Dr. Meenakashi Gupta ’99
Since her days at Albany Academy for Girls Dr. Meenakashi Gupta ’99 has been fascinated by neuroscience. Her passion developed in Middle School, and she has since been enabled to conduct research with scientists from multiple countries while advancing knowledge of the retina to improve patients’ eyesight. As a retina surgeon at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai based in New York City, Meenakashi continues to fulfil her dream of curing vision loss through retinal surgery and research.
Meenakashi graduated from Harvard University with a Neurobiology degree and Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed her residency in ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/Harvard Medical School. She spent her fellowship specializing in vitreoretinal diseases and surgery at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, where she currently works. As a retina surgeon, Meenakashi is able to restore eyesight, as well as the hope and quality of life to her patients. At the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Meenakashi and her team are working together to implement cutting edge retinal imaging to provide new treatments for retinal repair.
At Albany Academy for Girls, Meenakashi had wonderful mentors including science teachers Laura Waterhouse and Lynda Blankenship. Both encouraged her to think outside the box and engendered faith in her abilities to succeed in fields underrepresented by women. Mrs. Waterhouse, Meenakashi’s fifth grade science teacher, sparked her initial interest in neuroscience with an independent research project as an after-school activity where she learned the basics of the scientific method, such as hypothesis generation, testing and analysis, and presented her work at regional science fairs. This experience heightened her passion for the sciences and ultimately led her to study Neuroscience and pursue a career in medicine. She encourages students to seek mentors early on and discuss interests with teachers. One never knows what amazing opportunities might arise.
Albany Academy for Girls provided a nurturing educational environment to provide Meenakashi the confidence to excel in the sciences, a field once dominated by men. Although women continue to constitute a significant minority in the field of retina, she has always felt comfortable asserting herself at national conferences and leading surgeries in operation theaters. Meenakashi notes, “I attribute much of this inner strength to my K-12 experiences at Albany Academy for Girls and the positive reinforcement that women can pursue any of their dreams. I hope that STEAM education at Albany Academy for Girls continues to inspire girls to pursue and advance STEAM fields into unchartered territories.”
Meenakashi concludes with advice to her fellow Albany Academy for Girls community: “Reach out to Albany Academy for Girls alumnae. You would be surprised at how many people will be willing to help you. Commit to a few goals you would like to achieve with your STEAM education and stick to them. Sustained commitment is critical. Always have faith in your abilities to succeed, especially in the face of any internal or external doubts. Challenges and drawbacks are inevitable, the key is in overcoming them. Be open to different perspectives, and never fear sharing your own. You have something special to contribute, do not anyone ever let you feel otherwise.”
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