2025 Inspiration Awards Announced | National STEM Festival Recap

The future of scientific discovery and innovation belongs to our youth, and at the 2025 National STEM Festival Presented by EXPLR held in Washington, D.C., we learned it's in very capable and eager hands. 

PocketLab, recognizing the growing need to inspire even more young people to discover and nurture their interest in STEM fields, created the PocketLab | Science is Cool Inspiration Awards. Our goal is to recognize and celebrate students who inspire their peers to join them as problem-solvers and whose projects demonstrate exceptional creativity and community impact. This year students showcased groundbreaking work impacting everything from climate action, fashion, and robotics. 

After reviewing over one hundred outstanding projects already selected as champions for the National STEM Challenge, and speaking with young scientists whose work left us awestruck, we are excited to announce the winners of the 2025 PocketLab | Science is Cool Inspiration Awards.

Students were interviewed by PocketLab CEO and Science Is Cool: Unplugged Podcast host, Dave Bakker. These interviews will be used to create content intended for use in the classroom to inspire more students to recognize and embrace their budding interest in STEM while hearing practical advice on how to get started on their own projects.

"This is an extraordinary opportunity! I am certain that bringing PocketLab technology into our classrooms will transform the way our students experience science, sparking curiosity, inspiring discovery, and providing meaningful, hands-on learning that goes beyond the textbook. By giving students access to real-world scientific tools, we are empowering the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. I am excited to see how this will elevate our STEM curriculum and ignite a lifelong passion for science in our students."
 — Nunik Nishanian, Parent and STEM Advocate

Read on to meet the incredible innovators who are shaping the future - one (or several!) ideas at a time. 

 

Ashrita Gandhari | Thomas Jefferson High

Fairfax County Public Schools | Grade 12

Ashritas's project, LETOHEALTH, explores AI-assisted assessment of embryos to increase success rates of in-vitro fertilization.

When asked how we might inspire more students to peruse STEM interests, Ashrita shared how important outreach is, like the National STEM Festival. She cited an opportunity to advertise more programs in the school setting, starting as young as possible, to reach students who may not come from families already engaged in STEM careers.

Project:  Minimizing In-Vitro Fertilization Failures by Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to Evaluate the Health of Human Embryos

Ashrita's project video

 

Shashank Lahoti | Mt. Juliet High School

Wilson County Schools, TN | Grade 11

Shashanks project, RideWise, is an app he's developed that redefines school transportation and puts parents' minds at ease.

His advice to youth not yet interested in STEM is to follow their passion adding, "Engineering is not boring- it's everywhere!" He also recalled the impact teachers had on his budding interest in STEM concepts through promoting hands-on learning, (including leveraging probeware sensors!) in the classroom.

Project:  RideWise Bus Tracking

Shashank's project video

 

Hasini Leo Jayaraj | Rouse High School

Leander ISD, TX | Grade 9

Hasini's project Echosteer, aims to assist those with hearing impairment, two to three million people in the United States alone, gain confidence to drive and increase safety with vibration-assisted steering wheel feedback.

Hasini credits her success so far to those who recognized her desire to change the world for the better since a young age.

Project:  ECHOSTEER

Hasini's project video

 

Daniel Li | Lambert High School

Forsyth County Schools, GA | Grade 10

According to the UN Food Program, 1/3 of all food grown globally is wasted. Daniel is focused on helping to reduce food waste at its earliest source: the farm! His project, PlotAI, is an app that helps low income farmers use previously cost-prohibitive technology to optimize crop irrigation, which when mis-managed can lead to crop failure.  

When asked about inspiring other students Daniel shared, "If you're passionate and you work hard, you can take your interests very far", adding it was important to "just get started!"

Project:  PlotAI

Daniel's project video

 

Ani Nishanian | Rocky Run Middle School

Fairfax County Public Schools, VA | Grade 8

As space exploration advances, the need for efficient and sustainable launch technologies grows. Ani's project helps us consider a novel approach to space travel which poses an alternative to rockets.

Ani also founded 'We STEM the Future', a nonprofit aimed at empowering kids to pursue STEM careers, ignite curiosity and foster innovation. 

Responding to news of her award, Ani shared: "This recognition inspires me to continue my mission... I truly believe that when students are given the right tools and opportunities, they can change the world - and PocketLab is helping make that possible."

Project:  Optimizing Electromagnetic Mass Drive Technology for Launch Efficiency

Ani's project video

 

Rudra Patel | Middleton High School

Hillsborough County Public Schools, FL | Grade 12

Ruda's cutting edge project is focused on diagnostic psychiatry; using EEG technology and machine learning to make previously subjective diagnosis more quantifiable and reliable.

When asked about inspiring others to follow in his footsteps, Rudra shared an observation from his experience as President of his school's National Science Honor Society: that by high school students interested in STEM will pursue more of it, so inspiring youth as early as possible is critical to growing our future STEM leader community.

Project:  PsycheMAP: Decoding Neural Patterns to Improve Mental Health Diagnostics

Rudra's project video

 

Linda Pistun | Thomas Jefferson High

Fairfax County Schools, VA | Grade 10

Linda's scientific research is focused on the potential for insects to solve several world problems, including using mealworms as a carbon negative circular food system-with potential for removing styrofoam from our landfills. As an entrepreneur, writer, and science communicator, the impact Linda has on her community is immense.

She visits schools to inspire kids to pursue their dreams, including their interests in STEM. She reminds them" If you dream big, work hard, and are brave, you can do anything!" and "Do hard things! When you do hard things and fail, there is still benefit from the learning."

Project:  Increasing Food Security and Combating Climate Change: Mealworms as a Circular Food and Waste Biodegradation System

Linda's project video