Meet the 2022 JEDI Champions

As a female Indian immigrant residing in the United States, I am sensitive to the challenges that women of color face in academics. Through my grad school and postdoctoral training, I have looked for ways to inspire young minds, promote women researchers and build a welcoming academic community. I have volunteered at Connect2STEM and Girls in STEM events. I served as the social media chair as part of the Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) Arizona chapter. At Stanford, as part of the SURPAS leadership team, I’ve been involved to build a strong community and provide an efficient platform for all postdocs to connect, engage and communicate.

When I immigrated to the US alone at 15, being a scientist was not my dream. I barely understood English and struggled with low income and family separation. But my teachers welcomed me, encouraged me, and gave me a community where I felt belonged. This sense of belonging is what I want to create at Stanford. As the peer-mentoring Someone Like Me program coordinator, lab mentor, and postdoc representative for the DEI Education and Standard Action Planning Workgroup, I want to care for those with less power and “invisible,” by creating new institution infrastructures or by simply having open-hearted conversations.

Dedicated mentors have played a crucial role in my success as a scientist and learner. I never could have imagined having the opportunity to attend college—let alone graduate school or a postdoc position—however, with the support and encouragement from mentors, I’ve had the opportunity to pursue my dreams and make meaningful impacts on the world through science. The impact that mentorship has had on my life has motivated me to give back to the scientific and general community through mentorship and outreach. I am motivated to continue to make science and education a more equitable and inclusive space.

My commitment to diversity is informed by my experiences as a woman of color in science and a first-generation immigrant to the United States. In the over 10 years I have spent in the United States, I am extremely fortunate in having been a part of academic and social communities that made me feel largely included. Simultaneously, I also appreciate that much needs to be done to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within academia. I am passionate about actively fostering an inclusive training environment and I will earnestly work towards the retention of a more diverse academic community.

Higher education affords immense privilege. The knowledge, resources, and networks gained are instrumental in career (and community!) development. For this reason, I’ve spent my career helping individuals from communities that have been systematically excluded from academia gain entry. However, higher education also causes harm. Race, gender, and power dynamics determine how much capital trainees can actually build and maintain. From discrimination to the lack of institutional support and accountability, integration into academia often requires a disconnection from self, which undermines our flourishing, conceals our best selves, and preserves systemic oppression. Now, I focus on cultural transformation. We need to reimagine the spaces we occupy; challenge tradition, expect mess, and collectively build ethical futures.

Outside of my postdoc research, I share educational videos on social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok. In my time on these platforms, I've connected with extraordinary and enthusiastic students across the globe, though I have learned that opportunities to engage in science are not equally accessible to all. To address this, I founded the Aspiring Scientists Coalition, an organization that provides guidance and support to students in more than 75 countries. ASC hosts free online meetings including Q&As with professionals in various fields, networking sessions, and research presentations. I also lead a video series on social media called “Scientips” which provides free career advice to students globally, and offer free resources on my website such as a CV template, sample research poster, and PhD interview schedule. I strongly believe in the importance of lending a hand to the next generation, and it is critical that this support is extended to all communities, regardless of socioeconomic, educational or racial factors.

My passion to advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) is rooted in my personal and professional identities. Both my positive and negative experiences have enabled me to recognize that my identity, voice, knowledge, and cultural humility are levers for advocacy and capacity building. This year, I’ve proudly led the development and implementation of the AIMI AI Summer 2022 Internship Program and the Stanford Radiology AI Development Summer Program. I also mentored and co-developed a medical AI project for the Stanford HAI AI4ALL Summer Camp. These leadership opportunities have allowed me to embed JEDI into the design, recruitment, mentorship, and training of tomorrow’s AI leaders. I have helped organize the 2022 Diversity in Radiology and Molecular Imaging Annual Conference dedicated to promoting racial diversity, women leadership in radiology and community engagement.