Ananya Pinnamaneni

Hi! My name is Ananya Pinnamaneni, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be a Class of 2028 Baldwin Scholar! I grew up in San Ramon, CA, with my family originally having roots in Andhra Pradesh, India. 

 

I’ve been an advocate for gender equality from a young age, trying to dispel misconceptions about feminism and remove the negative stigma that many people have about the topic. During high school, I started a non-profit organization called Gender ShEquality and wrote a children’s book titled Feminism 101: A Guide to Gender Equality with the goal of educating kids about feminism from a young age. Thus, coming to Duke, I was eager for the opportunity to be a Baldwin Scholar and join a community that empowers female leaders.

 

I'm currently studying a Program II self-designed major titled "Gender, Health Policy, and Equity." I'm passionate about understanding how gaps in biomedical research, cultural gender norms, and policy design interact to shape inequitable health outcomes for women and gender minorities, and I hope to carry this lens of equity and systemic reform into my future career as a physician.

 

Beyond academics, some of my on-campus involvements include Duke WISER (Women's Institute for Secondary Education & Research in Kenya), The Chronicle, Duke Presidential Ambassadors, Camp Kesem, and Duke HAND (Helping Hands for Alzheimer's & Other Neurological Disorders). I am also an Emergency Medical Technician with South Orange Rescue Squad, a local volunteer group. Each of these activities has played a distinct role in my Duke experience thus far, and I’m excited to see how these groups can continue to help me grow.

 

I look forward to experiencing everything that Duke has in store for me and strengthening my bonds with this incredible group of women over the next few years!