Maintaining strong alumni relationships and providing authentic learning opportunities are top priorities at AIS. Earlier this month, we were thrilled to welcome back Dr. Rajiv Uttamchandani (AIS Class of 2003) for an inspiring after-school talk with our High School Science and Engineering Club.
Dr. Uttamchandani first reconnected with AIS last spring during our 40th Anniversary and Mr. Georges Raybaud’s retirement, where he credited his AIS high school math education as the foundation for his academic success.
Special thanks to Ms. Nartia, our HS Physics teacher and sponsor of the Science and Engineering afterschool club, as well as Mrs. Schnatterbeck, our HS Counselor for maintaining contact and organizing this session. Students across all HS science classes were invited to attend the Wednesday afternoon session.
During his talk, Dr. Uttamchandani described his path as “eclectic”—revealing that in high school and his first year at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), his dream was actually to become a professional wrestler! However, his trajectory shifted entirely during his second year of university when he visited a telescope facility.
That “lightbulb moment” sparked a lifelong passion for astronomy. After earning his PhD, he became a professor and researcher at LMU, specializing in the study of low-light objects. Today, his work has expanded into global non-profit initiatives aimed at increasing youth access to STEM resources.
The most exciting takeaway for AIS students was Dr. Uttamchandani’s current work mentoring teenagers. He frequently partners with high school students to co-write and co-publish academic articles, helping them launch research careers before even entering university. He reminded students that with billions of pieces of open-source astronomical data available online, the barriers to discovery have never been lower. Using just their laptops, young people can make real scientific contributions that significantly boost their future university applications and career prospects.
We look forward to continued collaboration and connection with Dr. Uttamchandani, and we thank him for revisiting his alma mater, and providing an authentic, accomplished voice for the future generations of AIS scientists and learners.
