Align students Molly Beck and Shital Waters win ‘Women Who Empower Innovator Awards’
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Align students Molly Beck and Shital Waters win ‘Women Who Empower Innovator Awards’
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Align students Molly Beck and Shital Waters win ‘Women Who Empower Innovator Awards’
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Align students Molly Beck and Shital Waters win ‘Women Who Empower Innovator Awards’
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Wed 08.25.21 / Sarah Olender
Khoury College of Computer Sciences prepares diverse students for significant roles in a wide range of industries and sectors and has fostered a strong foundation for future leaders in tech, including innovators and entrepreneurs.
Two Khoury College entrepreneurs stood out at Northeastern University’s first Women Who Empower Innovator Awards. Two students in the Align MSCS program, Molly Beck and Shital Waters, were recognized for their unique business ideas—Beck in podcasting production and Waters in environmental AI—both ideas that they implemented as students.
Spotlight on Khoury’s two award winners
Entrepreneur Molly Beck won a first-place innovator award on the strength of her podcast production company, Messy.fm, which is a suite that helps businesses efficiently create podcasts to distribute internally. Her business had origins in her early experiences as a blogger, which led to a side career and a book. She explained, “I benefited from blogging because I was a content creator in the space, but when podcasting started happening, I wanted to own a bigger piece of the space, and that would be in the technology.”
As Messy.fm grew, Beck realized that effective leadership would require computer science knowledge. She decided that she would go back to school and learn about the coding behind the software she was creating. In her free time, as Beck was mentoring people who were interested in podcasting, she found herself advising her mentees to study computer science–or at least take some courses. She kept giving this advice, which eventually inspired her to pursue a computer science education.
Molly Beck“One day I was like, why am I giving this advice to everyone and I’m not taking it myself?” Beck said.
Soon after she had that thought, she applied to the Align program.
Shital Waters, won the runner-up award, and she is working to develop and grow BluePlanetAI, an environmental artificial intelligence company.
Waters attributes the success of BluePlanetAI to her membership in a Northeastern AI club, where she was able to meet people with similar interests who collaborated to form the BluePlanetAI team.
Shital Waters“We came together, and we were thinking of starting a project, something that has to do with aquatic environments and trying to find a niche that has high impact,” Waters said.
But the team didn’t come up with one clear idea to start.
“It was a long process,” she said. “It was around ten months. As a startup, you change so many ideas as you go along with it. So eventually, with some guidance from different judges when we entered competitions, we found BluePlanetAI.”
The team took an interest in environmental AI technology, and after doing research, they learned that algae blooms were increasing and costing nations thousands of dollars. From there, the BluePlanetAI was established. The team now is in the process of building an “environmental system that allows us to stream data from a drone to our cloud software so we can provide preventative measures,” Waters said.
Waters hopes to use her business to help gather research for government and other organizations that will help protect, preserve, and learn from these environments.
“I always wanted to try to combine my undergrad degree in biology with computer science somehow, and I have a strong passion to help people or help the planet,” Waters said. “I wanted to make a difference in this world; to have some kind of legacy.”
It wasn’t always an easy path. During her presentation to the judges at the awards, Waters opened up about her difficult past and the obstacles she overcame, which is why winning this award meant more than just a cash prize.
“What means the most to me is that with that the award comes with support. Support from such powerful, inspiring women,” Waters said. “Growing up trying to get an education wasn’t easy. I came from a really difficult background. I went through a lot of struggles. I dealt with emotional and physical abuse for about 26 years of my life. And, you know, having that support from someone who really believes in you? I can’t even describe how it feels.”
While Waters is still in the beginning stages of her business, she now has the Khoury community backing her as she advances BluePlanetAI.
Recognition for female entrepreneurs at Northeastern
Behind the entrepreneurs and the awards, there is also a strong team with a passion to bring more recognition to female entrepreneurs.
Betsy Ludwig, the executive director of women’s entrepreneurship at Northeastern University, organized the event to help achieve one of her goals: help support female entrepreneurs. Aside from the awards, Ludwig also helps to promote other clubs that help women grow their businesses, skills, and ideas.
The Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, or WISE, provides mentorship, workshops, and support for female entrepreneurs in the Northeastern community.
“It’s really supposed to be kind of a gateway into our entrepreneurship ecosystem for women with a very diverse perspective, with a very interdisciplinary perspective,” Ludwig said. With her program and in her position, she wants to see entrepreneurial pursuits not just from business school women, but also women from the health field, the arts, computer sciences, and more.
The Women Who Empower Innovator Awards, far from simply recognizing individuals for their achievements, implicitly acknowledges the importance of community support in advancing entrepreneurial endeavors–a key factor that awardees value.
Said Shital Waters: “No matter what you’re going through, there are always people around you that are willing to help. You don’t have to feel like you’re in this alone. We’re all in this together and it comes from just helping each other out.”
Khoury College of Computer Sciences prepares diverse students for significant roles in a wide range of industries and sectors and has fostered a strong foundation for future leaders in tech, including innovators and entrepreneurs.
Two Khoury College entrepreneurs stood out at Northeastern University’s first Women Who Empower Innovator Awards. Two students in the Align MSCS program, Molly Beck and Shital Waters, were recognized for their unique business ideas—Beck in podcasting production and Waters in environmental AI—both ideas that they implemented as students.
Spotlight on Khoury’s two award winners
Entrepreneur Molly Beck won a first-place innovator award on the strength of her podcast production company, Messy.fm, which is a suite that helps businesses efficiently create podcasts to distribute internally. Her business had origins in her early experiences as a blogger, which led to a side career and a book. She explained, “I benefited from blogging because I was a content creator in the space, but when podcasting started happening, I wanted to own a bigger piece of the space, and that would be in the technology.”
As Messy.fm grew, Beck realized that effective leadership would require computer science knowledge. She decided that she would go back to school and learn about the coding behind the software she was creating. In her free time, as Beck was mentoring people who were interested in podcasting, she found herself advising her mentees to study computer science–or at least take some courses. She kept giving this advice, which eventually inspired her to pursue a computer science education.
Molly Beck“One day I was like, why am I giving this advice to everyone and I’m not taking it myself?” Beck said.
Soon after she had that thought, she applied to the Align program.
Shital Waters, won the runner-up award, and she is working to develop and grow BluePlanetAI, an environmental artificial intelligence company.
Waters attributes the success of BluePlanetAI to her membership in a Northeastern AI club, where she was able to meet people with similar interests who collaborated to form the BluePlanetAI team.
Shital Waters“We came together, and we were thinking of starting a project, something that has to do with aquatic environments and trying to find a niche that has high impact,” Waters said.
But the team didn’t come up with one clear idea to start.
“It was a long process,” she said. “It was around ten months. As a startup, you change so many ideas as you go along with it. So eventually, with some guidance from different judges when we entered competitions, we found BluePlanetAI.”
The team took an interest in environmental AI technology, and after doing research, they learned that algae blooms were increasing and costing nations thousands of dollars. From there, the BluePlanetAI was established. The team now is in the process of building an “environmental system that allows us to stream data from a drone to our cloud software so we can provide preventative measures,” Waters said.
Waters hopes to use her business to help gather research for government and other organizations that will help protect, preserve, and learn from these environments.
“I always wanted to try to combine my undergrad degree in biology with computer science somehow, and I have a strong passion to help people or help the planet,” Waters said. “I wanted to make a difference in this world; to have some kind of legacy.”
It wasn’t always an easy path. During her presentation to the judges at the awards, Waters opened up about her difficult past and the obstacles she overcame, which is why winning this award meant more than just a cash prize.
“What means the most to me is that with that the award comes with support. Support from such powerful, inspiring women,” Waters said. “Growing up trying to get an education wasn’t easy. I came from a really difficult background. I went through a lot of struggles. I dealt with emotional and physical abuse for about 26 years of my life. And, you know, having that support from someone who really believes in you? I can’t even describe how it feels.”
While Waters is still in the beginning stages of her business, she now has the Khoury community backing her as she advances BluePlanetAI.
Recognition for female entrepreneurs at Northeastern
Behind the entrepreneurs and the awards, there is also a strong team with a passion to bring more recognition to female entrepreneurs.
Betsy Ludwig, the executive director of women’s entrepreneurship at Northeastern University, organized the event to help achieve one of her goals: help support female entrepreneurs. Aside from the awards, Ludwig also helps to promote other clubs that help women grow their businesses, skills, and ideas.
The Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, or WISE, provides mentorship, workshops, and support for female entrepreneurs in the Northeastern community.
“It’s really supposed to be kind of a gateway into our entrepreneurship ecosystem for women with a very diverse perspective, with a very interdisciplinary perspective,” Ludwig said. With her program and in her position, she wants to see entrepreneurial pursuits not just from business school women, but also women from the health field, the arts, computer sciences, and more.
The Women Who Empower Innovator Awards, far from simply recognizing individuals for their achievements, implicitly acknowledges the importance of community support in advancing entrepreneurial endeavors–a key factor that awardees value.
Said Shital Waters: “No matter what you’re going through, there are always people around you that are willing to help. You don’t have to feel like you’re in this alone. We’re all in this together and it comes from just helping each other out.”
Khoury College of Computer Sciences prepares diverse students for significant roles in a wide range of industries and sectors and has fostered a strong foundation for future leaders in tech, including innovators and entrepreneurs.
Two Khoury College entrepreneurs stood out at Northeastern University’s first Women Who Empower Innovator Awards. Two students in the Align MSCS program, Molly Beck and Shital Waters, were recognized for their unique business ideas—Beck in podcasting production and Waters in environmental AI—both ideas that they implemented as students.
Spotlight on Khoury’s two award winners
Entrepreneur Molly Beck won a first-place innovator award on the strength of her podcast production company, Messy.fm, which is a suite that helps businesses efficiently create podcasts to distribute internally. Her business had origins in her early experiences as a blogger, which led to a side career and a book. She explained, “I benefited from blogging because I was a content creator in the space, but when podcasting started happening, I wanted to own a bigger piece of the space, and that would be in the technology.”
As Messy.fm grew, Beck realized that effective leadership would require computer science knowledge. She decided that she would go back to school and learn about the coding behind the software she was creating. In her free time, as Beck was mentoring people who were interested in podcasting, she found herself advising her mentees to study computer science–or at least take some courses. She kept giving this advice, which eventually inspired her to pursue a computer science education.
Molly Beck“One day I was like, why am I giving this advice to everyone and I’m not taking it myself?” Beck said.
Soon after she had that thought, she applied to the Align program.
Shital Waters, won the runner-up award, and she is working to develop and grow BluePlanetAI, an environmental artificial intelligence company.
Waters attributes the success of BluePlanetAI to her membership in a Northeastern AI club, where she was able to meet people with similar interests who collaborated to form the BluePlanetAI team.
Shital Waters“We came together, and we were thinking of starting a project, something that has to do with aquatic environments and trying to find a niche that has high impact,” Waters said.
But the team didn’t come up with one clear idea to start.
“It was a long process,” she said. “It was around ten months. As a startup, you change so many ideas as you go along with it. So eventually, with some guidance from different judges when we entered competitions, we found BluePlanetAI.”
The team took an interest in environmental AI technology, and after doing research, they learned that algae blooms were increasing and costing nations thousands of dollars. From there, the BluePlanetAI was established. The team now is in the process of building an “environmental system that allows us to stream data from a drone to our cloud software so we can provide preventative measures,” Waters said.
Waters hopes to use her business to help gather research for government and other organizations that will help protect, preserve, and learn from these environments.
“I always wanted to try to combine my undergrad degree in biology with computer science somehow, and I have a strong passion to help people or help the planet,” Waters said. “I wanted to make a difference in this world; to have some kind of legacy.”
It wasn’t always an easy path. During her presentation to the judges at the awards, Waters opened up about her difficult past and the obstacles she overcame, which is why winning this award meant more than just a cash prize.
“What means the most to me is that with that the award comes with support. Support from such powerful, inspiring women,” Waters said. “Growing up trying to get an education wasn’t easy. I came from a really difficult background. I went through a lot of struggles. I dealt with emotional and physical abuse for about 26 years of my life. And, you know, having that support from someone who really believes in you? I can’t even describe how it feels.”
While Waters is still in the beginning stages of her business, she now has the Khoury community backing her as she advances BluePlanetAI.
Recognition for female entrepreneurs at Northeastern
Behind the entrepreneurs and the awards, there is also a strong team with a passion to bring more recognition to female entrepreneurs.
Betsy Ludwig, the executive director of women’s entrepreneurship at Northeastern University, organized the event to help achieve one of her goals: help support female entrepreneurs. Aside from the awards, Ludwig also helps to promote other clubs that help women grow their businesses, skills, and ideas.
The Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, or WISE, provides mentorship, workshops, and support for female entrepreneurs in the Northeastern community.
“It’s really supposed to be kind of a gateway into our entrepreneurship ecosystem for women with a very diverse perspective, with a very interdisciplinary perspective,” Ludwig said. With her program and in her position, she wants to see entrepreneurial pursuits not just from business school women, but also women from the health field, the arts, computer sciences, and more.
The Women Who Empower Innovator Awards, far from simply recognizing individuals for their achievements, implicitly acknowledges the importance of community support in advancing entrepreneurial endeavors–a key factor that awardees value.
Said Shital Waters: “No matter what you’re going through, there are always people around you that are willing to help. You don’t have to feel like you’re in this alone. We’re all in this together and it comes from just helping each other out.”
Khoury College of Computer Sciences prepares diverse students for significant roles in a wide range of industries and sectors and has fostered a strong foundation for future leaders in tech, including innovators and entrepreneurs.
Two Khoury College entrepreneurs stood out at Northeastern University’s first Women Who Empower Innovator Awards. Two students in the Align MSCS program, Molly Beck and Shital Waters, were recognized for their unique business ideas—Beck in podcasting production and Waters in environmental AI—both ideas that they implemented as students.
Spotlight on Khoury’s two award winners
Entrepreneur Molly Beck won a first-place innovator award on the strength of her podcast production company, Messy.fm, which is a suite that helps businesses efficiently create podcasts to distribute internally. Her business had origins in her early experiences as a blogger, which led to a side career and a book. She explained, “I benefited from blogging because I was a content creator in the space, but when podcasting started happening, I wanted to own a bigger piece of the space, and that would be in the technology.”
As Messy.fm grew, Beck realized that effective leadership would require computer science knowledge. She decided that she would go back to school and learn about the coding behind the software she was creating. In her free time, as Beck was mentoring people who were interested in podcasting, she found herself advising her mentees to study computer science–or at least take some courses. She kept giving this advice, which eventually inspired her to pursue a computer science education.
Molly Beck“One day I was like, why am I giving this advice to everyone and I’m not taking it myself?” Beck said.
Soon after she had that thought, she applied to the Align program.
Shital Waters, won the runner-up award, and she is working to develop and grow BluePlanetAI, an environmental artificial intelligence company.
Waters attributes the success of BluePlanetAI to her membership in a Northeastern AI club, where she was able to meet people with similar interests who collaborated to form the BluePlanetAI team.
Shital Waters“We came together, and we were thinking of starting a project, something that has to do with aquatic environments and trying to find a niche that has high impact,” Waters said.
But the team didn’t come up with one clear idea to start.
“It was a long process,” she said. “It was around ten months. As a startup, you change so many ideas as you go along with it. So eventually, with some guidance from different judges when we entered competitions, we found BluePlanetAI.”
The team took an interest in environmental AI technology, and after doing research, they learned that algae blooms were increasing and costing nations thousands of dollars. From there, the BluePlanetAI was established. The team now is in the process of building an “environmental system that allows us to stream data from a drone to our cloud software so we can provide preventative measures,” Waters said.
Waters hopes to use her business to help gather research for government and other organizations that will help protect, preserve, and learn from these environments.
“I always wanted to try to combine my undergrad degree in biology with computer science somehow, and I have a strong passion to help people or help the planet,” Waters said. “I wanted to make a difference in this world; to have some kind of legacy.”
It wasn’t always an easy path. During her presentation to the judges at the awards, Waters opened up about her difficult past and the obstacles she overcame, which is why winning this award meant more than just a cash prize.
“What means the most to me is that with that the award comes with support. Support from such powerful, inspiring women,” Waters said. “Growing up trying to get an education wasn’t easy. I came from a really difficult background. I went through a lot of struggles. I dealt with emotional and physical abuse for about 26 years of my life. And, you know, having that support from someone who really believes in you? I can’t even describe how it feels.”
While Waters is still in the beginning stages of her business, she now has the Khoury community backing her as she advances BluePlanetAI.
Recognition for female entrepreneurs at Northeastern
Behind the entrepreneurs and the awards, there is also a strong team with a passion to bring more recognition to female entrepreneurs.
Betsy Ludwig, the executive director of women’s entrepreneurship at Northeastern University, organized the event to help achieve one of her goals: help support female entrepreneurs. Aside from the awards, Ludwig also helps to promote other clubs that help women grow their businesses, skills, and ideas.
The Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, or WISE, provides mentorship, workshops, and support for female entrepreneurs in the Northeastern community.
“It’s really supposed to be kind of a gateway into our entrepreneurship ecosystem for women with a very diverse perspective, with a very interdisciplinary perspective,” Ludwig said. With her program and in her position, she wants to see entrepreneurial pursuits not just from business school women, but also women from the health field, the arts, computer sciences, and more.
The Women Who Empower Innovator Awards, far from simply recognizing individuals for their achievements, implicitly acknowledges the importance of community support in advancing entrepreneurial endeavors–a key factor that awardees value.
Said Shital Waters: “No matter what you’re going through, there are always people around you that are willing to help. You don’t have to feel like you’re in this alone. We’re all in this together and it comes from just helping each other out.”
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