About Us

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Hey everyone! I’m Shalini, a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved math. I loved counting and telling time and finding patterns in random things. Seeing the math everywhere around me helped me become interested in the intersection between technology and public health. I founded InteGirlsDerived to get more girls interested in math, so that they can be more interested in pursuing STEM careers and solving complex problems! I believe that math is the foundation for every STEM field, and we use it in our lives everyday! Removing math anxiety in girls and inspiring them to pursue STEM careers is essential to closing the gender gap in the STEM workforce and getting a broader perspective when solving the world’s biggest problems! I can't wait to see where we can take IGD in the future; we’ve got some big plans :). I also love to paint, eat delicious food, and listen to music!

 "I liked math from a young age and it came easy to me, however, once reaching 7th grade and beyond, I realized how much work I needed to put in to better myself. It really hit me sophomore year that when I understood math, I enjoyed it too! I used to push myself and work hours just to understand concepts so that I could get the satisfaction of completing the problem.  I wanted to join IGD because I realized that a small part of me has held back from math and I don’t want others to experience the same fear.  I want others to be able to feel the same joy and understanding when they do math and share that love with others. My experience with IGD has been great! I have been here since the very beginning and its been amazing seeing how far we’ve come. I can’t wait to see how much more we can grow and help others!  In my free time, I am a classical Indian dancer and I have been learning Bharatanatyam for over 10 years. I like to volunteer and am a Girl Scout Ambassador in my community. I also hold a leadership role at a District level in DECA. However, I am always open to trying new things such as skateboarding, embroidery, cooking, and more!"

"Hi my name is Arya Tadepalli! Math and Science have always been my favorite subjects in school because it seemed to explain how the world worked around me which fascinated me. I joined InteGirlsDerived because I wanted to create more opportunities for girls to get involved in STEM fields. When I took classes like Computer Math and AP Computer Science I was one of a few, if not the only girl in the class. I wasn’t sure if this problem was from a lack of interest or the intimidation of the stigma that these classes were mostly for boys. To rule out the latter option I wanted to introduce girls into these STEM fields for them to find out if they enjoy it or not in fun, low pressure situations. My experience with IGD has been wonderful so far and I can’t wait for more fantastic years to come. Outside of IGD I run cross country and track for my high school, dance Bharatanatyam, participate in CyberPatriot and numerous Computer Science competitions, am part of a Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign called SafeAtHome.VA, and I love hiking, camping, and biking with friends and family."

"When I was in elementary school, I loved math despite the stereotype that 'girls are good at reading, and boys are good at math.' I overcame my fear of math, and my love for the subject has only gone up since then. I am a part of InteGirlsDerived to help girls who face the same struggles I did in elementary school, and encourage them to pursue STEM careers. In my free time, you can find me listening to music or trying out new food."