The Society for Science is excited to announce that Lester Mackey and Naomi Shah have joined the Society’s National Leadership Council (NLC), established in 2018. The NLC comprises alumni from the Society’s three science competitions, including the Science Talent Search, International Science and Engineering Fair, and middle school science research competitions.
Lester Mackey, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, has been added to the NLC. He is known for developing machine learning methods, models, and theory for large-scale learning tasks related to climate forecasting, healthcare, and social good applications. Lester received the 2023 MacArthur Fellowship and is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. He earned his Ph.D. in computer science and master’s in statistics from UC Berkeley and his bachelor’s in computer science from Princeton University.
Naomi Shah is also joining the NLC as CEO of Meet Cute, a modern entertainment company that produces and distributes original scripted stories. Prior to starting Meet Cute, Naomi worked in investment at Union Square Ventures and Goldman Sachs. She studied mechanical engineering with a minor in human biology at Stanford University. Currently, Meet Cute collaborates with thousands of creators to produce unique cinematic titles, expanding traditional IP incubation processes while approaching genres from new perspectives.
Maya Ajmera expressed her enthusiasm about their addition to the NLC as President & CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News. She highlighted their innovative backgrounds as leaders in their respective fields while emphasizing how their valuable perspectives and expertise will bring them an advantage.
In conclusion, this addition will bring fresh ideas and diverse perspectives to the National Leadership Council of Society for Science, leading to more impactful initiatives that benefit both students and professionals alike.
