TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year & Top Young Innovator

Gitanjali Rao was recognized as America’s Top Young Scientist and awarded a Presidential Youth Award from the Environmental Protection Agency for inventing her device “Tethys”—an early lead detection tool. Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione”—a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and “Kindly”—an anti-cyberbullying service using artificial intelligence and natural language processing.

She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s 2020 “Top Young Innovator” and “Kid of the Year” for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which have inspired over 46,000 students in the last two years across four continents. In her sessions, she shares her innovation process that can be used by students all over the world. She often presents at global and corporate forums highlighting innovation and the importance of STEM. She was recognized as one of 2021 America’s top youth volunteers by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Gitanjali is the author of the book “Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM,” which guides students, educators, or teachers through a prescribed five-step innovation process.