Top of the Class
Top of the Class
#10 Where a Passion for Science Can Lead You
Maha is a 15-year-old from Aurora, Illinois and is a self-proclaimed science nerd. With an interest in organisations that make a difference, Maha is now the Director of Science at ATHENA by Wi-STEM and a legislative ambassador for the American Cancer Society.
Maha gives students an insight into how she has accelerated her learning outside of school, how she goes about contacting professors and politicians and why getting more girls involved in STEM is so important to her.
- Click here to connect with Maha on LinkedIn
- Click here to learn more about ATHENA by Wi-STEM
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Podcast Host 00:00
Maha, can you just tell us a little bit about where you're from and your age and a little bit about what you do?
Maha 00:05
Of course, thank you so much for having me on this podcast. Hi, everyone. My name is Mahalaxmi Some or Maha for short. I am a 15 year old high school sophomore, currently residing in Aurora, Illinois, but I'm actually from southern India and moved here when I was three years old. So I'm immigrant. I am someone who is extremely passionate about science, specifically anatomy and molecular biology, which is something I want to study in the future. I hold plenty of leadership positions on some of the main ones being the director of science for Athena by Wi-STEM, which is a Chicago based outreach program that helps under resourced high school girls get more connections in the STEM fields that they're interested in. And I'm also a legislative ambassador for the American Cancer Society, which basically means that I am working with Congresswoman congressmen, basically, anyone working at the government level to get some laws and acts pass that will help cancer patients in the future get the amount of medical care that they need at a sufficient price.
Podcast Host 01:10
Yes, so it sounds like you're a busy student. And I know that sometimes a lot of students say to you, how do you fit all that in? And how can I be like you? We'll get to that in a sec. But how have you deepened your learning in that area since and is there any particular resources that you go to whether it be YouTube or whether it be some science journals that you can recommend?
Maha 01:29
Right. So obviously, for me to understand science or biology as a whole, I really needed to take a lot of time on knowing like each part and each piece, so that when it all came together, it all made sense to me. So my first database was YouTube and just watching videos, I started with the Amoeba sisters. So basically, what they do is they kind of like simplify the whole concept of different things in biology, whether that be like DNA replication, or like the process of as cells multiply. So I learned my main ideas from there. And I wrote them all down in my science notebook, which is somewhere in my room. And I do believe that when if you ever want to self study something, or like want to start looking more into something, always keep a notebook and write everything down, like the main stuff, because then you can go back to it resell it again. And so my biology notebook was probably one of my biggest saviors I wrote in it every single day, just new facts that are found new stuff that sounds interesting to me, or stuff that I want to look into later. So I started with Amoeba Sisters. And then I started looking more on to the chemistry side, too, because it was starting the human body and like anatomy and stuff, you need to look at the biology part of it, and the chemistry part of it. So with that, I started watching the organic chemistry tutor, another challenge on YouTube. And that channel is absolutely amazing. They really walk you through step by step of how to complete chemistry problems or the concepts of chemistry. And that's like my main, like YouTube sources. I watch other various videos as well. But those are the two main channels, and then really learning about biology and chemistry and probably through Khan Academy, one of like the best resources to go to. So after I watched some videos, wrote some notes down, I started the high school biology course in Khan Academy, and then started work on the full on biology course. And once I finished that, I'm going to be starting the AP biology course on Khan Academy, even though that is a class that I will be taking senior year, so I'm pretty looking forward to doing that.
Podcast Host 03:40
Yeah, I can see why some of your friends are like 'Gee, Maha. Like, yeah, you know, you're so determined, and you've got so much confidence in what you want to do.' And how do your friends treat you differently because of that, are they like, 'Oh my gosh, you know, you're such a genius?' Or do you just feel like you're just a normal student who has a particular interest in you know, a subject area?
Maha 03:59
Well, there's a lot of aspects that go into the actually on I don't see myself as someone who's a genius, for sure. Um, I don't like to say that I'm talented, our like, I'm a prodigy or something. Because like, when I first came here to the United States, from India, I went to preschool where everyone spoke fluent English. And up until about, I was like five or six years old, I could not speak English. When I was starting out, I really had to just like, take my time with it, take it day by day, step by step, figuring out how to speak English. And then that also goes into any thing that I do in life. I would say that, like my talent would be my hard work because once I put my mind to something, I will do anything that I can to achieve it or to achieve that goal. Because that for me is how I feel proud of myself because I think that's so important to have that sort of like self love toward yourself and make sure that you feel happy about your own accomplishments and not just rely your happiness on how someone else feels about it. Like let's say your friends or your parents or Like what they think of you, it's about how you feel about your own accomplishments and what you do. I like to tell my friends, like whenever I get some sort of opportunity or get something in life, I like to say that it's not a big deal. And then they scold me later for it, they're like, Nah, why would you say it's not a big deal? Like that is a big deal. And you should be incredibly proud of yourself. But like, I am someone who has such high standards all the time. So I like to think of these accomplishments as like little stepping stones. So I don't see them as a big deal, because I'm like more of a big picture person and like looking towards the future. But I have such a supportive community around me, especially with my parents and my close friends, that they remind me that I should be happy about what I'm doing now. And that I should be proud of myself. And they keep me humble like that. And they also keep me super happy. So I really thank them for all of that.
Podcast Host 05:47
Yeah, it's very interesting to hear more about your journey. And because I guess one of the reasons that we're doing the podcast is to help students understand what goes into the mindset of a student like that. And the hard work is obviously a big principle of yours, what encourages you to keep on learning, even after you've gone to school, you've done all your homework, you would be forgiven for just chilling out and relaxing. And so what drives you to continue being like, I want to try and do further learning and AP bio, and all the rest of it?
Maha 06:18
Well, obviously, when I finished my work, I kind of give myself like, a couple minutes, just like breathe, like, be happy that I got my stuff done. But then it's like some sort of way that like runs through my brain. It's like, haha, like, you should be like learning more. And so I would say that I have a sort of love for growing as a person, I've, I always want to continue growing. And I never want to settle. I hate settling. And like, obviously, I'm going to be happy about something I do, or something that I accomplish. But I'm always looking towards the next thing, what I could do better with that, what I learned from past experiences, that could help me grow as a person as a student and as a learner. So that really like inspires me to always just keep learning more, I guess. And a symbol that like really, I love like that represents me is sort of like a butterfly, um, I love butterflies for a specific reason, that they're always seen as creatures that, you know, spread their wings and learn to fly and they grow. And they go through that, right. So um, I feel like if I were in the stages of a butterfly, I'd probably be in like the cocoon stage, I'm still starting out, I'm 15 years old. So I feel pretty young to like, start out. But I feel like, as I'm learning all these things from such an early age, that's going to help me so much in the future of spreading my wings and learning how to fly. And so I always keep that, in my mind the future on most people. Some people are like scared for the future, they don't really want to come. It's something that, like, bring some sort of fear or anxiety. But I'm someone who works for it. Because I know that one day, I'm going to be living the life that I've always imagined the life that I created for myself. And so it all starts by learning and continually learning and continually growing. And so I think that is what really motivates me to just keep learning just to find new things just to fill your brain with the knowledge that will help you later on.
Podcast Host 08:19
Yeah, I love that philosophy. I think that's something that a lot of students could appreciate and understand. I guess it's actioning it right. You know, I think a lot of people understand that if they're going to have this feature that they want that they need to work for it. But sometimes it's easier to take the path of least resistance and just jump on Netflix or something right or to be on YouTube. And instead of watching like Amoeba sisters, you start watching out an old cat videos or whatever it might be. So no, it's great that you're I have this thirst for learning, which I think is super important. And it's something that I think a lot of people say, Well, you know, that's what you go to school for. But it's something that you can do on your own almost no more and and further and faster than anything else that school could provide. Do you sometimes find school boring?
Maha 09:01
Um, I feel like there's always like in every student's life, there has been some points where they feel like, well, like why am I at school? Like why am I learning is like, is this really going to help them in the future? Um, so yes, I would say that I've definitely had some points where I felt like school was completely boring and like, especially now I'm sitting here in front of my computer for like eight hours a day because the Coronavirus cases in the US aren't really doing good for us. So students are still like remote learning and stuff. So yeah, there definitely been times where I felt like oh my gosh, I just want to like sleep. I want to relax and I do give myself that time to take a break from everything. Because it's so important to rest but to never like quit. So yes, I do watch Netflix. I do watch some YouTube videos, but that is only when I feel satisfied with the amount of things that I've learned and like the work that I've done. So I said let's sort of incremental goals, to get In a day, and that's when I give myself time to relax,
Podcast Host 10:04
I appreciate that. And it's good to have that time to relax, I am going to challenge you a little bit on that idea of not quitting, though, because in my view, quitting is a very important part of a student's journey. Particularly if you see opportunity cost, right, you could be doing this thing, which is like super exciting, it could be the, you know, co director of waste em, or it could be doing your work in the Cancer Society, or all these amazing things, right. Or it could be going to orchestras or sport or doing your extracurriculars like within the school environment in that school context. So sometimes I think it's making you have to make some pretty important decisions around where you spend your time in high school. Have you had that experience before? Where you said, Okay, look, I really would love to take on this, this, this and this. But if I'm going to do that, then I probably need to wind back my time, or I probably need to look at quitting potentially this activity that might not be serving me so much, or has kind of like, you know, I feel like it's given me the development opportunity I was looking for. And now it's probably time to move on and try something different. So I have you ever had that experience where you've had to kind of sacrifice other things to do the things that you really want to do?
Maha 11:13
Yes, of course I have. I'm someone who's interested in a lot of things, right. And so I always like to try new things. And I'm involved in a lot. But there definitely been points where it has just been way too overwhelming, especially my freshman year, during school was my first year of high school. So getting used to like how high school worked, and like the grading system. And then on top of that, I was in varsity gymnastics. So I had sports. And then I had extracurriculars. And so I had very little time for like taking a break, and like just breathing and just like relaxing. And so during winter break is when I had to like reconsider, okay, what out of these things is important to me, like what makes me happy, and what's making me grow as a person. So the things that I looked at were my extracurriculars. And what I was doing, there were some clubs that I had to drop, because I just wasn't giving it my all. And when I do something, I really want to put forth the best of my efforts. I don't want to do something halfway and be like satisfied with it. I always want to put in 100% 110% effort into it. And always make sure that I'm giving my all because then if I'm not then what's the point of doing it? Yeah. So I reconsidered some of the clubs that I was in winter break. And then when quarantine started is when I really got some time off from Sports to really focus on school and like what else I was doing with my time. And so I think that really helped me figure out what was important to me. And the most important thing, so I did have to write some emails to people saying, I cannot like continue with this organization or with this club. Thank you so much for like everything that taught me You're like given me. But I would say that Now's not the time for this. So I didn't have to go through that. And it felt. I'm like a sensitive person. So it felt I was sad. But I sent those emails and stuff because I didn't want to let it go. But deep down, I knew that I had to structure my time to be the most efficient that I was to, like, be the most productive that I could be. And so in the end, I think it worked out for the best. And I can definitely say that I've learned that sometimes it is good to quit, you know, sometimes you do have to just let things go in order to grow as a person.
Podcast Host 13:39
Yeah, I think that's super important. And I think a lot of students will breathe a sigh of relief to hear that because it's something that I think a lot of students put pressure on themselves. And there is this kind of like taboo, I guess, around quitting things that you should never quit and that kind of thing. But sometimes it's it's not necessarily quitting in terms of like just giving up. I can't do this anymore, right? It's making a decision around where you spend your time. And I think there's a big difference between the two. One is kind of thinking that you should have persisted because you could have got there to the end. And the other is like, Well, actually, no, I really want to do X, Y, and Z. And I can't do everything at this particular point in time. So I'm going to pick up a few things. So that's good that you've made some of the decisions. I know a lot of students are interested in the academic side of things as well, and how your extracurriculars, particularly outside of school, which we'll get to in a second, I'm really interested in in your science writing, and we'll get into we stem and those kinds of things. But how have you continued to balance your academics along with all of these things? And is there ever a point where the scales have been weighed, and you've got all your other things going on around you and your great academics? And you're like, well, I got to try and consistent balancing act right about like how much I spend on my academics and how much do I spend on my extracurriculars? And I guess it also depends on what you prioritize, given that you are 15 and it feels like you know the end of school is a little bit of a way away. So maybe now's the time. to focus on these extracurriculars, like how do you approach it?
Maha 15:03
Well, for me, it's all about blocking out my time. And consistently, having some sort of daily schedule that I stick to Google calendar is my best friend and planning out my entire day. And seeing like, what events have to do and what things need to get done. I have my handy dandy planner over here write down any important things that I need to get accomplished. And so there have been many points throughout like the past few months, and like the past year, where the scale has definitely like one has outweigh the other and it hasn't ended up well for either side. So there have been points where I knew that I had to focus really on my academics. So I couldn't give some of my extracurriculars like my all, but it worked out for academics, but didn't work out for extracurriculars. So it was always some sort of like lose win situation. But I've always tried to experiment what really works best. And so in the organizations that I'm in, or like the stuff that I do, they are extremely empathetic in how I manage my time, and they really give me a lot of time to get things done. And for most of them, I create my own schedule as well. So it's really up to me to decide, you know, when I want to start working on something, or when I should get my work done by, so I love that type of freedom that they give me and I'm thankful for them for that, that I get to make those sort of decisions, because that is something that really helps me balance that scale to the best of its ability, because teachers like they have their set deadlines, they can't change the deadlines. So with my extracurriculars, I love that I could, you know, set those deadlines for myself, depending on how my schedule was. And so it's all about time blocking, and knowing what you're going to do pretty much every single minute of every day, and really sticking to it. Because even though it's going to require a lot of work, and a lot of effort, it's all going to be worth it in the end. And like that's just what keeps him going, knowing that this is all going to be worth it.
Podcast Host 17:01
So it's like, you've become a very efficient planner. Right? And it might as well write, like, not just a plan, because I think some people are great at making plans, but a terrible at sticking to it. And kind of knowing that when you do make a plan, what is the benefit of sticking to that plan, not just the immediate benefit, but the long term benefit as well. You know, I know it's cliche, but that knowing your why, right, and knowing your end goal. And so it kind of drives you to stick to that plan, whether it be an hour and extracurriculars or an hour of study. And this is this time block or this Google Calendar alerts popping up? Whatever it might be, right? How did that come about? For 15 year olds, I think a lot of people are thinking, Well, you know, my planning is decided by my school, and, you know, my parents do a certain degree, how have you, I guess, come to the conclusion that that's something that you want to own and have created against the system that works for you.
Maha 17:55
Well, um, to my biggest supporters, my life or my parents, and since they, you know, were born raised up, and in India, they, when they came to the States, they really didn't know much about extracurriculars other than you know, focus on your schoolwork and get your schoolwork done. So they really, I don't feel under pressure, like by them. They love me, and they support me, and I love them for that. So they really helped me in recognizing, you know, what I should be doing with my time. And like, what's more important and like, they helped me prioritize, because I'm still so young. And I had to get my priorities in check. So that when I'm older, I know like, what's important to me. And so I love them for that. And I thank them for that every day. I feel like I love planning Actually, it's like come to the point where I like to sit down, like every Sunday evening, you know, listen to music, have some sort of like, I love tea. So I have a cup of tea on my side, right, and just like plan out my week and just sit here, write in my planner, Google calendars up, like I'm just planning and it makes me feel so satisfied with myself because I know what's happening every single day. And I know what's coming forward. So nothing comes to me like as a surprise. But obviously, I recognize that there are some points where things might get canceled, might get pushed back or something like that. So I respect other people's time as well. So I never want to do anything that you know, gets me in those sort of like difficult situations. So planning has like it's become a habit. And it's also something that I just like love doing, because it just makes me happy to know that I am getting my work done and I know what I'm doing.
Podcast Host 19:34
Right. I love that that you love planning. I think it's a good thing to love. Right? You know, if there's anything that you should really enjoy, it's in it's the enjoyment of knowing what's coming ahead and having that. I mean, of course you have to have you know, chances for spontaneity and plans may change but generally speaking about, you know, about 90% of what's coming up in the week ahead. And I think that's a habit that I have tried and I my stick to itiveness isn't great. Sometimes it kind of falls by the wayside. So maybe I should pick that back up. But let's chat about Wi-STEM and your position there. Talk to me about how you got involved, what appealed to you, and what do you do there.
Maha 20:10
So I first found out about them in about late May, I'm actually through their Instagram, one of my friends actually tagged their account in one of our Instagram stories. So I looked into it. And it was good to know that they're accepting applications. And so for their executive board, and so the application was doing like mid June, and I filled it out. And I was like brutally honest, because prior to that, I really did not have a lot of leadership experiences in organizations outside of like school and stuff. So I did say that I was new to this. And but I am someone who like, is definitely willing to work on a lot of things and grow and to put like, into commit to this to really commit to this. And so when I got my acceptance email, I was like, I, first of all, I was super shocked, because I didn't think I would get accepted, because there are a lot of people that applied. And second, I knew that I made a commitment. And that I'm super, I was super excited for it super excited to get started. And so that is basically the application part of it. And once we first got started, we had like a whole executive board meeting and got to meet all the other girls on there. And they were so accomplished. They all were amazing and super sweet. I felt a little bit intimidated, if you could say, by the other girls been by all day done. So I felt I did feel a little bit of imposter syndrome where as like any other student would at some point in their life. Yeah. But that is like when I definitely reminded myself, hey, like, you're here for a reason. It was like, we're here for a reason. So just make sure that you understand your why you know your why, and you know that you deserve this position. So that's just how I got started into it.
Podcast Host 21:49
Okay, and what do you do in your role there, I know, it's a bit more like an advocacy role where you do it, waste them.
Maha 21:56
So we some is like the main organization and for women in STEM. And you know, we said at the top right, and I work for Athena, which is a sub organization of waste them. And so it's Chicago base. So I loved that it was like really like in near my hometown and stuff. And so basically what we do is as co director of science, I'm basically in charge of making sure that I provide some sort of resources to the girls out there that don't really get it or don't really get an opportunity to have connections to professionals in fields that they're interested in. So by resources, I mean, like workshops, I mean, webinars, conferences, anything like that. So basically, how I started off is I look in two different professors at different universities, or different scientists all around the world. And I've actually met some pretty amazing woman in STEM with that. And it's really inspired me to look more beyond the fact that there's so much gender inequality in the fields of STEM. And it's really important to keep inspiring girls to be interested in those fields. So I really felt like my work did have some sort of impact, because all the speakers of the workshop so far have been truly inspiring. And they've given some great advice to people that attended. And so this is all free, because we don't want to put any like price on it. And we want to make sure that we're giving out the most opportunities that we could. And so basically, when we do host some sort of workshop or webinars, the speaker usually has some sort of presentation, where they talk about their field of study how they got into it, then we have like a panel, if there's multiple speakers, and the audience can ask any questions they would like, we always give their contact info after the workshop so that they can reach out to the speaker or like to us if they have any other like ideas. And so it's really gotten me inspired to work more for gender equality and stem because it's really opened my eyes to see, you know, there's so many people out there interested in STEM, but they're kind of like on the verge of it. They're like, maybe I should do it, maybe I shouldn't like and so I've been loving it since day one. And I am so happy that I get to be in this position.
Podcast Host 24:08
Talk to me about how you reach out to professors. And I know that can be a bit of an intimidation factor for students. They're like, Oh, you know, if I'm interested in science, I would love to be reaching out to mentors and finding people to come and share their knowledge and experiences. Do you have any tips for students in that kind of initial outreach phase of how you track down the person that you want to speak to what you say to them in those early stages and how you kind of pitch what their involvement would be with Athena?
Maha 24:34
Yeah, of course. So when I first started out, I was so nervous to send emails, I was like, I don't even know half these people. Like I don't know anything about them other than like their job and what they do. I don't know how it's gonna go. But really cold emailing can be such a big benefactor for someone if they ever want to reach out to a professor and see what type of work they do. Or if they ever just want to like chat with them. These professors are so nice. Like they really did have some Like nice manners toward responding to my emails and accepting my invitations to speak at the workshops. So when you do cold email someone, you don't want it to be like a long paragraph like that comes later if they respond, right, you want to be respectful, have a very like calm manner to you. And it has to be simple and sweet. Like it's straight to the point because professors get thousands of emails every day. And so to look through all that, they just need to see like, What do you want, and see if they can provide that. So if they do respond to that, that's when you can go into more detail, because now they've shown some sort of interest into it. So you probably when you do cold email somebody you address them being like, dear Professor of Law, my name is mahalo tree. So I'm the CO director of science for Dino my wisdom, then explained what the organization is about just like one or two sentences, then I asked them, if they would be interested in being a speaker, one of the workshops, and when they do send an email back, that's why I follow up with them, give them more info on how it's gonna work and see if they're willing to really like do it being like, short and sweet and get to the point in your email is probably one of the the top tips that I have to reaching out to someone that you're not really familiar with. Because that's when you know that they've shown like some sort of interested to that.
Podcast Host 26:17
Right. Do you mention that you are either a high school student? Or that you're 15 years old? In that initial email?
Maha 26:25
Um, um, yes, I actually do I say that I first started off by saying, I'm a high school student, because then they know like, what's the age group that they're working with, right. And then if they do, like go into, if they do want to know more about me, then I will say like, I'm 50 year old high school student, but the first female doesn't really have a lot of information about me, it's more about what I'm willing to look for in them. And then when I follow up, it's more information about me and what I do and all that stuff.
Podcast Host 26:52
Do you think it is important to include that in an email? Do you think that there is some advantage in including the fact that you're a high school student in that email? Because I know, what I'm trying to get out here is that I think a lot of students will say, Oh, well, you know, I'm only a high school student, most university professors, or most professionals won't really want to speak to a high school student, has that been your experience, or has been the opposite where because your high school student, university professors are like, Oh, that's cool, that's great initiative, I'm gonna, you know, respond to this person and see where this goes,
Maha 27:23
you know, um, so far, I haven't had a negative experiences, saying that I'm a high school student with Professor, because most of the time, they've actually been really impressed the fact that I am taking initiative, so early on, yep, to look into something that I'm interested about. So I'm extremely grateful for that. But I do realize that some professors, um, they're not really interested in working with high school students just because they're so young, and they have a lot to learn. But in those cases of rejection emails, you're not always going to get accepted or to get the opportunity that you want. And you just gotta go with the flow with that. And just always keep searching for more because because one day you are going to find like someone who's willing to work with you. And I think that's so important that we realize that we just have to turn a failure into our successes or just motivation to keep looking for more opportunities. But most of the time when when I am oppressors, when I chat with them through zoom and stuff, they are really excited to talk with me and get to know like, why I'm so interested in them.
Podcast Host 28:23
Great. Yeah, I think that's a good tip that you really can't take rejections too, personally. And I think a lot of times, people, if they have that experience of sending an email, and the first two or three people reject them, then that can be like a terrible experience be like, I'm not going to send any more emails, but it might be the fourth person will he know, the fifth person who agrees, like, so you just got to keep going. I think there's a lot of students who've had that experience, I've had that experience before as well, where it's tempting to kind of say, Oh, this thing isn't for me after the first couple of emails or the first couple of times, but you just got to keep trying and refine your message, right? It can be the first emails too long, or you've got you know, your your emails ending up in spam or those kinds of things. Right. So you just got to check those types of things to make sure that you know, are they actually getting the email? Is it written? Well, those kinds of things are very important. Take us through, I guess, the science writing side of things, because you do a lot of that. What are some of the typical things that you write about?
29:20
So during the summer, I was actually part of girls in white coats, which is an organization specifically dedicated to women interested in in medicine. And so with that, I was an article writer. And so they were working on an upcoming magazine called scope, where they included different articles about different medicine related subjects and interviews with doctors and surgeons. And so I actually got to interview Dr. Deanna uthai, who is a breast cancer surgeon at UCLA. And so I got to do with her, and I wrote an article based on my interview with her, so she gave a lot of insight into like that what she does, and how she got there, and more into, like, what she researches, especially with breast cancer cells in the human body. So some of the topics that I write about our interviews, but then the more science part of it is when I'm really given just like a broad scope, any topics that I could talk about, or I could write about. So I did write an article on stem cells. And so for those of you who don't know, on stem cells are basically cells in the human body that can replace any type of cell, whether that be in the tissue, and they like self replicate, and they replaced cells needed, which is incredibly, just incredible the process that it works. And so I first heard about the topic in our theology, and I really didn't think too much of it. But when I started researching more on the fact that stem cells, and specifically, blood stem cells can cure different types of bone cancer and leukemia. That is like what really drew me towards that, because it was just a new discovery that was going on, and more research is being added to it. So I really wanted to write an article on what they were and how they could be used in future medicine. And so that was like the first scientific article that I wrote. And I was when I was researching on stem cells. And I was reading scientific journals and stuff. I was like, Oh, my god, they're just like, there's too many words. There's too many science words, I don't understand half of these things. What are they even talking about? I just saw a bunch of words relate to science that made no sense together. And so I got super nervous. I was like, oh, how is this read this article and get it done, actually understand what I'm saying? Sounds like people have a deep brush, you know, they are words, they have some sort of meaning you just have to understand what the meaning is. so handy dandy biology notebook, right there, wrote down every word that I did not know what on Google searched up, found the definition, watch some sort of video that explained what they were. And then the articles actually started making some sort of sense. And so when I read those articles, I used some evidence from scientific journals that I've researched online. And so I was really proud of myself when I finished the article, because like, Oh, my gosh, I finally understand what I'm talking about. And like what I'm saying, and so especially when you first start out writing any sort of articles, they don't have to be scientific, they can be any type, when you first start out, um, be open to everything. And don't be afraid if you see a bunch of words, and they don't make sense to you. Really take your time with learning what they mean. And really understand the concepts because that is how you can put your best foot forward in writing anything that you want. And so that's what I did, I took it step by step took me a while how to extend the deadline, like once, but in the end, I created a finished product that I was super proud of. And yeah, so that is how I basically wrote my first scientific article.
Podcast Host 32:52
That's so good, I think it's a very important thing, to not be intimidated by that process, when you are 14-15 years old, there's going to be some things, you're going to kind of go over your head, right, and it's about writing down, researching them, figuring it out. And I think there's a interesting side of your story that I think compared to some of the other episodes that we've had on the top of the class, where you've got that kind of research science story where the students who are going out there researching and creating project and you know, science fairs and that type of thing. And then I think you're you're a fantastic example of I guess, at the literature side advocacy side, helping educate other people about it, how does that kind of fit in with what you're trying to, you know, that kind of persona that you're trying to put out to the world because I think, you know, if I look at your LinkedIn, it comes across as someone who's like a very strong science advocate, and someone who's very involved in the science world, but may not necessarily be entering into any massive science competitions at the moment. So talk to you, I guess, about the advocacy literature, and then the writing side of science and how that's as important as the kind of the research project side.
Maha 34:01
Right. So um, I know plenty of students that are like, they created science projects themselves, done research based things or entered science competitions, or, you know, are part of Science Olympiad and all those type things and won awards and medals and stuff. I haven't done that. But I feel like my work is just as important because I get to see like the learning process of it, to really understand different concepts and to get all that knowledge inside of my brain. Because I think that's what I'm more intrigued to not worth the showcasing the competition side, but really kind of the behind the scenes stuff of how different topics in science work. Um, I've always, uh, well, not always because I just found out about it just like a year ago, but ever since I found out about gender inequalities in STEM and stuff. I've always wanted to just make sure that anyone who is interested in STEM any girl interested in STEM, really got those opportunities to do what she wants. Because like in high school, people start off by, you know, like kind of figuring out what they want in college, they do that. But then at some point after college, most girls have some, like, they feel the need to make the decision of, you know, settling down, like having a family or doing a job, which I think is mind blowing that, like if I seen the sistex that most people do decide to settle, because they want to create a family, and they don't think that they can handle the balance of, you know, their work and like their outside family. And so I really, with the speakers, I've invited, they really showcase the fact that, you know, you can do it all, if you really want to, if you are really passionate about something, you can do what you're passionate about, you can study any field of stem that you want, and you can still maintain a family, like lifestyle, and do it in a healthy way so that you feel happy. And so that they really inspired me to just change my whole outlook on how I view women in STEM, and how important it is for you know that gender empowerment right there, too, especially woman empowerment, to make sure that girls know that they can do it all if they want to. So that I love that part.
Podcast Host 36:11
Yeah, super impactful. And I think, you know, it's one of those things that you're saying, there's a lot to be gained from inspiring the next generation and your generation really, to kind of get more involved in science and to say that that's a pathway for women, particularly to, you know, counter that gender imbalance. Talk to us a little bit about your role in the American Cancer Society. So you're a legislative ambassador, you know, when I hear about the legislative ambassador of the American Cancer Society, I would have thought that would been someone who's like, mid career professional type of thing. Me too. Yeah, right.
Maha 36:44
That too, so I really wanted to become involved with the American Cancer Society for a while now, I've thought that they always had some sort of age limit, because, you know, cancer is just a sort of like serious subject. And they wouldn't bring, you know, high schoolers into it. But when I really started researching on the different like, roles they had, I found out what a legislative Ambassador was. And so basically, they are an advocacy volunteer for Americans Cancer Society. So basically, they basically have to influence government officials of their own state to really help the health policy part of it, because or the American Cancer Society to really progress as a whole organization, they need to get x pass and laws passed, and they can't do it without the help of their Congress people. And so what we do is we get in contact with them. And we really talk to them about how important it is to advocate for medical rights and medical bills and make sure healthcare is affordable. So it's really that part on making it affordable, and really making it a top priority at this point. And so they do require an application. So I did submit the application, it didn't ask for my age, so I really got worried. I was like, Okay, what if they What if I get accepted? They're like, Oh, you're 15 years old? I'm sorry, we can't take you Yeah, um, but I got accepted and still super shocked. I was like, Oh, my gosh. So basically, Emily Hall, who is the main poker advocate for the Illinois section of the lead investors, she caught me in touch with a woman named Judy, who is like one of the main heads of American Cancer Society, and they wanted to do an onboarding call. And so I was like, tell her, you know, I'm only in high school. I, I was nervous about it. And so I called her we talked, it was amazing. She was such a kind, supportive person. And so near the end of the call, I was like, Judy, just to clarify, you realize that I am in high school. I don't know if I said it before. But I am like a high school sophomore, and she was like, That is amazing. Like, we don't have an age limit here. And she did say that there was a seven year old working for the American Cancer Society. So they really don't have a limit. And I think that's amazing, because they pretty much accept anyone who's willing to work with them. And so it was like, just like a moment of relief. I was like, Oh, my gosh, yay, I finally get to be part of this. And so she talked to me about how important it is to have more young people. ization. So that one, they can have more like commitment to it as like, they grow older. And too, it's so important to get generation Z's like views on this and like how they can really help. Because, like our generation is the future generation is like, we're gonna be like the main people, and like a couple years and stuff. So it's important for us to really understand current issues that are happening just locally and like inside of our state, and then really get to help impact what laws be passed in Congress. So when I first started, I really had no idea what I was doing because I wasn't a big government person didn't really know much about it. But the ACS really has such a supportive group, a supportive team, they really help you figure out how you're going to like contact the Congress people how you're going to like get in touch with them. So so far I've only like as like a first year kind of thing you like start writing emails, and then you get into calling and like meeting with them. Ideally, you would like to meet with them in person. But especially now it's more on talking to them through zoom finding some sort of time in their busy schedule that they can take to really talk with us. And so we can get our ideas across to them. And so that is basically like a summary of what I do and how I got into it. And I'm so excited to work for them. And it's really been such an amazing experience. I've learned so much.
Podcast Host 40:33
Yeah, it's a great organization to be a part of. And I think you mentioned earlier on that it was one of those organizations that you really wanted to be a part of, why did you choose ACS as like that goal organization? Like if I really want to be a part of ACS, what did you see in ACS that you thought and I guess any organization that you join, right, where you're like, yes, this organization is something that I'd really want to be a part of, and I think it could fit in with everything else that I do. What do you look for in an organization where you decide to submit that application?
Maha 41:03
Well, similarly with ACS, I personally don't have a personal connection to and love cancer. So they were particularly interested in why I chose to be part of them, because most people that are part of the organization has some sort of connection to someone who is suffering with suffered from cancer or you know, has passed away because of cancer. But for me, it was really more the focus, like advocacy side of really just fighting the people that needed the help. And for me, it's more about the impact that I have on other people, then, you know, like, what accomplishments I get myself, because I do believe that like, my purpose is to help others and to give love towards others. Because that is what makes me like, happy. That's what makes my soul content. And so that's what draws me to any organization, I want to be a part of, really, because most of the organizations that I'm part of, they have some sort of pattern, they're more like all on the advocacy side on and like what we can do to help others then to, you know, help people that are just a part of it. It's about what type of work can be done, so that others benefit from this, and they gain some sort of advantage from it. And so that's really what drew me to scan, what drew me to ACS and the way we saw them that they all were doing something that had some sort of impact on other people. And I wanted to be a part of that change. So that is like, that's what I look for when applying.
Podcast Host 42:32
Right? So yeah, it's like the impact that that I could have within this community. And also, it doesn't kind of fit with my philosophy or my principles about what I want to do in the world. And it's fantastic way to look at it. And I think that there's a lot of organizations that are out there that are probably open or very open to having high school students, actually, a lot of high school students might not think that that's a thing they can get involved in right now. So does it kind of like once you start entering that community that these opportunities start popping up more regularly for you?
Maha 43:01
Yes, yes, of course. Um, it all started with Athena seeing what type, like what other things that girls were involved in, and other accounts that Athena followed as well. And, um, I really got more interested in like, the different stem organizations. And so um, the way it communicates mainly is through Instagram, but then their second platform is through slack. And so we have an external slack group. And they have different channels. And in the channels they have one of the channels is named opportunities, or like extra stuff. And so basically, anyone a part of the channel can post any sort of opportunity that they have found, that other people would be interested in. And so with that the members of, you know, got me introduced to more channels that were a part of slack that I can be a part of. And so I'm currently part of like 10, slack channels, they're all mainly geared toward just shouting out any opportunities that they receive. And so I feel like once you start looking, and you find something that opportunities just gonna find you like 1000 more, you just keep looking. So it's like just starting, you just got to start.
Podcast Host 44:08
Yeah, I completely agree. And I think slack is a very interesting tool that I've heard a couple of students are using very, very well. Now. It's amazing, because I think six months a year ago, I don't know how many students would have been on Slack, but it seems like that no risk skyrocketing, I've got slack as well. So for students out there who want to join these organizations, how do they go and find them on slack? Obviously, they need to download the app. I know that sounds like a basic question, but they do they need to be invited or they need to be a member or can they just search them up.
Maha 44:35
So really, where it starts by joining a slack community is through Instagram. And so most organizations have some sort of like link tree in their Instagram bio, where one of the links is to join our slack community. And so that is how I started to join a lot of slack communities is through finding accounts that you know, were geared toward like my philosophy and like what I wanted to do And then joining the most of them really did have somewhat like a slack community. So I did join that. And then I daily, I check slack and I see a bunch of opportunities and anything interested, like I sign up for it, whether it be like a workshop, or if anything's interested in my friends that like, would be interested in that I send to them, because I think a lot of students kind of, like, get protective of like, what opportunities they received, like to keep it to themselves. But I really just want to share everything that I can to my friends and really like help them out because I know that they have like a lot of interests as well. So it's really just about like finding on a, like a link tree to a slack community joining it. You don't need any invitation of some sort in most cases. But if you work for like a specific organization, their their community might be like locked or invitation only. So that's when you would have to like apply for it and like join it to officially be part of that suck.
Podcast Host 45:59
Right? There might be an internal and external one, right, the external way you can join without being a member and the internal one you need to become a member to join. Yeah, well, that's cool. I think a lot of students should get on to that. As I said, like, it's literally just through the course of doing this podcast that I've learned that apparently slack is a thing for students. Yeah. It's like, just in America, I think, obviously, it sounds like a popular thing for students in America, I have reached the day kind of here if it's a thing for here in Australia, or New Zealand or anywhere else around the world. So if any of our listeners are on Slack, tell us where you're from, like tweet the host, you'll see my Twitter handle in the show notes there. I think it's an interesting phenomenon to see who's on slack at this point. We also chatted a bit earlier before the call about that idea that you really hate when people say how can I be like you and write seeing you as I guess that role model or unattainable role model? In some respects? I guess I'm like, Oh, you know, how can I be like you? I think they probably say it as I guess a compliment?
Maha 46:57
I know. Yeah.
Podcast Host 46:59
Yeah. Why? Why is it something that you don't particularly like to hear?
Maha 47:02
Well, um, first of all, like, I'm extremely grateful. And they say like, I do feel some sort of pride that they view me as that sort of role model. And think of me like that, like, they think of me so highly, that they are asking, like, how to be like me. And so I do say, Thank you like, that's like the person that I say, right. But I feel like every person, every single person should try to become their own person. And yes, I have my own role models, I have people that I look up to, but really the whole sense of like, following someone's footsteps and doing like exactly as they do to try to become like them. I don't believe that philosophy at all. I'm not one for it. Because I feel like everyone has their own individual, you know, talents and like stuff that they're passionate about, that they should try to, you know, immerse themselves in, rather than their role models, or like the peers around them. And I know plenty of students and myself have experienced some sort of imposter syndrome, feeling that we're not good enough compared to people around us, even though we work just as hard to be there. But that kind of just plays into like, when people ask me that, I always tell them, thank you so much for saying that. But it's not about how to become like me, it's how to be the best version of you. Yeah, it's how to really, how can you as a person grow internally, and then show showcase the extremely, so you can inspire others to do the same with themselves? Because in the end, it really is about how satisfied and how happy we feel with ourselves, rather than trying to, you know, become someone else? Yeah,
Podcast Host 48:35
I completely agree. I think there's a lot of people who try and copy and paste success, particularly at the student level, right? They see someone who's got great scores, or great university admissions or a great career, and they're like, how did they do it? And how can I do exactly what they did? And how can I kind of like copy their life? Right? What habits do they have? And what do they do here? And what do they do there? And it's very interesting to kind of reflect instead of trying to copy other people just kind of go internally a little bit and say, How can I make the most of my talents? And how can I really make the most of my potential and spend more time discovering that and who knows, you might actually go on to achieve even more than the people aspire to be like,
Maha 49:15
Right? So I always like say, take everything with a grain of salt, you know, someone will tell you to, like, try out these habits or like trout that day routine. Try it out, definitely but modify it to what works best for you. Because in the end, you're the only person that knows yourself the best and so you know, what works for you and what doesn't, and what you could improve on and what your strengths weaknesses are. So use that take everything with a grain of salt, don't take things too personally, and really figure out what you want for yourself rather than how you can become like someone else or what others want from you.
Podcast Host 49:47
That is good advice. Well, what's next for you? You've got a lot of things going on. But yeah, what's next and what what is the future hold for you Maha?
Maha 49:56
So especially with the election happening and stuff, it's definitely gonna change some of the policies that we're looking for in ACS definitely, because that's more like the political side of things. But other than that, I'm going to keeping apartment organizations of any opportunities come up, I'll definitely take them. I actually just received a mail yesterday from the National Student Leadership conferences. And thanks an invitation for me to attend that conference, the summer of 2021. And by doing so, I will receive a $20,000 scholarship.
Podcast Host 50:34
Did you apply for that?
Maha 50:35
I didn't, that's the thing I received in my mail and seeing that they like all the information about me. And so I was generally shocked. First of all, I was like, how do they even know me, but then I felt extremely grateful for having that. So I will definitely be going to that for the summer 2021. And, yeah, it is major long term goals. I'm such a science nerd. And I will definitely keep learning more about North your biology and really being interested in that. Um, I want to go to Oxford. I really do. And I'll be working towards that
Podcast Host 51:09
Amazing. Why Oxford? I mean, there's some fantastic universities not too far from you, that you Chicago a couple other amazing unis. And then over on the East Coast, and the West Coast, like the US has some amazing institutions. Why the appeal of Oxford for you?
Maha 51:23
So Oxford, it's one of the best universities in the entire world. And so especially in the medical program, I looked into it and stuff, the goal is not to do medical school there, but to start to study molecular biology there, and then do medical school in the United States. First, a change of location is always great, even if though, like it's almost halfway across the world, but setting there with professors that you know, they do research like outside of what they teach, and they're doing some, they're doing leading research right now that can mark new discoveries in the medical fields, especially the fields of biology. And so working with people like that, I think it's really gonna inspire me to just like to keep learning and keep growing. So the professors, they're really just incredible people. And of course, they're like, incredible professors here in the US as well. So, yeah, but Oxford, it's just, it just feels like a magical place just to be in and just to learn about everything, I really want to visit London and to go to the UK. So that's always been like a dream of mine, ever since I was a little kid. And so yeah, but I'm definitely applying to other colleges in the US, such as the ones nearest to me like Northwestern in Chicago, because they're obviously amazing as well. So, but there's always just that you, I feel like every student has some sort, like special connection with like a place or like University. And I felt that with Oxford as soon as I started looking into it. And now it's just like one of my biggest goals to get into there and to attend.
Podcast Host 52:53
That's awesome. Well, I'm sure that if you work at it, and you know, I know the application process pretty well actually, as a result of crimson. So I know that, you know, the interview is a really big challenge. And I'm sure given that we've just chatted, I'm sure you do very, very well in that.
Maha 53:10
When you truly find something you're passionate about, you have to showcase that to like admissions officers and colleges, really diversifying yourself on that specific topic. And just learning as much as you can about it. In the end. Yes, awards and competitions and winning them are great and stuff. But if you really like love the subject, and you're willing to, you know, advocate for it, or to learn as much as you can about it, that will be showcased, whether it be throughout the interview, or throughout the essays, or like when you submit your application, you could talk about those experiences. So it's really about finding what just gets your mind thinking, what makes you curious, what makes like, what's the thing that you just could keep talking about all day, or keep reading about learning about all day, and you wouldn't get bored for a single sentence. So that is just how that's how I feel towards science. And that's how that's like the type of love that I have for it. I think that's what's kept me going on for this long and to really learn that much more about it.
Podcast Host 54:13
Fantastic. Yeah, I think that's a super good advice. I think a lot of students should take that to heart particularly because yeah, as I said, like those students who do great in the subject, I'm like, don't stop there. You're graded a subject. If you're getting top scores. What else do you do? And they're like, No, I just do well in school right? And like that's really just scratching the surface of what your potential could be. I mean, yeah, start doing your own research enter a science competition write about it, advocate for it, join an organization start your own organization like seriously like a good school is really just the start of I think how students should think about a subject they shouldn't see that as the end goal. They should really see that as like the starting point for further advancement in that topic, but learn AP bio was Something you know, do a whole different subject on a real study study ahead of your grade level and do all these kinds of things. I think a lot of students kind of just settle for, as you said earlier, like, Don't settle. And that's something that you keep telling yourself. And I think that's so important, because I think a lot of students settle when they know they're getting a good score. And that's like, right where they stopped. Whereas that should really just be the starting point for more learning and doing other cool things in that area. Maha, thank you so much for joining us on the top of the class. And if they want to connect with you, what would be the best way.
Maha 55:30
You can connect with me through LinkedIn and through Instagram, reach out to me, email me, I am open to any questions or any things that you guys would like to be involved in the I am to share any experiences that I have. So I would love to connect with each and every single one of you. That would be amazing. So yeah.
Podcast Host 55:47
Perfect. I will send those in the show notes. But again, thank you so much for joining us on Top of the Class.
Maha 55:52
Of course. Thank you.
Podcast Host 55:53
Thanks, Maha. bye.