by Sophia Tran (’24) | March 21, 2022

Whether it’s binge-watching anime or answering the next question about the Golgi complex, Ishan Pachauri (’24) has always been a curious learner with an aptitude for trying something new. As a board member for the Saint Francis Science Bowl and Quiz Bowl teams, he explores his passion for science while also increasing his involvement in biotechnology. 

As a seventh grader, Pachauri was naturally drawn to science and decided to join his school’s Science Bowl team. The mysteries of the subject were what interested him. “I feel like I’m just a ‘why’ person,” Pachauri explained. “Why does this work? Why does this function? Science has a lot of definite answers, which I really appreciate.”

Pachauri credits his curiosity for science to his brother. “He’s been a constant source of  inspiration in my life,” he stated. “With understanding concepts at least school wise, I think I got that from my brother. I always stumble into his room and ask, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ And he would explain his homework to me.” 

But his passion for science did not conclude in middle school. At Saint Francis, Pachauri is part of various different clubs, including Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, and Quiz Bowl. 

As a board member of several clubs, Pachauri also spearheaded improvements, such as promoting diversity in the school’s STEM organizations: “We added an all girls’ Science Bowl team to help with diversity because it is very male-dominated.”

In addition to promoting more diversity in the field, Pachauri hopes to pursue his interest in biotechnology. In addition to how large his impact may be, Pachauri’s goals are altruistic by nature: “There’s that one-in-a-million scientist who discovered something that absolutely changes the world. I don’t necessarily have to be one of them. But I want to make something that makes the world a better place, either through biotech or something to help the planet.”