Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Students Honored at Award Ceremony » MnTech

The Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Awards (MnAiC) program recently celebrated 48 exceptional students at the 2025 MnAiC Award Ceremony. On April 10, these awardees and their families gathered to be recognized for their achievements and ambition as aspiring young technologists. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, persistence, and future plans. National and state review teams selected these students from multiple high schools across Minnesota.

Since 2012 the program has impacted thousands of Minnesota students with over 1,021 being selected as award honorees. Now in it’s 13th year, MnAiC offers year-round programs and activities to inspire and empower girls in grades 9-12 to realize their computing-related education and career aspirations.

Interested in Supporting These Young Students? Give to the MnAiC Scholarship Fund!

The program’s support goes beyond awards. To help students thrive, MnAiC provides access to mentorship, job shadows, career exploration, internships, and scholarships. Since 2012, we’ve supported over 1,400 students, but there’s more work to do. Your contribution will greatly impact the lives of talented students by helping them overcome financial barriers and promoting diversity in the tech industry.

Learn More & Donate

This Event Was Sponsored By:

Jayshree Seth
Corporate Scientist, 3M

Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations, with several additional pending. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering.

Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Engineering “Hall of Fame.” Jayshree is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and accepted for Brand Storytelling Showcase, a sanctioned event at Sundance Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy and has featured in local, national and international media.

Jayshree has served on the CEOs Inclusion Council, chaired the 3M Asian Employee Resource Group A3CTION and serves on the Steering Committee for 3M Technical Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). She also serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP), Advisory Board for Innovation – The Conference Board, and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.

Jayshree has two adult kids, and her husband also works at 3M.