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.

• Keynote Speaker and Diversity & Inclusion Advocate

  Public Relations and Communications · University of Maryland's Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

• Founder and Executive Director

  Renewables & Environment · Folia Technologies

  Jan 2023 – Present

• Young Climate Leader of Color Fellow

  Renewables & Environment · The Climate Innovation Center

  Jan 2023 – Present

• Policy Informer

  Public Policy · International Organization for Migration

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

• Computer Science Research Mentee

  Research · Google Research

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

• Non-Fiction Book Author

  Writing and Editing · InnovateHer: A Black Girl’s Guide to Tech and Social Innovation

  Jan 2023 – Present

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

  Information Technology and Services · Prince George's Community College & Chesapeake Math & IT South

  Jan 2019 – Jan 2023

• Scientific Research Presenter

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

  Jan 2022 – Jan 2022

• Scientific Research Presenter

  Research · MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference

  Jan 2022 – Jan 2022

• Administrative Assistant

  Hospital & Health Care · Jireh Healthcare Services, LLC (Family Business)

  Jan 2018 – Jan 2021

• Advocacy
• Volunteering
• Philanthropy
• Entrepreneurship

• Soccer

  Club

  2014 – 2016

• Dancing

  Intramural

  2013 – 2022

• National Science Foundation Data Science and Public Policy Researcher

  Massive Data Institute at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) · Mathematics and Computer Science

  2023 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Harnessing Big Data to Understand Forced Migration in Sudan

• Climate Action Youth Fellow

  UNESCO · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

  2023 – Present

  Research topic:

  Act as a youth climate consultant for senior leadership at UNESCO and the Learning Planet Institute.

• Computational and Mathematical Modeling Intern

  System Modeling Laboratory for Economic Decisions at The George Washington University · Mathematics and Computer Science

  2021 – 2021

• Machine Learning Research Intern

  Computational & Experimental Materials Engineering Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University's Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute · Computational Science

  2022 – 2022

  Research topic:

  Procedurally generating of 316L stainless steel grain orientations using feature extraction

• Environmental Engineering Research Apprentice

  Department of Environmental Science & Technology at The University of Maryland · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

  2022 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Folia: Utilizing convolutional neural networks to detect foliar diseases in corn plants

• Policy Researcher in Water & Climate Working Group

  Public Service (Politics) · UN Climate Change (UNFCCC)

  2024 – Present

• Founder and President

  Volunteering · Schoolara (Educational Consulting Non-Profit)

  2021 – 2023

• Youngest Member of the National Advisory Council

  Volunteering · Girls Who Code

  2024 – Present

• Chapter Chair

  Public Service (Politics) · Girl Up, National Capital Region

  2023 – Present

• Campaign Champion and Ambassador

  Advocacy · UN Foundation

  2023 – Present

  Mission:

  Global Ambassador to the United to Beat Malaria Initiative and the Shot@ Life Initiative. Advocate to U.S Congress, lobbying for child immunization rights and increased awareness and funding towards ending preventable diseases like Malaria (UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being).

• Youth Delegate and UNGA24 Policy Cosultant

  Public Service (Politics) · United Nations General Assembly

  2023 – Present

  Mission:

  Represented UNA-USA as a youth policy consultant for the zero draft of the 2024 Pact of the Future, an action-oriented policy framework that addresses different aspects of sustainable development and financing. The Pact of the Future lays the foundation for the 2024 UNGA Summit of the Future (SOTF), which will endeavor to accelerate previous international commitments to SDGs.

• Sustainable Agriculture and Food Working Group Member

  Public Service (Politics) · UN Climate Change (UNFCCC)

  2023 – Present

• Co-Founder and President

  Volunteering · Teaching Africa (Supported by the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and the Howard University Center of African Studies)

  2019 – 2023

  Mission:

  Held over 30 workshops across the DC Metropolitan area centered on uplifting the members of the Pan-African diaspora and teaching others about its history and cultures. Partnered with the Howard University Center of African Studies to develop curriculums for the workshops. Raised $40,000+ for orphanages, children's books, and school supplies in 5 African countries (Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Nigeria). Planned, promoted, & manage the annual culture fest Teaching Africa Day (TAD) with about 1k attendants and volunteers. TAD has been supported by the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and has hosted guests like the former Maryland Secretary of State John Wobensmith and the ambassadors of the Rwandan Embassy.

• Youth Advisory Board Member

  Advocacy · Hershey Heartwarming Project at The Hershey Company

  2021 – 2022

  Mission:

  Selected as 1 of 8 high schoolers nationwide to work with Hershey’s Social Impact team to brainstorm incentives and provide action grants that fund the service initiatives of middle/high school students who are leaders in their respective communities. As a committee member, I vouched for environmental justice and education initiatives in the DC Metropolitan Area.

• Aspirations in Computing Award Judge

  Volunteering · National Center for Women & Information Technology

  2023 – Present

  Mission:

  As a 2023 National Winner of the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award and the representative of the state of Maryland, I decided to give back to the NCWIT AiC community by becoming an award application reviewer. With this, I'm able to continue advocating for diversity and inclusion in technology education by rewarding young women and gender minorities in tech.

• Climate Action and Sustainable Living Youth Delegate

  Advocacy · YOUNGA23 for UN Youth 2030

  2023 – 2023

  Mission:

  As part of YOUNGA, I work with youth delegates selectively chosen from across the world to discuss climate policy decisions and draft a communique that will be presented at COP28, the UN's Annual Climate Change Conference.

• Chapter Director and Volunteer STEM Tutor

  Volunteering · San Antonio Math Include

  2022 – Present

  Mission:

  Develop curriculums for an international tutoring organization and oversee Laurel Math Include chapter. Have tutored over 100 underprivileged local middle and high school students in subjects ranging from Pre-Algebra to Calculus I, chemistry, biology, and computer programming (Python Java, and C++).