Ashrita Ganesh

Ashrita Ganesh is from Dubai, graduating from Dubai College in 2022. She plans to major in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) with a minor in Economics at Columbia University.

While in high school, Ashrita developed a passion for astronomy and cosmology; in the summer of 2021, she worked with a PhD student currently at Princeton University in order to publish a paper titled ‘Cosmology: Exploring the Fate of our Universe’ in the Journal of Basic and Applied Engineering Research. This research review first introduces an outline of cosmology and reviews fundamental assumptions. It then explores the essential Physics governing our universe, deriving and numerically solving the base case for the main Friedmann Equation. The last part of the paper includes plotting out the different fates of the Universe using code.

Aside from cosmology, Ashrita is also fascinated by the contentious topic of the gender wage gap. To this effect, she wrote a dissertation in which she explored arguments for and against wage differentials, and concluded that there should be equal pay for equal work based on statistics and economic theory.

In the summer of 2020, Ashrita started a blog in which she discussed various topics including sustainability, climate change, and the semiconductor chip shortage. She also founded STEM Street, a platform to connect aspiring STEM students from around the world with high school mentors. This not-for-profit initiative helped younger girls interested in STEM expand their knowledge through one-on-one lessons.

A sustainability enthusiast, she also founded doreupdubai, a local initiative facilitating the collection, donation, recycling and upcycling of unwanted clothes, shoes, toys and bags. Her focus was to promote a more circular economy, especially during the pandemic.

Throughout middle and high school, Ashrita has also been an active member of her school’s Math Society, STEM Club, and STEM Talks Society, where she delivered a presentation on solar energy. Ashrita represented her school and received awards in various individual and team competitions and olympiads; some of these include the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, International Schools Mathematics Teacher Foundation, British Physics Olympiad, University of Wollongong Dubai Mathalon and the Dubai Math Super League. In addition to this, Ashrita was an editor for two science journals (YSJ and IYSJ), which gave her the opportunity to explore new areas of science and engineering.

In her free time, Ashrita enjoys drawing, going on long walks, watching musicals and exploring new places in the city. She is also an ardent sports fan; aside from playing tennis, Ashrita loves following cricket and Formula 1 (go Ferrari!).