Sugar Hill 14-year-old Keshvee Sekhda recently made headlines after winning $10,000 for creating an app that uses machine learning to identify breast, lung, and skin cancer.
The app, called IdentiCan, was developed in collaboration with her teammate Nyambura Sallinen and qualified them for the Thermo Fisher JIC, the nation’s premier middle school STEM competition.
Keshvee and Nyambura trained a machine learning algorithm to recognize the three types of cancers using over 8,000 photos and health scan images. For lung cancer, they also included audio clips of people with cancer and other respiratory diseases to help the algorithm differentiate.
Keshvee’s feat highlights the importance of fostering an early interest in STEM fields, particularly among underrepresented communities. Her win is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the potential of young minds when given the right opportunities and resources.
The Thermo Fisher JIC, owned and produced by the nonprofit organization Society for Science, aims to encourage and support young young scientists and engineers. In addition to the grand prize, Keshvee’s school also received a $1,000 grant to support their STEM programming.
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