2025 High School Scholarship Awardees
Sonali Sinha
Khan Lab SchoolSonali is a senior in high school interested in computer science and mental health awareness. Sonali leads autonomous software development on FRC Team 1868, Space Cookies, where she has taught Java workshops and co-developed Tagalong, a code generation platform and library for FRC teams. With the team, she also mentored young students in competitive lego robotics at the Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School. Outside of robotics, Sonali has researched brain activity during ketamine-induced anesthesia and using video games to alleviate PTSD symptoms. She was recently honored as a 2024 & 2025 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Honorable Mention. In the fall, she plans to major in computer and cognitive science at Barnard College of Columbia University.
Armaan Gomes
Homestead High SchoolArmaan is a senior at Homestead High School in Cupertino and is an aspiring computer engineer with a passion for hands-on problems solving. He has a deep interest in electronics, digital signal processing and biomedical devices, building a glasses-based hearing aid to improve speech clarity for those with hearing loss. Later, as an ISEF Grand Prize winner, he developed PDM (Pulse Density Modulated) Bitstream ASICs to increase beamforming efficiency and precision across a variety of applications from hearing aids to acoustic cameras. While his research spans many domains, it primarily revolves around array signal processing. This is a major facet of his work at the UC Berkeley Nanotechnology Lab; he is working on a high speed 18-channel potentiostat that interfaces with carbon-nanotube-based cartridges in order to accelerate blood tests and perform impedance spectroscopy. Armaan thrives both in his home lab, building and iterating on ideas, but also in his school’s robotics workshop. As Dean’s List Semi-Finalist and Software Co-Lead of FRC Team 670, Homestead Robotics, he has worked to improve the team codebase and documentation while fostering collaboration and team-building. Beyond the competition he works with teachers and administration to repurpose old laptops into loaners to increase accessibility and train new members. Passionate about education and accessibility, he tutors an Algebra 1 class at Homestead and judges at his local Taekwondo studio, where he has earned a third degree black belt. He believes that the best way to learn is by diving head-first into abstract concepts to make tangible solutions. During college, he looks forward to diving into hands-on research, collaborating with like-minded peers, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible to help his community.
Michael Bai Dr.
TJ Owens Gilroy Early College AcademyMichael is a high school senior at the Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA) and a dual-enrolled student at Gavilan College. He will graduate with an AS in Mathematics, an AS in Physics, and an AA in Spanish. He serves as an Applied Math/Physics Research Intern at Gavilan College investigating numerical methods in wave physics. Because of the many amazing STEM outreach programs he has participated in when he was younger, he is also passionate in giving back to his local community. He creates mock math competitions and workshops as the GECA Math Club President and works with his Linear Algebra professor to modify the curriculum and create more labs. He also cares about empowering underrepresented voices, as he founded a Gilroy Veterans Oral History Project partnering with American Legion Gilroy Post #217, reaching over 350 visitors monthly. In the future, Michael intends to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics or Electrical Engineering at a four-year university. In his free time, he loves to learn about new fusion cooking techniques, emceeing shows, learning about local history, and performing card tricks."
High School Scholarship Award
Application deadline for 2026 award: January 15, 2026
About the Award
The Silicon Valley Engineering Council Engineering Education awards recognize young engineering and technology students for their dedication, focus, and commitment to engineering. Engineering and Technology students graduating from high school are eligible. The award is $500 and students may receive an SVEC Education award only once. Recognizes high school engineering and technology students for their dedication, focus, and commitment to engineering.
Criteria
– The applicant should be studying in one of the following 8 counties: San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz.
– The applicant’s program of study is directly focused towards engineering or technology.
– The applicant has shown involvement in STEM activities (e.g., engineering, science, math, computing, or technical organizations).
– The applicant has shown involvement in community and/or social services activities.
– The applicant has letters of recommendations from two adults: faculty, organizational leaders or club leaders who can speak to applicant’s activities and performance in the above areas.
– The student exhibits strong academic performance as shown by GPA in the major and overall, as well as strong recommendations from faculty advisors.
Granting of Awards
Awardees will be notified through e-mail by January 31, 2026, and will be awarded at the SVEC Engineers Week Banquet on February 2026. It is expected but not required that awardees attend the banquet. Each recipient and one companion will be SVEC guests.
Questions?
If you have more questions, please send your inquiry to education-awards@svec-ca.org. Please put “SVEC Education Awards” in the email title.
Please do not input or upload documents showing private information such as social security number.
2024 High School Awardees
Priyanka Karunakaran, Evergreen Valley High School
Priyanka is a senior at Evergreen Valley High School. She will be attending MIT in the Fall of 2024, where she plans on majoring in Computer Science and Business and minoring in public policy. Founder/Co-Captain of FTC Artemis 18715 and President of FRC Team 2854, she has spent much of her time in high school exploring engineering through FIRST Robotics, recognized as a FIRST Dean’s List Winner at the 2023 World Championships. Outside school, she is the First Author on Data Science Research in Healthcare at the Montefiore Medical Center, using LLMs, NLP, and Biostatistics. She is an aspiring entrepreneur who hopes to revolutionize the
A.I. and robotics industry. An avid SWENexter of the Society of Women Engineers and Racial/ Social Equity Co-Lead of the District 4 San Jose Youth Commission , she also focuses on making STEM more accessible and less intimidating to underserved students both globally and locally reaching over 22 countries and 5600 students, empowering young women and neurodiverse students to follow their passions and reach their fullest potential. She hopes to use her own skills and passions to make a difference in the world and healthcare through engineering.
Nishka Sharma, Moreau Catholic High School
Nishka is a high school student from Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. She is passionate about computer science and its applications to various fields. Nishka is the global lead of the Youth Parliament, a new committee at the United Nations Science Summit that organizes students from across the globe to speak on scientific issues and advancements. She is also a computational neuroscience researcher at Stanford University’s Schnitzer lab working on using AI to analyze dendritic spine images. As the CEO and founder of the Youth Mentorship Project, a 501(c)(3) global non profit, she aims to focus on providing mentorship to
students on STEM related projects. Partnering with organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers and Climate and Digital Education in Sierra Leone, she hopes to impact as many students as possible. She has created a platform, YMP Match, that provides students access to a mentorship network at an affordable cost. Nishka is software engineering manager at the Fair Opportunity Project, an EdTech organization that aims to provide students with college application help and especially financial aid. She has also participated in Apple’s Engineering and Technology Camp as 1 of 15 total students selected. Here she had the opportunity to present a product to Apple executives. Nishka is the president of the Girls Who Code and SWENext chapter at her high school, a Women in Data Science (WiDS) ambassador at Stanford, mobile app director on the Space Cookies (First Robotics Competition team), and a Stanford Seeds of Change participant. She has been honored with as a National Center for Women in Technology 2024 National Honorable Mention and Regional Winner.
Vivian Yang, Castro Valley High School
Vivian is a senior at Castro Valley High School. She works hard to be a role model for fellow women in STEM and hopes to inspire girls through her work and outreach as the Vice President of SWE at her school. Outside of STEM, Vivian is the President and co-founder of the Radiant Readers Club at school, which was also her Girl Scouts Silver Award project. Through the club, she enjoys reading to kids and leading volunteers to support literacy in local elementary schools. Vivian is also currently pursuing her Gold Award, in which she hopes to launch a company with her friends and partners in Engineering and Business. She plans to study Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration at a 4-year university and aspires to be a co-founder and CEO of a startup one day. Connect with Vivian on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ viviany31
Amanda Zhang, Mountain View High School
Amanda is a senior at Mountain View High School. When she is not at school, she spends most of her time building cool robots with her FIRST Robotics Team, Space Cookies, as the software captain. In her community, she leads a few initiatives to support women in STEM, such as the recent AI in Career Fields panel she organized and hosted at her school. In her free time, Amanda likes to enjoy the outdoors through hikes, beach drives, and taking scenic photos.