1 min read
Empowering student innovation with the US Department of Education.
In this conversation, Kari Byron (Mythbusters, EXPLR Media, Crash Test World) is joined by National STEM Champion Sritej Sai Padmanabhan. Kari, Sritej and Dave discuss his STEM Festival project Neuralize, which aims to quantitatively measure disease markers associated with Parkinson's disease. Inspired by his grandfather's diagnosis, Sritej wanted to create a tool that could remotely monitor the condition of Parkinson's patients, especially those in rural and underserved areas. This conversation explores the themes of problem-solving, technology, and the importance of support in the STEM field. The guests discuss the desire of the younger generation to make a difference and the impact of technology on problem-solving. They also highlight the time and effort required to solve problems and the importance of starting small and thinking big. The National STEM Festival is promoting students and their projects like this one with the goal of creating a community where young innovators can showcase their brilliance and be inspired to pursue their passions in STEM fields. They believe in fostering an environment where every child has the opportunity to excel and make a meaningful impact on the world.
ABOUT KARI
For nearly two decades Kari Byron has been a strong presence in the world of science television. She is best known as a host on Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters but has gone on to host and produce shows spanning several networks;Head Rush, Punkin Chunkin, LDRS, Thrill Factor, Strange Trips, America Declassified, The White Rabbit Project, Positive Energy and Crash Test World.
ABOUT SRITEJ
Sritej Sai Padmanabhan is a 10th grader from North Allegheny Intermediate High School. Srtiej’s project observes how getting medical access in rural areas is a struggle for those who suffer from neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD). His objective was to create a telehealth solution through a computer vision tool that can quantitatively measure Parkinsonian Disease Markers and then use these values to quantify the disease severity.
This project is very close to Sritej- as two years ago, his grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson's' disease, and it was difficult to monitor conditions remotely. He noticed firsthand how much hand tremors can affect one's daily life and set off on the task to address this with his skills in computer science.
