivated to help others, positively contribute to the environment, stop climate change, and contribute to environmental efforts. So I think that Project Scientist is really amazing at exploring a variety of topics. I’ve managed to learn a lot about many areas that I originally didn't have much knowledge in.

How has the Scholars program helped you feel more confident in other areas of your life?

Project Scientist and the Scholars Program inspired me to found my school's engineering club. So in this engineering club, I’ve designed curriculum for different kinds of engineering. You know, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and the likes. And the goal of this is to help other students at my school find their interests in STEM. So even if they previously didn’t know much now, they can learn from the club, “Oh well, maybe this is something I might be interested in going into”. So I think Project Scientist was what really inspired me to take that step and start motivating, not just myself, but others to explore their interest in STEM.

Can you describe any new connections you've made—whether with peers or role models—through Project Scientist? How did those connections impact you?

Yeah! Just within the Scholars Program I've met a lot of amazing individuals, my classmates. They're so inspiring. They're so smart, funny, and cool and they're also really passionate about their areas of interest. And also the mentors, Miss Robin and Miss Frederica. They're amazing and super encouraging and supportive of our interests.

What challenges, if any, do you face in finding STEM opportunities outside of Project Scientist?

Okay, well just within my school, it’s a virtual school. So we don't have access to as many of the same opportunities as kids in like an in person school. So before I founded the Engineering Club, we didn't really have any STEM aligned clubs. There was an AI club for about a year or so, but unfortunately didn’t gather enough interest to continue. So, I think for a while until I took the initiative to start my own club, it was a bit difficult to find opportunities to explore STEM just within my school. So Project Scientist was amazing at providing that outside opportunity and that community continue to learn and grow.

How has your view of STEM careers changed since joining Project Scientist?

Well I've always had a very open perspective on looking at careers in many different fields, and I've always liked STEM in particular. So I think that Project Scientist, if anything, just made me more interested in STEM than I already was, because I could have more hands-on engagement with all the amazing aspects of my already existing interest in computer science and other fields as well. So it just furthered what was already there. It was awesome!

Are there any skills or knowledge you’ve learned through the program that you’ve used in other parts of your life?

Project Scientist has actually, in a way, helped me become more confident with public speaking. So that's been really helpful for my Debate Club. I was actually a little bit scared to join the Debate Club a few years ago, because I saw how confident everybody was with their public speaking. I felt kind of out of place and had imposter syndrome when I joined one of their meetings, but in Project Scientist, I gained the confidence to put myself out there more. To be more outspoken, and be more confident in public speaking and in speeches. So that's proved to be really useful in debate and even running the engineering club.

What has been the most exciting or memorable part of your experience?

I think attending the Scholars session every single week is just so fun because our discussions are amazing. We learn a lot, and then I can also connect with other scholars on a personal level. So having that community, it's really a big part of facilitating my interest in STEM and I really like to support other people and their interest in STEM as well. So just having that community is probably my favorite part of Project Scientist and the experience as a whole.

What advice would you give to other students thinking about joining Project Scientist or a similar program?

So the advice I would give to other students thinking about joining Project Scientist is, I would say, go for it! You should be curious if you think you might be interested in something STEM related, Project Scientist is a great way to explore that further. Everybody is amazingly supportive and encouraging. So if you find yourself interested in something that would be a great step to further that interest and explore it further. So don't be afraid to try something new, beyond the scope of what you already know about and also further what you already know. So if you are super interested in programming, Project Scientist could be a way to meet STEM professionals from the workforce who are programmers. It could be a way to do more activities that involve programming, and it's overall, just like really fun every Sunday going to scholars! So I would highly recommend it. If you are thinking about Project Scientist definitely go for it!

What do you like doing for fun?

Well, I do like programming in my free time, in Python and specifically Python Turtle. I think combining art and computer science is really fun for me. Also, I really like to play tennis. I recently started playing competitively. So I like that as well!

What started as a curiosity about engineering has grown into a deeper passion for STEM, leadership in her school community, and a greater sense of confidence in her own voice. Through Project Scientist, Anika has discovered new fields, strengthened her leadership and communication skills, and built a supportive community of peers in STEM. From launching an engineering club to stepping into debate with newfound courage, Anika shows that programs like Project Scientist don’t just teach STEM, but help others see themselves as leaders. Her advice to others? Be curious and don’t be afraid to explore something new.