Hi! My name is Zoya Bawangaonwala and I'm currently a computer science/digital art intern at Preemadonna. I live in a town called Summerfield in North Carolina and have spent most of my life here. I'm 17 and I am a senior at the Early College at Guilford. I also have a brother who is a year and a half younger than me.
My hobbies include programming, drawing, reading, and watching anime. I am an aspiring technical artist and enjoy exploring the intersections between computer science and art—these include animation, 3D modeling in Blender, and web/graphic design! I have some background in computer graphics, but I also want to explore machine learning and game/character development. Throughout high school, I've gained a lot of experience in using applications like Adobe Photoshop and Procreate to draw and design graphics for clubs and organizations I'm a part of. When I was a junior, I also coded my own (slightly buggy) drawing program in Java—this experience really sparked my interest in computer science and UI/UX as well as graphic design and deep learning. Since then, I've been developing my skills in coding and visual arts to gain a better understanding of how computers can generate artwork. It might seem like mixing paint with pixels is a glitch in a system, but I think computers are paving the path to more creativity. Aside from my digital projects, I am very passionate about fine arts and love painting landscapes and nature scenes. Art is an outlet for me, and I enjoy sharing my work with my friends and family.
I'm interested in the Nailbot because it encourages girls' involvement in technology, science, and art. For the last 3 or 4 years, I have been working with my robotics team to try and create opportunities for women in STEM. As someone who used to be the only girl on my robotics team, I know the kinds of limitations girls face.
Preemadonna not only helps me work towards expanding the role of women in STEM, but it also allows me to combine my passion for computer science and art. I'm currently working on building a site called Nail the Code, which will help girls learn to code their own virtual manicures. I hope that when the site launches, it will be a step towards helping girls become more tech-savvy and interested in technology and art!