Niharika Shukla is a 17-year old researcher, developer, and mental health advocate passionate about fighting the mental health crisis using advocacy and technology. 

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As a student intern at Harvard Medical School's Mental Health Lab, Niharika is researching mental health disorders and assisting in creating a youth suicide risk prediction algorithm. Niharika is also a research assistant at Columbia University's Mental Health Lab, researching mental health disorders and using artificial intelligence for diagnosis. 

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Niharika developed Mind Power, an iOS app fighting the mental health crisis in America through education, policy change, and direct support, to build a generation of resilient youth to understand their mental health and work towards social change. Niharika was awarded the nation’s highest technology award, the National Honorable Mention NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award, and her work was featured on the Nasdaq Billboard in Times Square and ABC News. 

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Niharika has been collaborating with a team of students statewide to advocate and write mental health legislation in Pennsylvania, aiming to create a safe and inclusive environment in schools and address mental health as health on an institutional level. Niharika co-wrote Senate Bill #886 and its companion House Bill #1519 alongside Senator Kane, Senator Schwank, and other youth activists, establishing excused mental health days off in Pennsylvania schools. She advocated for the bill at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, where she spoke with Senators and led the youth team in achieving bipartisan support and cosigning the bill. She also gave a keynote speech in the Capitol Rotunda, where she spoke alongside Senators and Representatives to share her experiences and urge support for SB 886. Niharika wrote and published the official Cumberland County Teen Mental Health Awareness Day Proclamation with the support of County Commissioners, along with the official Pennsylvania Statewide Teen Mental Health Awareness Day Proclamation, signed by Governor Shapiro.

 

As a young researcher at the U.S. Department of State's program, Niharika is working to create solutions to mental health issues in young people globally. She is serving as a Youth Advisory at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, supporting adolescent mental health research and providing youth perspective.

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Niharika is certified in Python during her time as a MIT HSSP Young Scholar and has received certifications in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Swift from IBM and Capital One.

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