About Us

Our Mission

KAST’s mission is about showing what science is really about: creativity and discovery. We give our students a chance to interpret and understand science in a different way - creatively. We believe that understanding science in this way would be beneficial to all careers. We support these professional journeys that our students and volunteers may choose to pursue, regardless of whether it falls under the STEM umbrella. We teach high school students how to lead, organize a club, and channel their passion for science in a positive way that helps their local communities. These high school students then interactively show elementary school students what science is about - innovation and creativity - giving the elementary school students fun, lasting memories of how science affects their world. Through this student-led structure, our 501(c)3 has already spread this new way of learning science to over 10 states. If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@kidsarescientiststoo.org.

WHO WE ARE

Our senior leadership is by students, for students. High school students from Washington D.C. to Washington State and college students from Virginia Tech, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, Yale, and more collaborate to design content, raise funds, and teach programs. Learn more about the national executive team below. If you like what you’re reading, why not apply to join us?

Senior Executive Team

MATTHEW SUN

MATTHEW SUN

  • Co-Chief Executive Officer

Stanford University, California
Matthew is a senior at Stanford double majoring in public policy and computer science with specializations in education and artificial intelligence. Prior to serving as Co-CEO of KAST, he led the KAST Virginia regional branch and the KAST branch at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. He's excited about opening up knowledge and careers in STEM to students from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as making working and learning environments more inclusive.

Allan Wu

Allan Wu

  • Co-Chief Executive Officer

Yale University, Connecticut
Allan is a junior at Yale University, where he is studying computer science and English. He started KAST California in 2015 at Cupertino High School, serving as the local high school director and President of KAST California. He sees KAST as important in fostering creativity within STEM and democratizing quality education. In his free time, he hopes to foster more consistent reading habits and democratize quality basketball analytics.

VICTOR YING

VICTOR YING

  • Chief Operating Officer

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Victor started as a KAST branch manager in 2010, then led KAST programs in Maryland in 2011-2012. Since graduating from high school, he has worked to provide technical and operational support to branches across the country. He enjoys mentoring student leaders working to further the KAST mission in new ways. Victor received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University in 2016. He is now pursuing a PhD, and works on computer architecture, parallel programming models, and compilers.
Personal website

JESSICA YANG

JESSICA YANG

  • Co-Founder

Since founding the organization as a high schooler in 2010, she has designed hands-on science lessons, taught young students, and mentored the members of KAST. What better way is there to learn than through hands-on fun? Jess graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from MIT (‘15), where she served as President of her class and was a member of the Pi Beta Kappa society. She currently lives and works in New York.

JESSICA SUN

JESSICA SUN

  • Advisory Board

Virginia Tech, Virginia
Jessica is currently a senior at Virginia Tech and studies Computer Science. Formerly the CEO/Co-CEO for four years and KAST Virginia President for three years before that, she proudly serves on the KAST National Advisory Board today. When she first founded the second high school branch of KAST in 2011, Jessica felt that many young students, partly because of a lower socioeconomic status, were cut off from supplemental STEM opportunities. This inequity, combined with her perceived lack of funding for public schools, spurred her to join KAST. She strongly believes that the youth teaching youth model sets the organization apart, and applauds her KAST peers for making the volunteer-driven non-profit possible. In her spare time, she enjoys weightlifting, table tennis, and staying up to date on current events.

JULIA ZHANG

JULIA ZHANG

  • Chief Technology Officer

University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Julia is a sophomore at the University of Waterloo studying in the Computer Science Co-op program. As someone with a passion for science and working with children, Julia thoroughly enjoyed her high school experience of co-founding one of the first KAST branches in Canada. She is excited to continue her journey with KAST on the Executive team, and hopes to help further expand KAST's impact. In her free time, Julia enjoys looking at videos of dogs and drawing.

ETHAN QI

ETHAN QI

  • Chief Information Officer

University of California, California
Ethan first found out about KAST through Allan Wu while he was a student at Cupertino High School. After hearing about the initiative and the passion its California founder had for it, Ethan worked to grow the Bay Area branch to where it is today. For the past three years, he has found KAST to be the perfect opportunity for him to share his love of learning how the world works with those around him. His favorite moments are when children’s eyes light up in fascination, like during his second lesson at the local elementary school, where the kids were engaging in an elephant toothpaste experiment. Currently, Ethan serves as the Chief Information Officer of KAST, and is a freshman at UC Berkeley, with an intention to major in business administration and statistics. He is thankful to be a part of the KAST community, where he has had the privilege of working with some of the smartest and most caring students from all over North America.

Eva Wang

Eva Wang

  • Chief Product Officer

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
Eva is a freshman at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor majoring in Engineering. Eva had the interest in the science field since a young age and her interest grew stronger when she entered high school. She first got to know and eventually involved herself in KAST junior year of high school. Soon, she started the KAST - Katy branch in Texas in the same year. Eva is currently the Product VP on the executive team in order to continue her journey with KAST.

SHANNON DU

SHANNON DU

  • Chief Financial Officer

Northeastern University, California
Shannon is currently a freshman at Northeastern University. She has always had a passion working with kids from all ages and different backgrounds. However, nothing can beat the satisfaction of teaching elementary school students science. It's always so rewarding to watch how a student grows from an observer to someone who actively engages in every class discussion and experience. She believes that educating and supporting the youth is the key component to a better future and the reason that makes her work with KAST so enjoyable.

ALEC YIP

ALEC YIP

  • Chief Legal Officer

Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Virginia
Alec has loved KAST ever since he got involved with the organization in 2017. From planning events to interacting with the kids, he cherishes every moment of the experience. Above all, he loves seeing the smiles from the students, and is proud to be part of the Executive board. Currently, Alec is attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute and majoring in electrical engineering.

MICHEAL MUNSON

MICHEAL MUNSON

  • Chief Media Officer

Baylor University, Texas
Micheal is currently a junior at Baylor University. His interests include scientific research, teaching, and philosophy. As a freshman at Baylor, Micheal began his career with KAST by establishing his own branch in Waco, Texas -- where he still gladly impacts the youth through scientific education. Micheal's fondest memory with KAST include an instance where a young boy intentionally poured vegetable oil all over his new shoes, and the student exclaimed, "I wanted to see what would happen if the vegetable oil mixed with my shoes!"

REGIONAL BRANCH PRESIDENTS

VIVIAN JIN

VIVIAN JIN

  • President of KAST Illinois

University of Illinois at Chicago, IL
Vivian is a sophomore at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in the GPPA Medicine program. As a Biology major who discovered her interest in science as an elementary school student, she believes KAST can truly make a difference in her local Chicago community. Vivian loves mentoring younger kids and strives to promote the KAST missions of inspiring future generations in STEM and advocating for education equality. Outside of KAST, Vivian is active as the Communications Director of TEDx at UIC and a senior health educator in Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that empowers ninth graders in Chicago Public high schools to make healthy decisions. In her free time, Vivian can be found exploring coffee shops, eating spicy food, or reading anything science fiction.

Jaideep Damle

Jaideep Damle

  • President of KAST Virginia

Maggie Walker Governor's School, Virginia
Jaideep is currently a senior at Maggie Walker Governor's School, located in Richmond, Virginia. He is ecstatic about physics, chemistry, and all things science! Nobody is as excited as Jaideep is to be the president of his high school's branch and he looks forward to a great year working with kids in the Richmond area. His hope is that, in the end, his KAST branch will have spread the joy of science and helped improve and excite the lives of so many.

ROGER LUO

ROGER LUO

  • President of KAST Ontario

Richmond Hill High School, Ontario, Canada
Roger Luo is the founder and current president of the KAST Ontario branch. In Roger's freshman year he noticed the poor representation the field of science constitutes in elementary school. In his sophomore year, he was introduced to KAST and started the first Canadian KAST branch at Richmond Hill High School in hope to inspire elementary school students to continue learning science throughout high school.

MICHEAL MUNSON

MICHEAL MUNSON

  • President of KAST Baylor

Baylor University, Waco, Texas
During Christmas break his freshman year at Baylor University, Micheal had came across Allan Wu carrying out work for KAST at a Starbucks in Cupertino, California. Curious, Micheal had asked Allan about KAST and the organization’s motives. Very soon after, Micheal felt that his interests aligned well with those of KAST, and, thus, was borne a KAST branch in Waco, Texas. Aside from KAST and schoolwork, Micheal enjoys spending his time playing sports, jumping random, but clean, bodies of water, and exploring the nature around him.

EVA WANG

EVA WANG

  • President of KAST Texas

Katy, Texas
Yanran had a huge passion in science since elementary school, and the enthusiasm got deeper when she learned about science in junior high. Yanran started KAST Texas branch in 2016, and looked forward to get more local schools involve in it. KAST is a great opportunity for her to use her passion to impact others in the community. Beside KAST, Yanran actively does art and dance. She currently studies AP Studio Art ,and considers to create an session plan that links art and science together.

SHRUTI GUMATE

SHRUTI GUMATE

  • President of KAST Michigan

Novi High School, Novi, MI
Her first year of participating in KAST as a volunteer she instantly fell in love with KAST’s work, and expanded startup in a neighboring city. Shruti believes it’s crucial to implement science education is such a way that youth will find it useful not only in the classroom, but in real life situations as well. As branch leader, she currently teaches at 2 elementary schools with over 20 volunteers and is working to expand to 2 additional schools in the coming year. In her freetime, Shruti volunteers at non-profits and is working toward helping the homeless in Detroit.

DANIELA MOREIRA

DANIELA MOREIRA

  • Co-President of KAST Richard Montgomery

Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Maryland
Daniela is a high school junior but a lifelong lover of science. She participated in KAST as a 5th grader when it was at its roots in 2012. Today she has returned with a certain kind of hunger to teach and give back. She avidly refers to herself as a child and strongly believes that to teach kids one must be a kid. Her mission as an educator is complete when science education is accessible to children of all ethnic groups, income levels, and backgrounds. In hopes of tackling the achievement gap in Maryland, she initiated a spanish-bilingual science program alongside KAST. When she’s not teaching, she’s your typical thespian acting in her school drama program or mastering her French.

NIHAR THAKKAR

NIHAR THAKKAR

  • KAST President of North Carolina

Green Hope High School, North Carolina
Nihar is currently a junior at Green Hope High School in North Carolina. He had heard about KAST from a friend and was amazed by the experiences his friend had encountered. Nihar was motivated by his own passion for science as well as the incredible stories he had heard about KAST. With 100% support from friends and family, he founded the KAST club at Green Hope. In the one year KAST has been operating at Green Hope, Nihar and the 100+ club members volunteered at one elementary school, working with the entire 5th grade level on a monthly basis. Now entering his second year of KAST, Nihar and Green Hope KAST have expanded to two elementary schools with bi-weekly visits, hoping to make an even larger impact on elementary school students. Outside of KAST, Nihar enjoys playing music.

DANIEL ZHONG

DANIEL ZHONG

  • KAST President of North Carolina

Ever since taking Chemistry Honors, Daniel fell in love with the atmosphere of conducting experiments and fell in love with the art of problem-solving. Daniel's previous experiences of performing fun experiments as a 5th grader with his elementary school teacher fuels his passion to provide a similar memorable memory for other elementary school students. As a branch leader, he is currently teaching at 3 elementary schools with over 100 volunteers. During his leisure, he volunteers and plays music for retirement centers, hoping to make a lasting impact on his community.