Malini Nagulapalli holds a Ph.D. in Structural Biology from the University of Florence, Italy. She has worked in both the public and private sectors in the area of computational biology for 7 years and produced highly cited research work. Currently, she works as a science, technology, and innovation public policy professional. She has extensive experience in policy research, data science, sectoral ecosystems mapping, and evaluation. Her work revolves around achieving health and gender parity goals through quality education and efficient innovation ecosystems. More recently, she has worked with The World Bank on mapping and evaluating innovation actors in India.

IVLP Impact Award Project: AWESOMES: Advancing Women in Entrepreneurship and STEM Through Opportunities and Mentor Showcasing

The project focused on improving the retention of women in STEM and promoting entrepreneurship among female youth. The project created awareness of the prospects in STEM and routes to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities such that women can confidently navigate their professional journey despite unavoidable commitments. Malini hosted six workshops at various educational institutions as well as a launch and closing event that all served to introduce women students to the possibilities for careers in STEM and entrepreneurship. Her workshops included a total of 1,000 participants and the project also engaged eight mentors to continue supporting the participants as they explored their career paths. Three institutions and ten students have reached out to Malini to ask for continued collaborations and mentorship in the future, which speaks to the broader impact of the project within the community. One participant shared that the project, "was a very informative and interactive program... I will highly recommend my peers to attend your future sessions."

 

"It feels great to have mentors who not only understand the challenges faced by women, but also direct and guide towards the right path." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Malini was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship, organized by the U.S. Department of State and American Councils for International Education.

Malini's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award project. "IVLP showcased a broad range of stakeholders and activities in different biomedical innovation ecosystems of the U.S. It was an enriching experience to learn from experts about the activities crucial to catalyzing the development of novel and affordable technologies."

US Communities Visited

San Diego, CA; Washington, DC; Kalamazoo, MI; Akron, OH; Philadelphia, PA

Country: India 

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