Meet Catherine Ray—A 2014 Thiel Fellow and Mathematics Wunderkind

(pinging sounds)

I'm Catherine Ray, I'm 17, and I graduated with

my Bachelor's of Science in Computational Physics.

I'm going to fix everything that is wrong with wheelchairs.

I named my wheelchair PRIIIME!

PR: Personal Robot,

III: It's a triple phase wheelchair

and ME showing it's customizable

to each person's mobility needs.

I would consider myself more of an adult than a child.

I started attending university when I was 13.

I think that age doesn't matter.

What matters is that I work hard to deserve the opportunity

after I receive it.

If you're a woman in technology

and you feel that you're struggling,

first, recognize that your gender really does not matter

and second of all gain people's respect by working hard

and loving what you do.

I came to the Bay area this summer

and started talking to Fellows

and I realized that all of the quirks

that had been seen as bad back home were embraced.

My intense passion about doing things

and talking about science,

that A-ha! Moment happened to me when I came out here

and I was so happy

and I felt that I finally found my people.

(happy music)