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While in high school, I worked with a team of fellow students to create the basic design for a device (that we called IDAD) that uses nuclear tech to detect Alzheimer's disease much before an individual starts showing memory loss. Our project was shortlisted for the Nuclear Science for Development Student Challenge and we were invited to present our findings at the Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi before an expert panel of nuclear and health scientists. As finalists, we also had the opportunity to become the first civilian visitors to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant - the first nuclear powerplant in the GCC region, much before it began its activity. These were incredible (hard to get as a high schooler) learning experiences, and fueled my passion for science. I also got the opportunity to deliver a TEDx talk about this project and speak at the Youth Stem Summit 2020 about the potential positive impact of nuclear tech. It is my experience with this project that enabled me to get into the 1000 Girls 1000 Futures mentorship program of the NYAS, as well as into the Girls in Science platform. |