The team at Rise RVA is your launchpad
organization for guidance on high school
research publication, techniques,
opportunities, and techniques.
About Us
Who we are
Are you curious about the world around you? Do you want to design experiments, analyze data,
and contribute to real scientific discoveries? RISE-RVA (research, innovation, science, & engineering) based in
Richmond, VA is your launchpad into the world of STEM research. Whether you're interested in biology, chemistry,
physics, engineering, or computer science, this club helps you explore topics deeply, develop your own research
projects, and prepare for competitions like ISEF.
In addition, RISE-RVA will be hosting its very own mini science fair! Every year, the team
members of RISE-RVA will be writing research papers and creating a project to present at a very own, unique
science fair. Top winners will not only be rewarded with some prizes, but they will have the opportunity to
publish their very own book, entailing their research journey!
Join us to learn how to ask the right questions, think critically, and communicate your
findings like a real scientist.
Meet the team
Kenn Wu
Director of Laboratory Science/Biomedical Research (co-leader)
As a rising senior at Mills E. Godwin High School, Kenn has a strong passion for biotechnology
research, especially in the areas of microfluidics, electroporation, and
cellular biology. He began his research career in his sophomore year with a biotechnology-based
project where he created a novel method that utilizes a pulsed electric field
to extract enzymes from intact plant cells. His work introduced a new technique for intracellular
enzyme isolation that preserves the integrity of the cellular membrane, allowing
enzyme harvesting without impairing viability. This work was presented at the Piedmont Regional
Science Fair. In a follow-up study relating to tissue damage mitigation, he engineered
a filtration solution using activated carbon to reduce pyrethroid- induced damage. His findings were
accepted for presentation at VJAS, where he discussed the scalability and
solution application for vulnerable and low-income agricultural zones. Simultaneously, Kenn has been
heading the design of a novel ring electrode for applications in
electroporation- improving both field uniformity via innovative radial geometry, and transfection
efficiency via more uniform field distribution- making advanced electroporation
technology more accessible for universities and laboratories with limited funding by drastically
lowering the cost of materials and fabrication. Following iterative simulation
testing and prototyping, he has been granted patent protection, and is currently working on a
technical package for prospective institutional labs and biotech startups. Outside of
the lab, Kenn is deeply involved in the community, dedicating time to leadership and outreach. He
serves as President of Godwin's National English Honor Society, Co-President of the
Debate Team, Founder/Co-President of the school's Mock Trial Team, and supports underclassmen as a
French Honor Society peer tutor. With a great interest towards increasing
scientific accessibility in the greater Richmond area, Kenn aspires to use exceptional research as a
gateway for underserved individuals to higher education.
Shaankari Ravulaparthi
Director of Laboratory Science/Biomedical Research (co-leader)
Shaankari is a rising senior at Mills E. Godwin High School with a passion for biomedical research,
specifically in the fields of hematology, pathology, and oncology. She has
been deeply interested in hematology, the study of blood, ever since she conducted her research on
the relationship between antacids and anticoagulants, which brought her an
honorable mention in the Biomedical Health Sciences category at the Metro Richmond STEM Fair in
2023. She decided to expand her work into the study of artificial intelligence
and use bioinformatics to analyze COVID-19 drugs. Hence, her research in this field awarded her 3rd
place in the Computational Biology & Bioinformatics category in the Metro
Richmond STEM Fair in 2024. In the following school year, she performed cutting-edge research,
studying an alternative remedy of anticoagulants to treat non-cardioembolic stroke
for patients at the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding. This novel research has been awarded a
National Ground Center Intelligence Award from the U.S. Army at the Virginia
Piedmont Regional Science Fair in addition to 1st place in the Medicine & Health category at the
Virginia Junior Academy of Science Fair in 2025. Moreover, Bethel High School
has rewarded her with a scholarship of $1000 for submitting a high quality paper. In addition to her
independent research, she is an intern and student researcher at VCU,
working on traumatic brain injury as well as piezoelectric viscometers as part of the SRO program.
Furthermore, Shaankari is an aspiring neurosurgeon and hopes to continue
profound research in the fields of neurobiology, biochemistry, and biomedical engineering.
Tanusiya Debnath
Chief Officer of Science and Director of Data Analysis/Epidemiology
(co-leader)
Tanusiya Debnath is a rising junior at the Center for Medical Sciences at Mills E. Godwin High
School, passionate about understanding the human mind and advancing neurological and behavioral
health. Her research spans addiction medicine, neurology, and artificial intelligence, including
projects on psychotherapy in opioid addiction, AI applications in stroke neurosurgery, and
intracranial pressure in microgravity. She has also researched determinants of addiction recovery
with CARITAS and explored the effects of adverse childhood experiences on substance abuse,
presenting her findings at the National Unity Conference. A dedicated leader, Tanusiya serves as
vice president of her medical club, and is an active leader of Debate, Women in STEM, Model UN, and
Godwin's mental health clubs, spearheading initiatives such as blood drives, awareness campaigns,
and community mental health programs. She is also a certified tMHFA (Teen Mental Health First
Aider). Tanusiya's awards include 2nd place at Virginia Junior Academy of Science, 3rd place at
Metro Science Fair at VCU, the Todd Allen Phillips Center for Medical Sciences Award, 4th place in
Biomedical Debate for HOSA, and several awards at Model UN conferences. Beyond academics, Tanusiya
expresses herself through Bharatanatyam, performing and choreographing original pieces that advocate
for social justice, women's empowerment, and cultural awareness. She has performed at the Valentine
Museum in downtown Richmond for the opening of their new exhibit Generations: Stories of Asian
Americans in Richmond, Virginia Museum for History and Culture to raise awareness for the Save Soil
movement global initiative, and various other festivals such as Festival of India and Taste of India
winning several awards. She hopes to pursue her love for medicine and share her experiences &
knowledge to give future generations of healthcare workers the tools to succeed!
Arianna Sosa
Chief Officer of Engineering
Arianna Sosa is a rising junior at Clover Hill High School and a dedicated student at the
Mathematics and Science Center, where her growing interest in civil
engineering continues to evolve through both academic exploration and hands-on experience. Her
passion for physics led her to develop an independent research project
that was selected for presentation at the Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS), where she also
authored a full scientific paper. This summer, she is further
deepening her STEM involvement through a leadership program at Virginia Commonwealth University,
focused on mechanical engineering.Outside the lab, Arianna thrives as a
dynamic leader and creative force. She serves as President and Show Captain of her school's
award-winning show choir, combining discipline and artistry on stage. She
also brings her voice to platforms that empower others, working as the Assistant Editor of Musa
Magazine, a bilingual publication dedicated to uplifting women, where she
also leads as the chief director of its podcast. Through this internship, she helps spotlight
stories of resilience and success, connecting media with mission. Recently
selected to participate in the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar, Arianna continues to
distinguish herself as a thoughtful leader and passionate learner. With a deep
commitment to both the sciences and the arts, she hopes to combine creativity with engineering to
build sustainable, people-centered solutions and to inspire young women
to do the same.
Renesh T
Director of Computer Science
Renesh is a rising senior at the Center for Information Technology (CIT) in Deep Run High School. He
has a deep academic interest in computer science, particularly in algorithmic programming,
artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and advanced mathematics. Currently, he is
the Network Administrator for the CIT Council and serves as the Vice President of Mu Alpha Theta,
the Math Honors Society. In addition to his leadership roles, he interns at his school division's IT
department, where he is developing an AI solution for the website. He is also learning complex
mathematical structures in order to further expand his knowledge on how AI works in order to develop
his own personal models. Furthermore, he conducts research in digital forensics at VCU. Technically
proficient, he is well versed in Java and Python, and is currently expanding his skills by learning
R and C.
Pranav Sundarrajan
Director of Bioinformatics
Pranav is a rising junior at Mills E. Godwin High School with a budding penchant for biomedical
engineering.
Ever since 7th grade, he has been actively involved in independent research and developed a unique
passion for medicine and making high-quality research more accessible
to the general community. An award-winning researcher and bioinformatician, Pranav has won numerous
recognitions as a three-time winner at the VJAS science fair. This year
specifically, with his cutting-edge research on the in-silico engineering of novel RNA drugs for
brain cancer therapy, he won first place in the computational
biology/bioinformatics category. More importantly, he received a grand prize award as one of the top
four projects in the symposium and a cancer research award with a
cash prize of $150. He will be proudly presenting his work at the national American Junior Academy
of Science (AJAS) fair as a representative of Virginia. He also placed
third in the HOSA state research poster competition and qualified for the International Leadership
Conference as well as 2nd in the Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair.
In addition to his wide-reaching achievements in research, Pranav is actively involved in community
service, namely by regularly volunteering at the Saint Mary's Hospital,
interning at a microbiology laboratory, and conducting computational biology research under a VCU
professor. Pranav is also the president of his school's biology club and
musicians club, co-president of scientific research club, as well as an officer for his school's
neurology club. He is also an avid musician, having been an avid pianist for
7 years. With a strong desire to pursue a career in medicine, Pranav aspires to share his love for
STEM with others in the community and empower the next generation of leading
scientists.
Gauri Vinjanampati
Manager of Education
Gauri is a rising senior as Mills E. Godwin. She has nurtured an indomitable fascination in research
from middle school. Her interests started exploring history through a critical lens before she
shifted her focus to science in high school. Realizing her dream to become a physician, Gauri found
a profound penchant for research centering around behavior and medicine. Aiming to empower and
cultivate change in the community, she became interested in research that is relevant to society. To
that end, Gauri researched procrastination in high school students and later explored plant
physiology to unravel the effect of acidic soils, a common worldwide phenomenon, on symbiotic
relationships between rhizobia and legume plants. As she delved into the world of practicing
physicians through internship and volunteering experience, Gauri is now working to expand her
knowledge on in-patient behavior research and machine learning. Going forward, Gauri is committed to
exploring relevant topics, offering her all to research, and aiding in the distribution of knowledge
to the community.
Varunika Gobinath
Outreach and Communcations Manager
A rising senior at Henrico High School, Vee is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program.
She is incredibly passionate in the field of biomedical research, indulging in the world of biology,
psychology, and biochemistry. She volunteers heavily at her local church, foster homes, and at
Henrico Doctor's Hospital. Vee has also taken part in research programs internationally, including
countries such as India, France, and Germany. Recently, she has completed a course that she had been
personally invited to at George Mason, working with colleges such as UCLA, MIT, and UPenn. In the
summer of 2025, she is shadowing her family, who own a hospital, including fields of cancer
treatment, watching from the sidelines during surgeries (heart and brain), and even being trained to
give treatments with the help of doctors. Along this, Vee has worked with the Red Cross Foundation
with blood cancer research, learning numerous techniques and methods in the medical field. Outside
the medical aspect, Vee is very much involved in other clubs, such as Model UN, where she has now
been on their secretariat for two years, in the school year of 2024-2025, engaging the role of
Director of External Communications and Registrations, and the school year of 2025-2026, as Director
General. She also partakes in 4 different sports, including volleyball, ice hockey, soccer and
tennis. Captain for her volleyball and hockey team, Vee's incredibly passionate in her sports.
Abhay Singh
Director of Data Analysis/Epidemiology (co-leader)
Abhay Singh is a rising junior at the Mills E. Godwin High School Center for Medical Sciences with a
passion for adolescent psychology and medicine. He has conducted research in biomedical science,
psychiatry, pharmacogenomics, and public health, including studies on allelopathy, genetic
influences on antidepressant efficacy, and the relationship between sleep quality and physical
activity in Baltimore adolescents—work to be published in the UNITY Journal and ICJS. Certified in
teen Mental Health First Aid and CPR/AED, and training as an EMT with ride-along experience, he is
also Vice President of Debate and Model UN, Director General for GODMUN V, and a leader in his
school's Active Minds chapter. His achievements include multiple Model UN awards, the Todd Allen
Phillips Center for Medical Sciences Award, and presentations at regional and state science
conferences, as well as the UNITY 2025 Conference. Abhay is an active member of HOSA, Catalyst
Academy, and Project UNITY, and aspires to a career as a physician, integrating clinical practice
with research-driven innovation.
FAQs
How many hours a week will the students need to commit for RISE-RVA?
A: 3-5 hours (including meetings)
Where are meetings held?
A: hybrid- Twin Hickory Library & zoom
What areas of research will the students get to conduct experiments in?
A: The students can choose what fields to conduct research in, including biomedical sciences,
epidemiology, engineering, and computer science/bioinformatics. See the interest meeting powerpoint for more
information on these categories
How will students get to showcase their work after completing research?
A: Students can apply for local & statewide fairs like MRSF, VJAS, etc. in addition to
RISE-RVA's very own mini science fair that will be held. Moreover, winners of science fairs will also be
presented with the opportunity to publish their own books entailing their research journeys.
How can students access helpful resources online to help them throughout their research
journey?
A: Through using our pre-recorded lectures, attending workshops, watching our YT videos on
specific research techniques, etc. Also, look at the resources section for helpful links!
Do I need any prior experience?
A: No, all can come to learn
Can an elementary student join?
A: No, due to supervision needs and safety concerns, only middle and high schoolers can join
Will I be able to publish my research?
A: Yes!! First and second prize winners in the RISE RVA symposium for each of the four
categories: bioinformatics/computer science, epidemiology, biomedical/lab sciences, and engineering, will be
able to publish their research journey in a book (will be published on amazon) as well as the opportunity to
apply to others such as JEI.
ow does this help with my college applications?
A: RISE RVA offers valuable research experience, mentorship, connections, and publications.
We will be frequently having speaker meetings where students have the opportunity to connect with scientists and
physicians, all improving networking and contributing to a better college application!
