Jasundeep Saini: Continuing Growth and Learning in STEM

Jasundeep

Meet Jasundeep Saini, a hard-working Grade 11 student from Edmonton, Alberta who dreams of pursuing a career in neurology. This young, inquisitive individual is always looking for new opportunities to forge progress in STEM. 

Jasundeep's interest in STEM was ignited when she was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of four. With a disease that many would find a burden, Jasundeep took it as an opportunity to educate herself. As she grew up, she was always taught to be aware of what she had, but never told why she had it. Jasundeep put her favourite quote, "Everything happens for a reason" in action by investigating why certain individuals acquire Alzheimer's for a grade 9 science fair project. After researching and enlightening herself about the effects of the disease on patients and families, Jasundeep’s mind began to wonder, “How does someone acquire diseases?” Jasundeep’s curiosity about diseases brought her into the world of STEM. 

Jasundeep, who works at a physiotherapy clinic in her community, is always seeking ways to give back. She is a warm-hearted volunteer who is constantly upbeat. This is displayed through helping her local area and reaching out to people around the world. Jasundeep's passion for education and inclusion led her to take action and create LaunchSTEM, an initiative aimed at promoting diversity in STEM fields. Over the past 8 months, she has been working tirelessly to bring together volunteers from different cities in Alberta and beyond to create a safe and inclusive space for students from all backgrounds. In addition to promoting diversity in STEM, Jasundeep hopes that LaunchSTEM will eventually provide educational services to students who lack access to resources around the world. Her dedication and commitment to creating positive change truly shine through in her program. 

At an early age, Jasundeep noticed that women in STEM often faced challenges and obstacles that their male counterparts did not, including implicit biases, microaggressions, and a lack of role models for women and gender-diverse individuals to identify with. Jasundeep recounts that as an Indian girl, she has worked to overcome the stereotype that all individuals of Indian descent pursue careers in STEM without choice or ambition. This led to her experiencing isolation, frustration, and imposter syndrome as she dealt with these inaccurate perceptions. When people ask about her future, she responds with how she wants to pursue her passion for neuroscience. However, she found that most of the time the response to this would be an assumption that her parents were pressuring her to study STEM. She would then have to explain her genuine love for neuroscience and how learning about disorders and allergies guided her to STEM. Yet, her explanation would frequently be disregarded by people who hold on to false stereotypes. From these experiences, Jasundeep came to the conclusion that she needed to develop a stronger self-image and start making changes for present and future generations of women, including herself. Overall, through her resilience and determination, Jasundeep exemplifies the power and potential of women in STEM. 

In her own words, Jasundeep states, “I believe the difficult phase of life is the most educational. When I learn from the difficult phase, this helps in future situations and decisions. If there were no difficult phases in life, then I would not enjoy the content and happy phases of my life. The difficult phases motivate me to work harder and reach the happier phases of life.” 

Jasundeep strongly believes that the future cannot be predetermined. As of now, she has tentative plans to pursue neurology in the future by first completing a Bachelor of Health Science followed by medical school. Along the way, she wants to “highlight the importance of STEM and being aware of science as it is an evolving matter that affects everyone.” Even as she pursues her ambitions, Jasundeep remains committed to giving back to the community and educating others about lesser-known diseases. Driven by her passion, Jasundeep will undoubtedly continue to inspire others and push the boundaries that women in STEM face in the future. 


Fun facts about Jasundeep

  • Favourite Food: Noodles
  • Favorite Part of STEM: Volunteering in STEM gives a reward that warms her heart
  • Favourite movie/TV: Outerbanks
  • Favourite Element on the Periodic Table: Carbon because it is versatile and adaptable
  • Dream Vacation: a warm place near a beach, disconnected from technology, and having my family and close friends by my side.
  • Biggest Fear: Loneliness
  • Go-to Karaoke Song: There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Profile written by Sara Iftikhar.