Shashank Patil

Chief Executive Officer

Shashank was born, raised, and educated in the San Francisco Bay Area. Attending public schools throughout his education gave him a chance to learn amongst students from widely disparate backgrounds. He came to recognize that students’ successes were determined predominantly by their attitudes towards education, which in turn were shaped by a myriad of factors: socioeconomic status, belief in self-efficacy and growth mindset, teacher engagement, health, instructional materials, peer influences, and access to academic support services.

After graduating, Shashank spent his time tutoring students in underserved middle schools and high schools in the East Bay and had the absolute privilege of hearing students’ stories of academic and personal struggle. In time, he noticed that these students lacked the components he felt were essential for his educational journey: a reliable support system, active learning opportunities, and mentors that believed in his potential to overcome social and environmental barriers. As a member of Project SCIFI, Shashank is incredibly grateful to work alongside a group of people who bring a diverse set of educational experiences and share his passion for providing students with access to high-quality science education. For Shashank, the goal of Project SCIFI is not to push students to become scientists, but rather to equip them with the tools that will allow them to become critical evaluators of information, intrinsically-motivated learners, and active agents in shaping the trajectory of their lives and community.

Shashank recently completed his medical degree at University of Illinois at Chicago and will be starting his residency at University of Washington in General Surgery where he plans to devote his career to serving underserved communities through health and education.