Vidhi Bakshi, an honors student and rising junior in The Ohio State University’s Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Astronaut Scholarship. The highly competitive award recognizes exceptional undergraduate students pursuing degrees in STEM who demonstrate exemplary academic performance, ingenuity, and a strong aptitude for research.
As a Class of 2026 Astronaut Scholar, Bakshi will receive a range of benefits, including up to $15,000 in scholarship funding and an expense-paid trip to Houston, Texas, for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation’s Innovators Symposium & Gala, where she will be formally recognized and presented with her award. She will also have the opportunity to present her work at the Astronaut Scholar Technical Conference, participate in professional development programming, and receive mentorship from distinguished leaders, including astronaut alumni and industry executives. In addition, Bakshi joins the Astronaut Scholar Honor Society, becoming part of a lifelong network of innovators and changemakers.
“Receiving the Astronaut Scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me because it validates not only the research work I’ve pursued, but also the personal and academic growth I’ve experienced along the way,” Bakshi said. “More than anything, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my family, mentors, and friends, whose unwavering support made this possible. This achievement is as much theirs as it is mine.”
Bakshi is majoring in computer science & engineering, with academic and professional interests centered at the intersection of technology, healthcare, and public policy. At Ohio State, she serves as Chief Technical Officer of Vocalize Interpreting, a nonprofit organization that connects certified interpreters with free clinics to improve healthcare access and patient outcomes for individuals with limited English proficiency. Through this work, she harnesses technology to address critical gaps in equitable healthcare delivery.
In addition to her leadership role, Bakshi conducts research as a member of Dr. Wei-Lun (Harry) Chao’s Machine Learning as a Basis Lab. Her recent work includes developing a benchmark dataset using wildlife camera trap imagery to study how machine learning models adapt to changing environments, contributing to the development of more robust and adaptable AI systems.
Bakshi also collaborates with the Battelle Center for Science, Engineering and Public Policy, where she supports efforts to analyze Ohio’s education-to-workforce pipeline. Her work involves integrating complex demographic, labor, and education data into an interactive dashboard that provides insights to guide policy and workforce development strategies — particularly those that expand opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Outside of research and service, Bakshi plays an active role in student leadership. As Co-Company Relations Coordinator for the Association of Computing Machinery Women’s Chapter (ACM-W), she leads recruiter outreach efforts, secures sponsorships, and organizes professional development events that connect students with career opportunities in the technology sector.
Looking ahead, Bakshi plans to continue advancing research at the intersection of machine learning and social impact while developing initiatives that promote equity and opportunity through technological innovation.
Bakshi will be formally honored in August 2026 at the Astronaut Scholars Innovators Symposium & Gala in Houston, Texas. Congratulations to Vidhi Bakshi on this outstanding achievement and her continued contributions to technology, research, and public impact.