Ishaan’s unique combination of IB subjects are testament to his proclivity for increasing access to STEM education with the goal of affecting repeating cycles of poverty. In this vein, he decided to launch the Young Innovators Academy as a way of spreading his passion and getting students from underserved communities interested in the world of scientific inquiry, and in so doing, positively impact their future economic prospects.
The Young Innovators Academy is an initiative which hopes to increase both access to and engagement with the world of science. Through focusing on practical science, it aims to bring the study of scientific enquiry outside of the classroom, encouraging students to start to think about how the rules of science impact everything around them.
By developing an approach to teaching innovation and research in a way that emphasises individual experimentation and real world applications, it hopes to show students how they can engage with science individually – at home, away from the abstract concepts often taught in a classroom, and without the need for specialist lab-based equipment. Science can start at home, and simple experiments can show students the joy of critical enquiry, leading to increased interest and engagement with the field.
In an attempt to complement the Young Innovators Experiment Curriculum, Ishaan created, curated, and published a series of five instructional videos hosted on YouTube, that aim to deliver the methodology behind these experiments in a safe, accessible, and informative manner. The videos covered experiments that provided insight into foundational topics in science such as Gravity, Condensation, Sound, Buoyancy, and Surface Tension. Each video took students through these experiments in a step-by-step manner to ensure ease of understanding, minimal use of materials, and safety in laboratory conditions.