Prashanth’s AI Research Journey: From Passion Project to Curieux Academic Journal
Exploring the Power of AI
The use of Artificial Intelligence to predict Loan Defaults
When Prashanth joined the Inspirit AI + X 1:1 Mentorship Program, he was eager to dive deep into the intersection of artificial intelligence and finance. After exploring several ideas with his mentor, he landed on a project titled The use of Artificial Intelligence to predict Loan Defaults.
Prashanth chose this topic because of his long-standing interest in banking, and wanted to explore how AI could drive real-world impact in this field.
“I worked on a project in AI and Finance. I started off the sessions by explaining to my mentor my interest in banking specifically. After browsing kaggle datasets and discussions on some unique ones we came up on, we were able to choose one revolving around prediction of loan defaults.”
One-on-One Mentorship That Makes a Difference
For Prashanth, the most valuable part of the 1:1 Mentorship Program was learning to think like a researcher and receiving personalized writing feedback from an expert mentor.
Working closely with a Master’s degree mentor from Cornell, Prashanth gained not only technical knowledge but also the confidence to ask bold questions, iterate on ideas, and learn from failures. The structured yet flexible nature of the program helped him go from concept to publication-ready research in just a few months.
“The ability to have focused guidance in writing and structuring a research project was essential to the success of my paper. Without the program, I would have faced many structuring errors and overall would struggle in the writing of the paper. Inspirit AI’s program allowed me to smoothly publish a research paper and get to understand the process of doing the same.”
From Research to Recognition: Prashanth’s Awards and Achievements
The project The use of Artificial Intelligence to predict Loan Defaults has since earned Prashanth recognition in several prestigious venues. His work was accepted into Curieux Academic Journal, showcasing his contribution to cutting-edge high school research.
Beyond the accolades, the experience gave Prashanth a major confidence boost in his academic journey.
About the Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program
The Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program is a personalized research experience designed for ambitious high school students interested in exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and their unique areas of interest—ranging from medicine and neuroscience to climate science, economics, and beyond.
Students are paired with expert mentors from top institutions like Stanford, MIT, and Harvard, who guide them step-by-step through the process of designing, developing, and writing a publication-ready AI research project. The program equips students with both the technical skills and research mindset needed to produce original work, with the ultimate goal of submitting their projects to top high school journals, science fairs, and competitions.
The Value of Building an AI Research Project as a High Schooler
Publishing a research project as a high school student offers a powerful opportunity to stand out academically, demonstrate initiative, and showcase a deep commitment to learning beyond the classroom. It not only strengthens college applications by highlighting intellectual curiosity and advanced problem-solving skills, but also gives students experience with real-world scientific communication and academic rigor.
Whether submitted to a peer-reviewed journal or a high school research publication, having published work signals to universities and scholarship committees that a student is capable of producing meaningful, original contributions to their field of interest—something few high schoolers can claim.
Ready to turn your passion into a published AI research project? Apply to the Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program today and work one-on-one with expert mentors from top universities to bring your ideas to life. Spots are limited—take the first step toward making your mark in the world of AI research!
