From an initial 40 students to its current membership of between 400 and 800, Promoting Innovative Individuals (PII) has expanded rapidly. Founded in Washington High School in 2023, the scientific research club to date has seven to eight chapters—many of which are located outside of Fremont in cities including Milpitas, San Jose, Pleasanton and Antioch. It has garnered attention internationally; at least 60 people from countries as varied as Canada, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bangladesh and India attended PII’s workshop in July and August 2025.
PII inspires its members to pursue knowledge, surrounding students in a culture of love for learning.
Club founder Aksh Parekh was in first grade when he first dreamed of being an astronomer. This passion manifested itself into his study of quantum physics starting when he was in the seventh grade. But, in 2023 as a Sophomore at Washington High School (WHS), Parekh had questions he could not find answers for. All of his science teachers had said that quantum physics was outside of the realm of science they specialized in.
His confidence in his close friend and fellow sophomore Arjun Nirmal led to their decision to create a community of research that would arm fellow scholars like himself to delve deeper into their topics of choice. While Nirmal does not describe himself as an avid researcher, his skills in mentoring people with ideas to execute and develop them into tangible results has played a key role in setting up and managing the club.
Creating and stabilizing PII was not easy. Other students had similar ideas for creating research clubs. One of the founders, Chahel Paatur, moved to a different school. Some officers with alternative visions for the club’s future disbanded. The remaining officers have had to search for venues at which to meet and host events, to arrange for steady sources of funding, and to find professors and business owners to mentor and train the members. But PII survived due to—as outreach director Smaran Sure describes—their “strong vision and consistency.”
With Shikha Sharma as the advisor for the WHS chapter, the 2025 – 2026 club officers include president Parekh, vice president Nirmal, secretary Sahana Kohli, events director Shantilata Sahu, outreach director Smaran Sure, and treasurer Bethool Batul Raja.
The club has a collaborative and supportive atmosphere. If students have not already chosen subjects for their projects, members brainstorm ideas for research topics together. The club also educates its members on how to research. Before deciding which metric or scientific methodology to use, students read papers relevant to their project.
PII aims to fund research tools to create equity in education so that scholars with less money will not shy away from ambitious projects. Club members gain skills in public speaking as they often present their projects to other members and people outside of the club at conferences and county-wide and international science fairs. PII has tried to address societal problems as well.
During the 2024 – 2025 academic year, PII held the “2050 Challenge” to encourage club members to research solutions aiming to create a better world. Research projects students engaged in include: Using quantum dots (which are used in televisions in solar panels) to increase the efficiency of energy capture and storage, combating desertification using hydrogels and machine learning and reducing pollution by partnering with microorganisms and enzymes that digest plastic and developing biodegradable alternatives to plastic.
In describing what they enjoy most about their membership in PII, Kohli mentioned the opportunity to “help people develop their passions” and Sahu said she realized “she has the ability to make an impact.” Similarly, Sure recalls he had tried to get involved with a variety of clubs at WHS but decided that PII is the club with the greatest “meaning or purpose.” From his involvement with PII, Nirmal said he learned most about “hearing unique perspectives and believing in crazy ideas.”
Attempts are underway to increase involvement by Trinidad and Tobago and to create a chapter in the United Kingdom. The club plans to host a “2050 Challenge” in December 2025, to raise $5000 from sponsorships by the end of 2025, and to organize events with other chapters by June 2026.
Club officers are hoping for the creation of new branches and encourage interested folks to contact them at wh********@***il.com.
