When I began STEMspire, I knew what I wanted. I wanted to shatter the stereotype of what kids envisioned when they heard the word science. More often than not, discussions regarding STEM would end with the same professions: medicine or engineering. Both are honorable pursuits, but only a small part of the story. My desire was to introduce students to astronomy, robotics, environmental science, mathematical research, and other sciences that value curiosity and creativity.
With the passage of time, another aspect was added to this vision. Science and technology don’t occur in isolation. With each advance that makes life better, there is also a danger that the same technology will be used to do bad things. That is how cybersecurity found its way into our mission. We turn not just our attention to demonstrating to students what science can make, but to how to guard against themselves in a world where the abuse of technology is an all-too-real and increasing menace.
We talked about phishing scams, ransomware attacks, and the most significant cybersecurity threats usually being human mistakes instead of sophisticated technical expertise. We touched on cybersecurity careers ranging from forensic analysis to policymaking and how these careers are increasingly becoming critical in today’s era.
The discussion gradually turned to entrepreneurship. I inquired of the students what issues they would address if they could. They exchanged concepts for NGOs working against food wastage, mobile applications for rural schooling, and AI tools for the differently-abled. The room was abuzz with possibilities for a while, not only about safeguarding the future but creating it. Once, I felt that I learned more than I taught—a valuation of the students’ determination towards Science and Technology.
I went to Govt. Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Buland Masjid, Shastri Park that afternoon. The group was smaller this time, perhaps 50 young women, but equally participative.
We employed a gamified method. I introduced actual instances of cybercrime and requested that the students make choices about what they would do. Would they open the link in the suspicious email or delete it? How would they respond to being harassed online? Would they deal with it head-on or report it to authorities?
The room was filled with debates. Students discussed every decision, questioned each other’s rationale, and justified their answers. It was not merely memorizing rules, but learning to think critically and make good decisions under adversity. The faculty was as fascinated by the ideas being discussed, and they engaged themselves with the same fervor.
STEMspire started out as a platform to broaden the dimensions of STEM education, but I soon understood that exposing young people to the possibilities of science and technology was just half the task. They need the tools to negotiate the hazards of a digital existence too.
Science can produce rockets, cure illnesses, and create solutions to world problems. It can also invade privacy, spread misinformation, and destabilize societies if it falls into the wrong hands. If we want students to accept science, then we need to prepare them to protect themselves and their communities as well. Awareness of cybersecurity is no longer a luxury. It is as important as learning to operate the technology itself.
I was reminded that day in Delhi why I began STEMspire in the first place. The workshops were on cyber threats and security, but they were also on sowing seeds of curiosity and aspiration. Following the workshops, a student explained to me her aspiration to begin a women-led tech NGO. Another asked me where he could learn ethical hacking so he could “catch the bad guys.
I departed with a fatigued voice but with renewed passion. In those classrooms, I did not only see the future scientists, engineers, and inventors, but also the future guardians of our online world. STEMspire’s vision has not diminished. It has expanded. We continue to open gates into the realm of STEM, but we ensure those gates are locked.
Space has intrigued me (infinitely) since childhood. I developed my interest in astronomy with late-night stargazing hours and made it more intense after watching India’s Mars Orbital Mission lift off in 2013. My curiosity became a passion to not only learn about space, but to make valuable contributions to our
When I began STEMspire, I knew what I wanted. I wanted to shatter the stereotype of what kids envisioned when they heard the word science. More often than not, discussions regarding STEM would end with the same professions: medicine or engineering. Both are honorable pursuits, but only a small part
Explore the latest developments in my ongoing research on resource extraction on Mars! I’ve outlined three innovative methodologies, along with key challenges that any future expedition team must be prepared to tackle. Energy harvesting on Mars is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of resource extraction operations and human missions. To
