When Rishabh sees an opportunity to solve a problem or help others, he takes it. He realized Mucormycosis, a prominent fungal infection, was becoming more prominent after COVID-19 and rapidly spreading. In fact, it’s 80x more prevalent in developing countries. Rishabh felt the current detection methods were too slow, required too much blood and weren’t accurate enough. So, he developed FungiBug, a rapid, handheld blood diagnostic device to help alleviate these challenges and make testing more accessible to those living in underserved areas. 

His device won 4th Place at the International Science and Engineering Fair and received the Governor’s Future Innovator of the Year award, presented by the Arizona Technology Council. 

Additionally, he founded a nonprofit called Learning Minds, that enriches STEM education and increases exposure to STEM fields such as research for students with socioeconomic disadvantages, communication disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and cognitive, speech and developmental delays. 

He enjoys volunteering at SARRC where he serves as a peer mentor for students with autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, he volunteers at Gigi’s Playhouse helping out toddlers that have Down Syndrome, and Barrow Neurological Institute helping host events. 

Rishabh says, “I plan to go to medical school and be a doctor one day. I want to continue to use research to improve patient outcomes.”