Congratulations to Priya Donti '11, recently named a 2022 Siebel Scholar at Carnegie-Mellon University where she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering and Public Policy Departments. According to CMU, "Siebel scholarships recognize the most talented students at the world’s leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy science." She was also named to MIT Technology Review's 2021 35 Innovators Under 35 list in the Visionaries category, out-competing over 500 other nominees.
Priya's research is focused on harnessing the power of machine learning to tackle the complex problem of climate change, leading her to found Climate Change AI. The organization has held workshops at top machine learning gatherings, led educational events at the UN Climate Change Conference, briefed local and national policymakers from several countries, and runs a mentorship program.
When sharing the news about her MIT Technology Review inclusion, Priya noted, "Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and I hope that we as a society will mobilize all the approaches we can to address it rapidly, sustainably, and equitably."
The Class of 2019 will recall that Priya was the speaker at Commencement that year, exhorting graduates to "Realize that appreciating everything that others have given you also means paying it forward to help others. It means using your privileges to lift other people up, and pushing the envelope to demand social justice and positive change, even when it’s uncomfortable.”