Los Altos Institution Fellows

​Devansh Agarwal, an incoming student at Dartmouth College, is a leader, an entrepreneur, and an activist. In addition to his work at the Los Altos Institution, Devansh was the CEO of a social media agency he formed with 6 other students, and he has chartered two independent clubs at his high school. He also frequently engages with his community, volunteering at his local Senior Center, organizing walkathons in memory of his passed friend, and holding food drives for community food banks.
Devansh is determined to have an impact on the world by tackling intricate global challenges. With his multidisciplinary background in technology, political science, and psychology, Devansh works to combat prolific misinformation and fake news targeting vulnerable groups of people.

Julian Hong is an incoming student at Harvard University. Julian currently works for the Hoover Institution at Stanford University on East Asia and has worked with Stanford’s Department of Political Science, the California State Assembly, and the City of Palo Alto. Julian is a UKTOC qualifier, state runner-up in journalism, finalist for the National Feature Story of the Year, USA Volleyball Beach National Team Development Program invitee, and moderated the first high school-run congressional primary forum in American history—with LAI.

Quinn Mitchell, a 18-year-old political commentator from New Hampshire, offers a unique and unbiased perspective on the presidential process through his blog and podcast, "Into The Tussle," drawing from his extensive experience attending over 100 presidential rallies, meeting several presidents, and posing insightful questions, as featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Fox News, CNN, and USA Today.

Jack Gordon is a student at Yale University passionate about economics and finance. He is a Wharton Semi-Finalist, a National Economics Challenge Runner Up, and a Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge Champion. Jack was the Vice President of Resources for the Youth Economics Initiative, Team Captain of the Exeter Economics Association, Editor in Chief of the Exeter Review, and Captain of the Exeter Boys Varsity Ice Hockey team.

Avyay, a Vanderbilt University student hailing from Naperville, Illinois. Currently serving as a student representative for the Financial Advisory Board for his city, Avyay also actively engaged in school activities, including Model UN, Youth and Government, and Junior State of America. With a passion for business and a flair for innovation, he explores sustainable product development through his involvement in DECA. Eager to delve into research, Avyay looks forward to deepening his understanding of the intricate interplay between politics and the economy.

Eric Bagg, a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy, is a passionate aspiring economist. At school, he deepens his understanding of markets and human behavior through extracurricular involvement in the Business Club and the Investment Society. He is also a key participant in the nationally renown Exeter Economics Association, the 2023 second-ranked economics team in the nation. He is especially interested in the intersections of markets and medicine through the emerging field of health economics.

Haylie is an incoming student at UC Berkeley researching Cognitive Science at the Los Altos Institution. She hopes to learn more about human perception, decision making, and the processing of language, memory, and knowledge in the brain. In her free time, Haylie enjoys rowing, traveling, and spending time with friends.

Shannon Chiang, a junior at Los Altos High School in CA, is passionate about advocacy and global connectivity. At school, she serves as the vice president of Fight Overdose, an initiative that focuses on providing the community with crucial prevention resources while working to destigmatize conversations surrounding addiction and overdoses. In her free time, she loves painting, playing tennis, and traveling.

Theo Dischler, an incoming student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is researching sports medicine as a senior fellow at the Los Altos Institution alongside his role as a communications officer. Through the lens of computational biology, he aims to meld his background as a multi-sport varsity athlete with years of computer science experience and past research at institutions in pursuit of providing high-school students with digital resources regarding injury diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Sam Galli attends Los Altos High School where he is a part of the Class of 2026. He plays two sports and is part of numerous clubs. He has been interested in government, politics, and history for many years.

Keshav is an incoming student at Columbia University and lives in Dubai. He is interested in psephology and its application in a wider political and economic context. Keshav is the lead writer for Eton's politics publication and is also a keen classicist. Outside of school, he is an avid squash player.

Nicholas Li, an incoming student at Harvard University, is a fervent writer with a passion for economics, sociology, and behavioral sciences. Nicholas has penned a dozen essays centered on welfare economics, antitrust law, and intertemporal choice, winning awards and recognition from the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association, Pivotal Contest, John Locke Institute, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and Global Research and Consulting Group. Outside of classes, Nicholas spends his time reading and performing on stage. He enjoys contrarian ideas and is always open to an interesting discussion.

Ishika Modi, a junior at Los Altos High School, is dedicated to exploring sustainable solutions through policy initiatives. Ishika currently serves as the Vice President of Mock Trial, Novice PF Co-Captain for Debate, Fundraising Commissioner for LAHS Student Athlete Leadership Team, Leadership Member for BEAM (Business, Entrepreneurship, and Math), and volunteers with Girls on the Run. She has interned with Acterra and the Santa Clara Green Business Department. Additionally, she runs for LAHS’s state-champion varsity cross-country and track teams. Ishika aspires to pursue a career in public service and policy.

Yash Panwar, a senior at Los Altos High School, actively supports the homeless with technological difficulties they encounter and helps arrange housing appointments and applications. Using his knowledge of their hardships, he aims to learn about bias in machine learning to improve outputs for social good and create algorithms to help them portray their struggles with minimal effort.

Yash is an incoming student at the University of Maryland. With knowledge in everything ranging from science and technology, to public policy and law, he wants to use his knowledge and expertise to research and inform others about solutions to pressing global issues.

Amanda Wang is a student at Los Altos High School who is passionate about applying math and data science to provide solutions to issues in economics and technology. She is actively involved in multiple school activities, and currently serves as the Women in STEM public relations officer, BEAM (Business, Entrepreneurship, and Math) Younger Generation Program Coordinator, Math Club treasurer, and a peer tutor. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, listening to music, reading, and volunteering to help children in need.

Maulik Dhakal is the Jon Alvin Hayman Director of the Los Altos Institution and an incoming student at Stanford University. He is a Research Assisant at Stanford's Hoover Institution and serves on corporate and government advisory boards.

Gabriel Kirkwood is a Texas student passionate about the governance of scientific and technological innovation. He is a Research Assistant at Lamar University, contributing to groundbreaking AI/Machine Learning projects. Gabriel also co-founded a VEX Robotics team, leading them to the VEX Robotics World Championship, raised thousands for his rocketry team in a NASA competition where he was the lead programmer, and actively promotes STEM education in his community. In a world where technology is rapidly advancing, Gabriel seeks to find a balance between regulation and innovation, ensuring that technological advancements are both ethical and forward-thinking. He aims to bridge the gap between emerging technology and public policy to promote responsible innovation.

Dhruv Nagarajan, an incoming student at Yale University, is a self-taught finance and economics enthusiast, having experience in portfolio management and financial advisory. Currently contributing market and economic analyses for The Algo, a platform for premium stock market idea generation, Dhruv's YouTube videos on market analysis have collectively garnered over 25,000 views. Dhruv won the 2023 Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge and secured a 2nd place nationally in the 2023 National Economics Challenge Adam Smith Division. He also captained a Global Semifinalist Team in Wharton's Global High School Investment Competition and actively serves as a Vice President for the Youth Economics Initiative.

Dean Harpaz is an incoming student at Claremont McKenna Colleghe, an avid environmental conservationist, and photographer. As the founder of OneWhale, Dean has been working toward a safer planet for our next generation, helping our world become more forward-thinking. As a Fellow, Dean looks forward to creating new ideas and experiences.

Thomas Seigneurbieux, a junior at Los Altos High School, is dedicated to creating sustainable and aesthetically-pleasing architecture for cities across the United States through his experience gained from an internship at the UCLA school of architecture. He is also the president of the Los Altos chapter of the Best Buddies organization which aims to improve the lives and school experience of individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities.

Kayvon Banankhah is a junior in the Modesto High School IB program. He has
served in his school’s Student Leadership for the past 2 years, is active in his local Youth
Commission, and is a member of his district’s LCAP Advisory Committee. He’s a
passionate advocate for financial literacy and expanding accessibility to financial
education for all students, and has supported legislative measures such as AB2927.

Ratul Chakraborty is a senior at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California. He is the current president and founder of California High School Democrats, Pleasanton Chapter, a Pleasanton-based branch of the youth wing of the Democratic Party dedicated to enacting policy change in Alameda County and the State of California. He also serves in leadership positions at various clubs in his high school, including the quiz bowl, research, and math clubs. A passionate scientist in many fields, he usually spends his free time doing math problems, researching global conflicts, doing unique research projects in a variety of fields, or converting these interests into successful start-ups/non-profits to enact change in the world around him.

Alongside being a fellow at the Los Altos Institution, Trevor Crane is a Life Scout and OA member for Troop 31 with hundreds of hours of community service, Co-President of the HAM Radio club and A Group leader for the LAHS Cross Country team. He has also led groups of peers though the Lakes of Northern Minnesota and Provided guidance through the harsh mountains of New Mexico, while also assisting in many food drives, homeless kitchens and community cleanup and decoration around the Bay Area. He is dedicated to finding a way to combine the extremes of the world today and find a common, rational and practial solution to the economic crises that face the world.

Fernanda Escalante, an incoming student at the University of Chicago, is a member of the Exeter Economics Association Competition Team, where she prepares for the Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Competition and the National Economics Challenge. Outside of Exeter, she leads the EconToday Journal, an international publication focusing on the most pressing economic issues of the time. Growing up on the US-Mexico border, she developed a passion for development economics, specifically in the Latin American world. Today, she looks to investigate developing markets and their intersections with geopolitical relations worldwide.

Christine Gibson, is a leader, community organizer, and philanthropy enthusiast. She currently serves as the founder and executive Director of Zation, and actively serves on multiple nonprofit student advisory boards. Drawing from a multicultural worldview coupled with prior knowledge in psychology and sociology, Christine is working to revolutionize the nonprofit sector by transforming it into a space where all social injustices are addressed internationally.

Joonyoung Heo is an incoming student at Princeton University with a primary subject interest in history. He has developed extensive research with such institutions as the Massachusetts Historical Society, winning competitions at state and national levels. Beyond his projects, he currently leads the History Club and captains the school's History Bowl team. He also works in the American Independence Museum.

An incoming student at Harvard University, Sophie is someone who seeks to live life deliberately, yet still to the fullest extent, and her passions for environmental justice reflects a combination of the two. Unafraid, she wants to use her voice to accentuate her passions, while fostering collaborative and productive environments for future conversation. Outside of personal research, she enjoys exploring youth civic engagement through her role as convention coordinator for the Junior State of America, Ohio River Valley region. Additionally, she has worked on research at Oak Ridge National Labs, is a violinist for the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra, and a competitive swimmer on Tennessee Aquatics.

Anagha Nagesh is a student at John P. Stevens High School in New Jersey. She is passionate about finding evidence-based policy solutions for pressing issues, and she hopes to study political science or policy in the future. At school, Anagha partakes in Mock Trial, Research, Theatre, Choir, the School Newspaper, and Varsity Cheer.

Xavier Ramirez is an incoming student at Williams College, researcher, and writer passionate about critically analyzing society through the lens of philosophy. He is driven by studying power structures and achieving liberation through advocacy that is inclusive, innovative, and follows the principles of progress. He currently serves as the President of Policy Debate at Lincoln High School and is also a member of the LAUSD Governmental Student Advisory Council, the ACLU of SoCal's Youth Liberty Squad, and was a research intern at the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. Committed to the exploration of new ideas, he intends to combine the fields of political and philosophical research and advocacy to further social justice.

Joshua Tang, an incoming student at the University of Michigan and Vice President at Computer Engineers of the Next Generation, is a dedicated professional conducting research on science policy across various disciplines while actively teaching coding to students and fostering athletic skills in young children as a Junior Counselor at Decathlon Sports Club.

Christopher has background in machine learning research, with a focus on computer vision. As well as researching novel segmentation techniques for endoscopic surgery, he has worked on projects in chemical analysis and towards improved spinal health. In his spare time, Christopher engages in STEM outreach through his magazine and website.

Travis Hodges, currently the National President of the American Youth Association, is a dedicated advocate for educational reform and economic revitalization. At the Los Altos Institution, he manages operations and conducts research on economic implications of partisanship and instability. Travis previously led legislative efforts in California, sponsoring and cosponsoring bills such as SB857 and AB320. Travis aspires to study economics and policy for a future career in public service.

Carter McKinzie is an incoming freshman at Columbia University. Currently, Carter works in collaboration with Dr. Mularski and Dr. Aleksić of The University of Michigan, along with the Yugoslavic archives, in a comparison of the 1935 Yugoslaivc Nationalist Movement and Milošević's policies and government during the 1990s. Additionally, Carter served as the student board member of his Governing Board of Education.

Divaa Uthkarsha is a passionate UNSDG 3 advocate from India, who works for good health and wellbeing.
She is the founder and CEO of Project Surya, an internationally recognized non-profit working towards aiding the underprivileged type one diabetic adolescents in India through awareness, advocacy and funding. She is a Diana Awardee, recognized by the royal family of UK. She is the winner of the highest youth accolade for humanitarian impact and has been featured as India's top 7 changemakers by Better India and a 21 under 21 Change Maker.

Shardul Krishnakumar is a current student at Georgetown University with a strong passion for public service, social justice, youth advocacy, and policy making. He hopes to study political science and economics, and pursue a career either in policymaking or public interest law. He is involved in a variety of clubs and activities in his hometown, from being president of the school's debate club to serving as the former Membership Director of the New Jersey High School Democrats.

Beatrix Austin is a current senior in Miss Porters School. She is currently on the varsity crew and ski team and is head of the Freshwater Ecology and Bee club. She is currently pursuing her certificate in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship and her museum docent certification. Bee is interested in sociology, Art history, Chemistry and journalism.

Amiya Bansal is an incoming student at UC Berkeley. She serves as the San Jose District 6 Youth Commissioner where she initiates change through policy in her city. She is actively involved in local politics as she is an intern for the Mayor of San José as well as for congressional candidate, Sam Liccardo. She intends to pursue a career in government and in her free time, you can catch her listening to Rap and R&B in her car!

Celina Chen is a high school sophmore at Menlo School. She is a dedicated student and an experienced Congressional Debater of 5 years with an interest in American politics and international relations. Involved in student government, leadership and political activism, she hopes to promote political awareness in her community and become a national politician in the future.

Nikhil Daniel is a junior at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park with an interest in Domestic and International Politics. To further his interests and make an impact on his community, Nikhil is an Economic Policy Director at the Institute for Youth in Policy, Data Director for High School Democrats of America, and is nationally ranked for Public Forum debate. In his free time, Nikhil likes to play with his dog and watch Suits.

Talia Frank is an incoming student at the University of Texas at Austin. She is in her fourth year of Student Community Leaders at school and is the social media director for the Jewish Student Union. She is extremely passionate about medicine and healthcare in general and is focused on improving communities in those aspects. She has worked with doctors in the past to increase the acceptance rate of transplant hearts and provide scholarships to med students.

Sophie Glass is an incoming student at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between policy, business, and economics. Sophie is especially interested in spreading financial literacy, which resulted in her collaborating with Junior Achievement to introduce a financial literacy program education program into her district, reaching over 400 students. She has developed a keen interest in these areas by serving as a research assistant for the Higher Education Financial Wellness Association, research trainee for the Los Angeles Behavioral Economics Laboratory, NYS DECA VP of Communications, Roslyn Stock Market Club President, Roslyn Speech and Debate President, Harvard STRIPED youth corps advocate, and more!

Michael Leff, an incoming student at New York University, is a dedicated student and varsity wrestler with a passion for personal growth, sports, business, and entrepreneurship. Co-author of a book on Stoicism available on Amazon, he actively engages in school leadership, community outreach, and spent a summer interning at The Professional Fighters League. In the PFL's social media division, he focused on enhancing fan engagement and expanding the organization's online presence through strategic posts and influencer collaborations.

Rachael is a 17-year-old high school student in Nevada interested in international relations and public policy. She has a passion for organizing community events that advocate for economic and social reform. Currently, she works on developing programs on youth grants under the City of Las Vegas, serves on the executive board of the Blueribbon commission to improve issues concerning educational opportunities in the community, and holds the position of president at her school's DECA charter. Additionally, she is actively involved in advancing an organization aimed at educating young adults on Nevada and National Policies.

Noah Nam is an incoming student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Alongside his studies, he interns at Mashgin, where he performs data and sales analysis.

Tyler Rose is the founder of Bindwell, a yCombinator backed company. He has gained valuable experience through software development internships, contributing to projects at companies like Wolfram Research and Vortle. Tyler is passionate about leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance global wellbeing and has engaged in substantive research in bioinformatics and hydrology. As a founding member of South Bay Robotics, he actively promotes inclusive access to robotics education. Outside school, Tyler enjoys playing badminton and volunteering as a STEM tutor.

Alex Tasic, an incoming student at LMU and a fellow at the Los Altos Institution, passionately leads research in medical machinery while showcasing exceptional athletic talent. He is highly passionate about technology and wants to take that passion into his research on medical machinery. Through his experience with utilizing technology in past work opportunities, he will focus on the research towards advancing remote surgeries by reducing delay from the operator to the surgical device.