Who we are
Passionate High School Students Looking to Create Change
In their hometown of Bloomington, IL, Angel and Luke Yin noticed a lack of introductory resources in specific science topics for youth. Motivated by their passion for chemistry and a desire to give back to their community, they founded Young Chemistry Scholars in June of 2024. Since then, they’ve been able to bridge educational gaps and inspire many young minds to pursue further studies and careers in STEM fields.

Angel Yin
Co-Founder/Co-President
Angel is a freshman at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, majoring in Biological Sciences. When not in the lab, she can typically be found reading, swimming at the lake, or playing pickleball.

Luke Yin
Co-Founder/Co-President
Luke is a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL. He aspires to become a dermatologist and is passionate about sharing his passion for chemistry with others. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with friends.

Manu Gadhiraju
Secretary
Manu is a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. He enjoys playing tennis and learning about the brain because there is so much chemistry involved in the brain, and that’s why he decided to join YCS. He is super excited to learn about chemistry with everybody.

Abhi Polu
Treasurer
Abhi is a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL. He loves studying chemistry and is enrolled in AP Chemistry. He is super excited to spread his knowledge of chemistry to youth through YCS!

Sohum Mehta
Outreach Coordinator
Sohum is a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL. He is passionate about exploring biological science through computational research. In his free time, he enjoys reading and playing chess.

Vishnu Vijay
Resource Manager
Vishnu is a senior at IMSA. He loves studying chemistry through laboratory research. He enjoys coding in his free time and is eager to contribute to YCS!

Sailesh Sasikumar
Finance Director
Sailesh is a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He hopes to major in biology and aspires to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. In his free time, he enjoys jiu-jitsu and hanging out with friends.

Ian Shin
Event Coordinator
Ian is a senior at University High School. He loves his AP Chemistry class and learning how the world works. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and the piano.

Francis Avogo
Southern Illinois President
Francis is a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in engineering. Francis aims to share his enthusiasm for chemistry by inspiring others and contributing to sustainable advancements in technology. In his free time, he enjoys watching soccer.

Lucas Zhang
Northern Illinois President
Lucas is a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL, and he aspires to major in biomedical engineering and wants to become a surgeon in the future. He has a passion for all things chemistry and wants to contribute to the development of sustainable pharmacology. In his free time, he enjoys swimming and lifting weights.

Krishna Nair
Central Illinois President
Krishna, a senior at Normal Community High School, is the Central Illinois President. His fascination with the human brain and the intricate chemical processes that power it inspired him to join YCS. When he’s not studying chemistry, you can find him playing the piano. He’s excited to share his passion for chemistry and learning alongside his fellow members.

