Aryana Motlagh

10| FRESHMAN

aryana motlagh

stepping up the world of STEM

Despite potentially inheriting a genetic kidney disease, Miami to live in two very different countries with different cultures has Palmetto Senior High freshman Aryana Motlagh uses the genes expanded my view of the world and made me more open minded she was born with to teach others the importance of science, to different cultures,” Aryana said. “At the same time, moving technology, engineering and math through her involvement in from one place to another from around the world has limited my numerous organizations. relationships. I have lost the connection with my friends in Iran and

While Aryana currently lives in the United States, she has moved haven’t been able to form [more] in the U.S.” back and forth between the U.S. and her original home in Iran. She In Iran, Aryana first became interested in the world of STEM first relocated to the U.S. at age four, moving back to Iran in the first from her aunt, a doctor. grade and eventually returning to the U.S. in the fifth grade. “[My interest in STEM started when I was] growing up,”

“[Moving] has affected me positively and negatively. Being able Aryana said. “I lived close to my aunt, who was a pharmacist, and I would go to her office, which is what made me fall in love with the science field and medicine.” While her aunt first sparked her interest, Aryana became increasingly aware of the importance of STEM with her family’s genetic inheritance of Polycystic Kidney Disease, a disorder in which cysts develop across the kidneys, eventually causing the organs to fail. Both Aryana’s uncle and grandfather passed away prematurely from it, and doctors diagnosed her father with it as well. “Less than 20% of my dad’s kidneys work, and he’s on the national list for a kidney donation. There is a 50/50 chance I’ll have it by the age of 35, and there’s no cure for it,” Aryana said. “So, that’s really what got me passionate about it, because I saw him every day going to doctors.” Diagnosed with PKD over 20 years ago, her father, Alireza Motlagh, currently battles with stage four of the five stages of the disorder, making him legally disabled. “It is affecting [me] because you do not know what is ahead of you, which is not good news,” Alireza said. “Mentally it is affecting you, physically it is affecting you, and... stage four means you are using [up] your energy, so you always feel tired; I cannot do physical work any longer.” Despite Aryana’s family condition that has affected many people in her life, she has used it to spread awareness about organ donations to others in her community. Aryana’s family has inspired her passion in the STEM field, where she has joined numerous clubs and organizations to continue learning about the various fields the subject offers. Aryana recently became involved with the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, a nonprofit organization part

of the University of Miami Surgical Department aimed at saving lives through advocating for organ donations. Through Life Alliance, Aryana helps coordinate presentations at schools.

“She has so much self-motivation to actually continue for a higher education and to be successful in math, science and art,” Alireza said. “She always liked to challenge science and challenge math; she challenged adventure.”

Aryana participates in other clubs, including Interns4Good, a variety of school clubs and the Youth Advisory Council. The organization Interns4Good gives underprivileged kids access to internships and free tutoring, and recently, Aryana applied to tutor through the program.

In addition, she participates in different STEM-related clubs at Palmetto: Science National Honor Society, Women in Technology and Mu Alpha Theta, where she met Palmetto sophomore Luke Yang, who has participated in all of these organizations alongside her.

“I would say work ethic is definitely a huge strength of hers; she does so much and she’s only a freshman,” Yang said. “She is a part of so many organizations [and] she’s founding an organ donation student run chapter here at our school... It’s crazy how much she does.”

Aryana participates in the Youth Advisory Council, a student-run organization that works with the mayor to help young adults become more involved in the community. On YAC, Aryana works as the multimedia manager, where she helps gather pictures for the verified Instagram page (@pinecrestyac).

Aryana also runs a blog through Instagram called “STEM Weekly” (@stem.weekly), where she posts weekly updates on Instagram about important STEM-related issues. The Instagram, created in Nov. 2020, features many brightly colored designs to grab her audience’s attention, and has accumulated a following of over 200 individuals. Aryana has expanded her audience to an international level, with writers from California to Texas to Saudi Arabia working for her.

“The purpose of STEM Weekly is to spread knowledge about everything related to STEM, every aspect of it,” Aryana said. “We spread awareness about a variety of issues; for example, we post mental health tips [and] we do fun facts.”

This year, Aryana received the approval of a new club at Miami Palmetto Senior High called Students for Organ Donation Advocacy. She is still in the process of recruiting members, but she understands the importance of advocacy on subjects like these to make students around her more aware of the difficulty of finding organ donors.

“My favorite part [of these organizations] would just be expanding my knowledge,” Aryana said. “There’s so many things in the world happening that we as youth don’t know about and just expanding our knowledge about different issues like organ donation.”

Her whole life, Aryana has fought for her voice to be heard on important science-related issues. Whether working through existing clubs, one she created or through her blog, she remains determined to get the word out.

“Being an introvert and different from other people my age doesn’t help,” Aryana said. “But I would never want to take back most of [my] experiences, as they are now a part of who I am, and I love that.”

Ana Martinez Design Editor a.martinez.thepanther@gmail.com Sofia Vinueza Business Manager s.vinueza.thepanther@gmail.com