The fall semester is in full swing at Alabama’s colleges and universities and we’ve got some awesome new interns to introduce! Vaishali Nijampatnam and Kenneth Paik will be working with Gasp this fall through UAB’s Academic Small Business Alliance internship program. First, we’d like you to meet Vaishali, a junior at UAB majoring in biomedical engineering.
What is your major at UAB and why did you choose it?
In high school, I saw a video about a dog with 2 prosthetic legs and watched its before and after prosthetics life and saw how life changing and happy the dog was. I really wanted to find a major that can teach me the foundations for that type of career. Hence, why I chose biomedical engineering as my major. I chose it because the combination of engineering and medicine is impactful for all life forms whether it’s a bird, elephant, a dog, or a person biomedical engineering can be applied to everything.
What do you hope to do after you graduate?
I will be applying to grad school.
What is your dream job?
My dream job is to travel around the world while making prosthetic limbs for handicapped animals.
What do you hope to learn while volunteering with Gasp?
I hope to learn how a non-profit runs and maybe work with a non profit in the future. My project is to build an air monitor so I really hope to create one and aspire Gasp to use the air monitor at events and encourage the public to make their own.
Why is our mission to reduce air pollution important to you?
Air pollution keeps increasing every day and someone needs to remind the governments and public that if we continue polluting the air eventually the air will become toxic meaning the next generations won’t be able to breath normally.
What is your favorite food?
Mochi Ice cream and gulab jamun. Honestly I love food and don’t have a favorite because they are all so tasty!
What are your hobbies?
I like to travel, hike, watch movies, workout, but my ultimate favorite thing to do is sleep. The best days, to me, are the days when I get sleep in!
Who or what are your influences?
My family members are my influencers. My parents brought my sister and me to a new country without any one to count on. They had no one but themselves to push through the hardships and I truly am grateful for their sacrifices. My sister is also my motivator, best friend, and (sometimes) the most annoying person I’ve ever met. But without her and my parents, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
What are some other fun facts about yourself?
- I’m a Canadian citizen.
- My favorite animal is a panda.
- I once booked a plane ticket to Spain, then 6 hours later cancelled the ticket.
