Meenal Bahl, a 17-year-old aspiring neurosurgeon, has made a powerful impact with her new mural titled STEMINIST at Sierra Circuits, designed to honor and celebrate women in STEM. The mural, featuring a central figure of a young woman of color surrounded by symbols of technology and life sciences, seeks to challenge long-standing stereotypes and unconscious biases, bringing attention to the often-overlooked contributions of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

During her speech at the mural’s unveiling on October 18, 2024, Meenal shared the personal inspiration behind this project. This past summer, she interned with a surgeon at Stanford’s Ear, Nose, and Throat department and a seemingly simple riddle sparked deeper reflection. The riddle goes like this:

A father and son are in a car crash and are badly injured. The son is rushed to the hospital for surgery, but the operating surgeon says, "I can't operate on him. He's my son."

Who's the doctor?

Meenal explained that while many people, including herself, tend to guess answers like "grandfather" or "gay dad," the answer is actually "the mother." This riddle exemplifies the unconscious assumptions that society often makes, particularly in roles like surgeons — fields traditionally dominated by men.

Her mural takes this reflection further, visually capturing the challenges and possibilities that women face in STEM. With circuit boards and DNA strands surrounding the central figure, the mural is a powerful reminder that women belong in STEM fields as much as men do.

Through her speech, Meenal emphasized how her passion for art and admiration for the strong women in her life — like her grandmother Bala Bahl, VP of Sierra Circuits, mother and other female leaders in her community — led her to create this mural. These women serve as constant examples of how women can excel in male-dominated fields.

In her school, Meenal has noticed the disheartening reduction in the number of girls in advanced math and science classes year after year. Her hope is that the STEMINIST mural will serve as a positive reinforcement for young women aspiring to pursue careers in STEM and as a reminder to challenge the deeply ingrained stereotypes that persist in these fields.

Sunnyvale Councilmember Linda Sell, a high-tech engineer by day, offered her support and praise for the event. In her remarks, she expressed her excitement about seeing such a strong commitment to diversity and gender equity at Sierra. As both an elected official and an engineer, Sell is deeply familiar with the challenges that women and underrepresented groups face in the tech industry. She highlighted how initiatives like the STEMINIST mural not only bring visibility to women’s contributions but also reflect a broader cultural shift toward inclusivity in high-tech fields.

Meenal aspires to become a neurosurgeon, and her vision is for more women to join her in breaking barriers within the world of STEM. Her mural, with its vibrant imagery and powerful message, is designed not just to celebrate the accomplishments of women but also to provoke thought, inspire action, and open up dialog about the importance of diversity and representation in shaping the future of science and technology.