Kunaal Kadam

ABOUT ME

Highly focused and conscientious high school senior with excellent communication, leadership and research skills from working with dynamic teams. Proficient in public health research, data analysis and lab work and positioned to contribute to the scientific sphere. Imaginative minded, able to create art pieces and metal models, and love to go on long walks with my dog Snickers! Proven ability to train and mentor student swimmers, driving team performance and employee success. Seeking to apply my scientific skills elsewhere where I can make an impact.

2nd place regional congressional app challenge 2025

Top 10 congressional challenge - Oral Health category 2024

Top 10 congressional challenge - Agricultural category 2023

Veteran teacher - Emler Swim School 2026

Teacher II - Emler Swim School 2026

SmartShower project:

Growing up in India, my parents had the value of water instilled in them which transferred to my value system. Bucket showers were the norm there, using just one large container (5 gallons of water) per shower. In comparison, the average shower length in the US is over 16 minutes and 40 gallons per shower. This is a lot of water drain and I wanted to create a product that would limit the length of one's bath time. Researching further, I also delved into the rabbit hole of how detrimental long, hot showers are to health. I decided to combat both of these problems and my invention, the SmartShower was born.

• Assessed potential risk factors related to hot water showers for extended periods of time (~20 minutes) on cardiovascular health.
• Developed an app with C# and a working prototype using a solenoid valve, a circuit board and a stainless steel 6 inch shower head to improve the health of users by limiting exposure to high water temperatures over 100 degrees F.
• Limiting high temp. water exposure, also saved water, increasing sustainability by 15.2 gallons of water saved per shower.
• Presented findings that showed a correlation between hot showers and cardiovascular problems to a Congressional state competition and won 2nd place in my region. Multiple studies show that hot water immersion increases heart rate by an average of 28 beats per minute, an alarming rate especially when looking at the negative effects of high heart rates.

Oral Health intern

Periodontal disease and dental decay are some of the nation's most common diseases with marginalized care, especially related to geriatrics (~65-75% of the geriatric population suffer from periodontal diseases). Navigated and built a better in-home dental assessment through DentalHome for the elderly.

• The traditional routine is to schedule an appointment, wait for months and then receive treatment and assessment. Especially for the older population, timely treatment is a key factor in avoiding health complications.
• DentalHome allows the user to utilize an at-home kit with pH strips and a program that collects data from the strip and assesses the gum disease risk factors.
• Examined the relationship between oral pH and its relationship with gum disease, cavity formation, and overall health prognosis.
• It was found that oral pHs of below 5.5 cause enamel demineralization which leads to cavities. Another factor is risk of gum disease, which occurs because of the inflammation and increased bacterial growth which accompanies low pH.