Q. In what grade are you currently enrolled?

A. I am currently a senior at Emmaus High School.

Q. Please provide the first names of your family members: parents, siblings and pets.

A. My parents are Jamie and Arun Mancheril and I have an older brother named Ajay.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject is biology because I love learning about all the processes involved in making the world alive. I feel like once we understand the unique aspects of the living tissues and cells around us we can use that knowledge to help solve bigger issues, and that makes me feel like whenever I learn something new in biology, I am learning another piece of the puzzle.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. The past three years, I have earned first place at both the regional and state competitions through the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science and first place at the 2025 regional competition.

I have also earned first place in environmental science and botany at the Lehigh Valley Science and Engineering Fair the past three years and second place the past four years at the Delaware Valley Science Fair. Additionally, I was awarded the Office of Naval Research Naval Science Award and the Saint-Gobain Foundation Sustainability Award. In March, I was chosen as the Emmaus Women’s Club “Girl of the Month” for mathematics for Women’s History Month.

Q. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? How has being involved in these organizations impacted your high school experience?

A. I have had the privilege of being the Red Cross Club co-president, science fair co-vice-president, Model UN vice-president and Student Government Association’s secretary. I am also a member of the Hornet Ambassadors, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Emmaus Science Honor Society.

Outside of school, I am a junior board member and volunteer at Camelot for Children and I work part-time at Nothing Bundt Cakes. These organizations have given me the opportunity to branch out, meet a wide array of people and find out I am passionate about using science to help solve health problems.

Q. What do you consider your biggest challenge to day?

A. My biggest challenge was feeling comfortable in new spaces. I used to be afraid to talk and I would hyper focus on what made me different from everyone else in the room. It stopped me from experiencing events and classes to the fullest. I realized that to accomplish what I wanted, I needed to put myself out there and make myself uncomfortable. I had to learn to not be afraid to fall.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. I plan on attending Lehigh University as a bioengineering major to help advance technology in the medical field. I want to focus on women’s health and furthering research to help the underrepresented problems that women face.

Q. If you could spend an evening conversing with a historically significant person, whom would you choose? Why?

A. I would choose to converse with Marie Curie; not only because she was an outstanding scientist, but also because the discrimination and barriers she had to overcome as a woman make her incredibly admirable. I would love to have the chance to talk to her about her experiences and the mark she made on the world with her perseverance.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I would like to be remembered as someone who is passionate and authentic. I want to be someone who was genuine and made a mark in my field in a way that helped others.

Q. Do you have any advice for your peers?

A. Don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind because it is truly the best way for people to get to know you. Compliment that person on the street. Ask for help. Cheer when you’re happy. When you spend time trying to stifle yourself, you miss out on the community of people waiting for you.