Niveditha Balaji

Board Secretary

After learning about Project SCIFI’s work, Niveditha was intrigued by the organization’s unique approach to supporting under-resourced and under-supported science programs, but also by their aim to shift the academic culture in these communities. Drawing from her experiences volunteering in elementary schools in the SF Bay Area, she recalls an atmosphere of apathy that surrounds schools lacking resources. Yet, in spite of their potentially challenging socioeconomic backgrounds, when provided with the right tools and adequate support, students were not only academically successful, but also were inspired to take on more challenging endeavors. Furthermore, she firmly recognizes the crucial role that education plays in the securing the future of scientific America. As such, she advocates for equitable representation of all backgrounds, as it ultimately expands the potential and reach of the field as a whole. As a member of Project SCIFI, she hopes to support and inspire students to find purpose in their education, and ultimately, giving them the tools to pursue their scientific ambitions. After completing her Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, she now works at Sanguine as a clinical research coordinator. She plans to utilize her education and experience to give back to less-fortunate communities through her commitment to building an enduring foundation for science education.