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Grace Magny-Fokam

1,115

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

Grace is a Cameroonian-American artificial intelligence (AI) researcher and climate advocate who's passionate about mobilizing youth to address global challenges through technological innovation. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Folia Technologies, a youth-led non-profit research institute that's dedicated to developing artificial intelligence technologies that address the climate crisis. To date, she has raised over 70,000 USD in research funding, reached over 20,000 youth, and partnered with esteemed entities such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Microsoft, Google, UNESCO, and UN Climate Change. Throughout her journey as an AI researcher, Grace has also worked with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the International Organization for Migration, MIT, Georgetown University, and NASA. She was the youngest recipient of the AI Innovators Award and was recently named a National Computer Science Hero by the Computer Science Teachers' Association and the White House.

Education

University of Maryland-College Park

Bachelor's degree program
2023 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Computer Science
  • Minors:
    • Statistics

Prince George's Community College

Associate's degree program
2019 - 2023
  • Majors:
    • Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

Chesapeake Math It Acdmy South

High School
2019 - 2023

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Computer Science
  • Not planning to go to medical school

    • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Computer Software

    • Dream career goals:

      Climate AI Researcher

    • Keynote Speaker and Diversity & Inclusion Advocate

      University of Maryland's Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering
      2023 – 2023

    • Founder and Executive Director

      Folia Technologies
      2023 – Present1 year

    • Young Climate Leader of Color Fellow

      The Climate Innovation Center
      2023 – Present1 year

    • Policy Informer

      International Organization for Migration
      2023 – 2023

    • Computer Science Research Mentee

      Google Research
      2023 – 2023

    • Non-Fiction Book Author

      InnovateHer: A Black Girl’s Guide to Tech and Social Innovation
      2023 – Present1 year

    • Early College Student and Associate's Degree Recipient in Information Technology

      Prince George's Community College & Chesapeake Math & IT South
      2019 – 20234 years

    • Scientific Research Presenter

      International Forum on Research Excellence by SigmaXi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
      2022 – 2022

    • Scientific Research Presenter

      MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference
      2022 – 2022

    • Administrative Assistant

      Jireh Healthcare Services, LLC (Family Business)
      2018 – 20213 years

    Sports

    Soccer

    Club
    2014 – 20162 years

    Dancing

    Intramural
    2013 – 20229 years

    Research

    • Mathematics and Computer Science

      Massive Data Institute at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — National Science Foundation Data Science and Public Policy Researcher
      2023 – 2023

    • Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

      UNESCO — Climate Action Youth Fellow
      2023 – Present

    • Mathematics and Computer Science

      System Modeling Laboratory for Economic Decisions at The George Washington University — Computational and Mathematical Modeling Intern
      2021 – 2021

    • Computational Science

      Computational & Experimental Materials Engineering Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University's Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute — Machine Learning Research Intern
      2022 – 2022

    • Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

      Department of Environmental Science & Technology at The University of Maryland — Environmental Engineering Research Apprentice
      2022 – 2023

    Public services

    • Public Service (Politics)

      UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) — Policy Researcher in Water & Climate Working Group
      2024 – Present

    • Volunteering

      Schoolara (Educational Consulting Non-Profit) — Founder and President
      2021 – 2023

    • Volunteering

      Girls Who Code — Youngest Member of the National Advisory Council
      2024 – Present

    • Public Service (Politics)

      Girl Up, National Capital Region — Chapter Chair
      2023 – Present

    • Advocacy

      UN Foundation — Campaign Champion and Ambassador
      2023 – Present

    • Public Service (Politics)

      United Nations General Assembly — Youth Delegate and UNGA24 Policy Cosultant
      2023 – Present

    • Public Service (Politics)

      UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) — Sustainable Agriculture and Food Working Group Member
      2023 – Present

    • Volunteering

      Teaching Africa (Supported by the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and the Howard University Center of African Studies) — Co-Founder and President
      2019 – 2023

    • Advocacy

      Hershey Heartwarming Project at The Hershey Company — Youth Advisory Board Member
      2021 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      National Center for Women & Information Technology — Aspirations in Computing Award Judge
      2023 – Present

    • Advocacy

      YOUNGA23 for UN Youth 2030 — Climate Action and Sustainable Living Youth Delegate
      2023 – 2023

    • Volunteering

      San Antonio Math Include — Chapter Director and Volunteer STEM Tutor
      2022 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship