Meet the Speakers

Anika Dugal

Research Conference Organiser & Research Editor at Youth STEM Matters

Anika Dugal is an Old Bridge High School student who loves all things STEM - especially medicine, sustainability solutions, and AI! She is currently an intern with the Waksman Center of Microbiology, where she is conducting research on duckweed DNA mutations. In the future, Anika plans to major in Biomedical Engineering and develop innovative disease treatments.

Kimberly Anindo

Editor-In-Chief (Acting) at Youth STEM Matters

Bio coming soon!

Akhila Mahidhara

High School Student and Aspiring Bioengineer

Akhila is a high school student from New Jersey and an all-around science enthusiast. She particularly enjoys reading and researching computational biology and data science, and has been involved with research in this space since her sophomore year. Akhila believes in the importance of empowering youth to pursue science and create change in their communities.

Margaret Yainkain Mansaray

Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Women in Energy Sierra Leone Limited

Margaret Yainkain Mansaray is a promising clean energy innovator from Sierra Leone. With a passion for engineering, she aims to tackle the challenge of inadequate access to affordable and efficient clean cooking energy in her country and Africa. Through her work, Margaret developed an innovative and sustainable cooking solutions, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prevent health risks bringing hope for a healthier and sustainable future.

Roger Obeng Koranteng

Environmental Conservation Advocate and Remote Sensing Specialist

Roger is a passionate environmental conservation advocate and remote sensing specialist based in Accra, Ghana. With a deep interest in protecting the climate and preserving biodiversity, he utilizes his expertise in satellite technology, particularly the Sentinel-2 satellite, to monitor land cover changes and deforestation in the Congo Basin. His work aims to contribute to climate change mitigation efforts and address the impact of human displacement. Roger is committed to empowering young minds to take action for a sustainable future.

Speaker announcement coming soon!

Sameera Hassan

Storyteller & Communications Strategist

Sameera Hassan is a storyteller, communications strategist, and founder of Chronicle Health – a creative social impact platform and bespoke strategic advisory firm placing community voices and storytelling at the forefront of global health and international development. She is a graduate of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has lived and worked in Belize, China, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Kenya.

Shweta Narayan

Climate and Health Campaigner, Health Care Without Harm

Shweta Narayan coordinates the Global Climate and Health Campaign for Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), an international NGO in 74 countries dedicated to making health care available and environmentally sustainable. She facilitates HCWH’s health professional mobilization initiatives and coordinates staff activities and strategic campaign planning. She is based in India and has over two decades of experience advocacy and community organizing experience on environmental justice issues.

Moderator: Laura Maisvoreva

Climate Activist and Undergraduate Medical Student

Laura is a fourth year medical student at the University of Zimbabwe who is passionate about advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those that integrate climate action and good health and wellbeing.

Dr Rosana de Oliveira Gomes

Data Scientist, Climate Activist and Gender Advocate

Rosana is a Senior Data Scientist in the energy sector. After a long career as an Astrophysics researcher, she opted for focusing her career on technology for social impact. Rosana is passionate about supporting minorities into tech careers and is an advocate of gender equality in tech. Together with her friends, she founded the AI Wonder Girls team, which was awarded multiple prizes in Hackathons all over the world. She wishes that such projects and prizes help bringing more visibility to women in tech and inspire the next generations.

Aya Taloaie

Tech Enthusiast and Social Entrepreneur | Big Data Analytics and minor in Business Administration Student | Civic Leader and Innovator

Aya Taloaie is a Moroccan-based IT enthusiast and social entrepreneur. She is presently enrolled in Al Akhawayn University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Big Data Analytics with a minor in Business Administration. Aya's commitment to encouraging innovation is exemplified by her job as Co-Founder and Team Manager at Forsa Lik, where she inspires high school students through social volunteering initiatives. Her influence extends to a variety of civic projects, including advocacy for women's rights and young participation in entrepreneurship and human rights. Aya's wide skill set and dedication to making a positive difference make her a vital force in the fields of STEM and social entrepreneurship.

Victor Olufemi

Data Scientist and Ambassador at Zindi Africa

Victor is a final-year student the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, where he studies Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the undergraduate level. After over 4 years building data-centric products for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, he now focuses on building his own Startup. He is currently the highest-ranking student on Zindi Africa, placed at 10th out of over 60,000 data scientists.

Moderator: Anika Dugal

Research Conference Organiser & Research Editor at Youth STEM Matters

Anika Dugal is an Old Bridge High School student who loves all things STEM - especially medicine, sustainability solutions, and AI! She is currently an intern with the Waksman Center of Microbiology, where she is conducting research on duckweed DNA mutations. In the future, Anika plans to major in Biomedical Engineering and develop innovative disease treatments.

Robert Meya

Environmental Educator & Trainer, Climate Activist and Founder of Our Environment Organization-CBO

An environmentalist whose passion is driven by both love and fear. His fear is about what would happen if noting is done. He got fully engaged in conservation from 2016, as a pioneer chair of the UON-CEES Environment club, Founded Our Environment Organization, youth coordinator at Friends of Ondiri Wetland Kenya, Logistics in-charge at March For Our Planet and Communications Officer at Africa Climate and Environment Foundation. He has presented papers in conferences in SDGs and Climate Change and he is an environmental writer.

Sera Tolgay Marshall

Urban Planner & Designer at Scape, passionate about nature-based infrastructure

As an Urban Planner and Designer specializing in climate adaptation, Sera is dedicated to transforming urban landscapes by integrating nature-based solutions into the way we plan cities. She has a background in environmental science and hydrology, and currently works at the intersection of science and design, collaborating with engineers, ecologists, and landscape architects at Scape. Sera also worked on zoning for coastal resilience at the New York City Department of City Planning and as an independent consultant to the World Bank and UN-HABITAT on urban regeneration and resilience projects.

Moderator: Alana Scott

Youth STEM Matters Programme Officer & Communications Lead

Bio coming soon!

Shahed Debiat

Research Conference Organiser & Youth STEM Matters Team Member

Bio coming soon!

Emmanuel Randle

Youth STEM Matters Team Member

Bio coming soon!

Speaker announcement coming soon!

Kolisa Yola Sinyanya

Ocean Biogeochemist at the University of Cape Town's Oceanography Department

Kolisa Sinyanya is a PhD researcher in Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She explores relationships between phytoplankton, nutrients, and biogeochemical cycling in the Southern Indian Ocean. Kolisa is passionate about her science, communicating it and being a pioneer for policy making in relation to ocean health.

Sophia Cristina Alfaro Barillas

STEM Enthusiast and High School Graduate

Unleashing Synergy Power: meet the Chemical Engineering, 3D Printing, and Medicine enthusiast! With an unwavering passion for her community, she's spearheading the creation of affordable 3D-printed prosthetics to transform lives. She's also a climate activist, leveraging her STEM expertise to develop eco-friendly materials for sustainable innovations. In her free time, she tutors underprivileged children in science, mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

Alys Jiménez

Team Member at Youth STEM Matters

Bio coming soon!

Yaren Yurt

Team Member at Youth STEM Matters

Bio coming soon!

Iona Finney

Executive Team Member at Youth STEM Matters & 6th Form Student

Iona is currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and History for her A-Levels. She's really interested in the physical sciences - specifically engineering and how it can be used to combat climate change. In her free time, she loves to play hockey and netball, as well as do some baking.

Luna Alejandra Ramírez Castellanos

Research Editor at Youth STEM Matters and Teen Leader

Luna is a high school student and teen leader exploring the connections between gender equality, climate justice and environmental sciences (biology, ecology and more!). She is passionate about the power of education in female empowerment through STEM. Luna works in initiatives to tackle climate change, provide sexual education to vulnerable communities and support educational programs with ASOFI, an organisation working towards peacebuilding.

Treasure Mayowa

Changemaker and Tech Enthusiast

Treasure Mayowa is a 16-year-old gap-year student who is passionate about computer science and technology. As a tech enthusiast, she is keen on leveraging technology to solve global challenges. This has led her to embark on several projects and initiatives to explore this interest including a climate change awareness app and a Scratch Programming Curriculum.

Dr Laurissa Havins

Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Oxford

Laurissa is a postdoctoral research scientist working at the University of Oxford. She is passionate about the use of stem cells for developing treatments for neurodegenerative and neuroimmune diseases and has presented at a variety of national conferences. She has been a mentor for undergraduate and masters students in the medical sciences, and has been involved in STEM outreach events.

Shahed Debiat

Research Conference Organiser & Youth STEM Matters Team Member

Bio coming soon!