Dr. Hema Bharath is a strategic leader and compassionate professional. She serves as an inspiring figure in the field of education with extensive expertise in academic coaching, school administration, and college advising. Her overall journey epitomizes the essence of dynamic leadership and significant contributions to the holistic well-being of the students.
Dr. Bharath is a professional dentist and a certified college advisor with distinction from Columbia University. She also holds a National Board candidacy from UPenn, an MBA from the University of Cincinnati, and a Dual MS in Oral Biology and Oral Medicine from the University of Washington. With this impressive academic background, Dr. Bharath has coached over 1000 students in the past 12 years and has placed students in top schools like Princeton, UPenn, Cornell, University of Chicago, MIT, and Caltech, to name a few. “Many of my students have achieved recognition in science contests like YBTC, Science Olympiads, Biology Olympiad, Science Bowl, setting national records, etc. Our goal is to bring out the best potential in your child, and that is our promise to you all,” says Dr. Bharath.
The Key Inspiration behind ThinkScience Academy
The inspiration behind Thinkscience Academy dates back to a friendly discussion between Dr. Bharath and her friend’s daughter over a decade ago. Since then, it has evolved into a community that supports physics, chemistry and biology quizzes, helps students achieve their best, and offers guidance for college admissions and science-related inquiries. In 2011, Dr. Bharath established ThinkScience Academy to extend her teaching galore to a multitude of families.
The Vision and the Remarkable Journey
Thinkscience Academy started as a small initiative. Slowly but steadily, the enrollment increased with parents and students being happy with the science classes, and the results were grade transformation from Cs to As. As demand grew, ThinkScience Academy expanded its services to meet students’ broader needs, leading to the creation of ThinkScience College Advising. This new initiative guides students on college applications, including creating college lists, essay writing, securing summer internships, and navigating the entire application process. With all these, Thinkscience Academy is quickly becoming a one-stop shop for students’ needs and is in the process of expanding to math, while keeping science and college as its core pillars.
At the Forefront of Science Education
Thinkscience Academy is at the forefront of the evolving field of science education. The academy has embraced the highest standards in education, excelling in syllabus adaptation or technology adoption. Even before COVID, the team successfully used online technologies like anymeetings and Zoom to cater students globally in various regions and time zones. Their teaching style is unique, with practical applications and hands-on training where possible. Concept reiteration in the form of weekly quizzes and research questions helps students think outside the box to adapt as if there is no box. The students’ creativity is explored and expanded.
AI and Virtual Reality: Impact on the Future of Science Education
Dr. Bharath believes that in today’s technology-driven world, it is important to understand and adapt to growing to learn to understand these technologies may be helpful. However, she emphasizes that no technology, including AI or robots, can replace the role of a teacher. According to her, “We should use technology to our advantage, but the actual teacher-student experience can never be replaced.” AI can be a threat to college essays, but institutions have tools in place to differentiate essays written by students or AI, and admissions officers can pick if they are machine written or man-written. So, no escapes there. Thinkscience Academy train students with creative essay writing skills to shine their personality as they pen it.
Empowering Curiosity and Passion among Students
Curiosity begins with asking questions, and at ThinkScience Academy, the belief system is grounded in the vision that “There are no wrong questions.” Even seemingly trivial inquiries, such as “Why is the sky blue?” or “Why is the grass green?” are encouraged. These simple questions often lead to a deeper understanding and evolve into addressing larger challenges, such as global warming, sustainability, and other pressing issues. By fostering curiosity and encouraging students to explore their inquiries, ThinkScience Academy aims to inspire future thinkers and problem-solvers who can tackle the critical problems facing our communities today.
Striking a Balance between Academic Rigor and Creativity
Creative thinking comes with curiosity. Curiosity comes with interest. At ThinkScience Academy, this cycle of interest, curiosity, and creative thinking is continuously nurtured. The leadership team actively encourages students to ask questions, embrace failures as learning opportunities, and engage in hands-on projects.
Upcoming Trends in the Future of STEM Education
Dr. Bharath believes STEM will soon play a major part in the innovation economy. The creation of scientists, engineers, or health care professionals will drive the job market. ThinkScience Academy, as a pioneer in science education, will focus on building careers and developing students’ strengths with a focus on STEM.
Empowering Students for the Future Challenges
The economy is driven by the job market, and having the right set of skills is vital for any job, be it STEM-based, financials, arts, etc. Dr. Bharath and her team coach and train the students using a holistic approach that focuses not only on academics but also on the emotional quotient and the social aspect and brings out the best personality to showcase in any interviews, workshops, or informal discussions. You can trust the ThinkScience Academy brand, as that is her promise.
Road Ahead
Dr. Bharath envisions positioning Thinkscience Academy as a global leader in education. College advising is the major wing that ThinkScience Academy has been focusing on, and with its incredible student placements, the team would like to expand further with international branches in India, Europe, etc. Getting to the math track is a work in progress, and the leading lady is hopeful will shine through there.
