Why We Began

In 2018, Victoria and Ashna met each other while wandering the halls of a speech and debate camp. There, they realized what made the speech community so inclusive—unconventional friendship and unconstrained discussion—was missing in the scientific community. So, STEM & Buds was born in hopes to change that.

 Meet the Team:

We're now a group of young researchers, activists, educators, and organizers.

We're now a group of young researchers, activists, educators, and organizers.

  • Henna Setya

    Executive Director

    Henna is a 17-year-old from Naperville, Illinois, who desires to work in the medical field. She enjoys playing badminton and is part of Model UN and Aspiring Medical Professionals at school. Henna’s first experience with STEM & Buds was as a student in 7th grade, and she absolutely loved it. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends and binge-watch TV shows!

  • Tashvi Patel

    Executive Director

    Tashvi is a 17-year-old from Naperville, Illinois, She enjoys playing badminton and volunteering throughout the school through clubs such as Best Buddies and Interact. She has participated in STEM & Buds since 8th grade and enjoys teaching others about STEM. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her friends, bake, and paint!

  • Ronit Thakker

    Technology Director

    Ronit is a Senior at Neuqua in Naperville, Illinois. Outside of Stem and Buds, he enjoys playing pickleball and hanging out with his friends.

  • Neha Kumar

    Outreach/Events Director

    Neha is a 17-year-old from Naperville, Illinois. She enjoys teaching kids about new topics and exploring different interests. She also likes to play tennis, hang out with friends, and read books.

  • Anika Raj

    Finance Director

    Anika is a 16 year old from Naperville, Illinois. She enjoys sharing her passion for STEM and inspiring younger children to explore various fields. She also likes art, dance, and listening to music.

  • Samaira Bhat

    Programs Director

    Samaira is a 17-year-old from Pittsburgh, PA. She loves sharing her passion for STEM by helping young minds get involved and explore their interests through STEM & Buds. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf, spending time with friends, and baking something new.

  • Sristi Barnwal

    Graphic Design Director

    Sristi is a 16-year-old from Naperville, Illinois. She enjoys spreading her love for engineering to others and is involved in various clubs such as Robotics, Speech, and Chamber Singers. Outside of STEM, she enjoys playing badminton and baking various kinds of cookies!

  • Aashka Mehta

    Finance Director

    Aashka is a senior at Neuqua Valley High School. She loves sharing her passion for STEM with kids and exploring different STEM topics. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, and hanging out with her friends.