Aanya champions interdisciplinary thinking showing how blending diverse ideas leads to groundbreaking innovation. Aanya Gupta is a junior at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley who has been fascinated with STEM since she was young. Her strong background in competitive math has helped her build critical thinking and problem solving skills. Aanya has published research on computational approaches to improving vaccine development and effectiveness, presented at national conferences, and won the CMI-PB Vaccine Challenge with this experience. Aanya intends to study computer science in college, continuing to work in the intersection of computer science and biology. In her free time, Aanya loves to dance, having learnt a variety of styles since she was three. She is dedicated towards sharing this passion with kids and seniors alike through her teaching and non-profit dedicated to spreading joy through movement. Aanya’s goal is to do her best in bringing about progress and innovation to uplift the community around her. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx