Saptarshi Bhattacherya

Age: 16
School: Grade 12 student at Westwood Community High School for School Year 2020/2021
Future Goal: To become a software developer

Written by Shreeya Patel, MACOY

Saptarshi Bhattacherya loves software, programming, and fields that use critical thinking to make an impact. Through his heavy involvement in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) fields, he strives to change the world for the better.

“The ultimate goal of STEM and related fields is solving problems… The reason I am inclined to take part is that it helps us find solutions.”

He’s also enrolled in several Advanced Placement courses, which has helped showcase his academic brilliance. In Grade 10, Saptarshi was ranked first for his notably high average.

Regardless of his incredible marks, his peers describe him as humble and always willing to help.

He is also an integral member of his school’s Vex Robotics team and enjoys applying mathematics and science in real life. Another group Saptarshi is an active member of is the Westwood Green Initiative (GI).

Currently, he is fundraising to donate composting bins to schools and low-income families. Besides STEM involvement, Saptarshi values volunteerism.

“I like this activity because it is unique. It gives you a different perspective of the world, one that cannot be found purely through STEM,” he explained.

In 2019, Saptarshi went to Calgary to take part in the Inventures Pitch Competition, which is an international entrepreneur conference often geared towards post-secondary intellectuals. He was one of the few high school students in the competition and received third place against participants from 35 countries.

By devoting time to the science fair, Saptarshi displayed his admiration for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). His project consisted of the exploration of machine learning, specifically in traffic control, to make intersections more efficient.

“I found that the best method could reduce wait times at an intersection by up to 17 percent. It showed there are many improvements that we can find using techniques such as machine learning,” he said.

Saptarshi’s involvement in various STEM fields emphasizes his belief regarding the necessity of STEM in his community. By continuously striving for academic excellence, and actively engaging in STEM and entrepreneur endeavours, Saptarshi demonstrates proficiency in his passions.

“What I love about STEM is that no matter what topic you choose to explore, you will always be contributing to something larger than yourself.”

— Saptarshi Bhattacherya

About the author

YMM Parent Team

YMM Parent Team is a collaboration of authors and contributors from in and around Fort McMurray.