Dorsa Rohani

When she was little, Dorsa dreamed of using computer science to explore the universe and discover the cosmos. Her sister Sophie’s cancer diagnosis changed the course of her life. Initially given a bleak medical prognosis, Sophie fought resiliently, a testament to both her tremendous strength and the cutting-edge technology which advanced her treatment. Dorsa says the experience instilled in her a “deep sense of awe and appreciation for the power of innovation.”

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Dorsa felt a strong desire for change as she tried to come to terms with the reality of her sister’s diagnosis. It was only after attending her first hackathon in the summer of 2022, Hackerland, that Dorsa found the inspiration to move forward.

In the hacker community, Dorsa says, “I found an outlet for my aspirations to push the boundary of how technology and innovation can change our lives, and a space where I could channel my energy into something positive and productive.” She threw herself into the world of digital creation, practicing everything from coding and app development to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. And the more time she dedicated to her work, the more she began to see glimpses of hope in her sister’s battle with cancer. Dorsa believes that errors in Sophie’s diagnosis led to losing months of precious treatment time. As a result, she created LungML, an application to detect bronchial cancer using pulmonary X-rays and MRI scans. Her project was awarded 2nd place out of more than 1,000 submissions at the Vellore Institute of Technology’s Cognition event.

At that time, her sister’s condition was still deteriorating, and Dorsa felt inspired to create Medic.AI, an all-encompassing natural language AI assistant which helps to evaluate the severity of most common medical conditions and illnesses. Dorsa continually refined Medic.AI and won Hack the Change, MetroHacks 2022, and Reconnect-Ed with progressively better implementations of her vision. Dorsa says the biggest impact from her experience in the hacker community was a sense of purpose and direction. “As I explored the world of technology and innovation,” she says, “I began to see a path forward.”

She uses her experience to mentor others, and takes pride in sharing her knowledge with aspiring hackers. She is a passionate advocate for secure and ethical hacking practices, with a deep understanding of the human impact technology can have. As she says, “thanks to technology, my sister is still with us today.”

Dorsa is grateful to the many fearless and trailblazing women who have paved the way for her, stating: “their tireless efforts to shatter the gender barriers in technology have inspired me to follow in their footsteps.” She has dedicated herself to reducing gender inequity in technology by providing encouragement and opportunities for women in tech, and creating environments that are inclusive.

Today, along with her love for playing the cello with symphony orchestras, Dorsa is driven by her passion for innovation. She has embarked on a lifelong journey and hopes to inspire future generations to follow mission-driven pursuits. Wherever that journey takes her, it is clear that her most significant impact is yet to come.