Society for Science has recently welcomed Lester Mackey and Naomi Shah to its National Leadership Council (NLC). Established in 2018, the NLC is made up of alumni from the Society’s three science competitions: the Science Talent Search, the International Science and Engineering Fair, and its middle school science research competitions.
Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News, expressed her excitement about the addition of Lester Mackey and Naomi Shah to the NLC. She described them as innovators and leaders in their respective fields who will bring valuable perspectives and expertise to the Society.
Lester Mackey, who participated in the Science Talent Search in 2003 and the International Science and Engineering Fair in 2003, currently serves as a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research. He focuses on developing machine learning methods, models, and theory for large-scale learning tasks in areas such as climate forecasting, healthcare, and social good. Lester is also a MacArthur Fellow and a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, with degrees from UC Berkeley and Princeton University.
Naomi Shah, who participated in the DCYSC in 2007 and the International Science and Engineering Fair from 2010 to 2013, is the founder and CEO of Meet Cute, a modern entertainment company. Meet Cute produces and distributes original, scripted stories, pushing the boundaries of traditional genres through unique perspectives. Prior to starting Meet Cute, Naomi worked in finance at Union Square Ventures and Goldman Sachs, and studied mechanical engineering with a minor in human biology at Stanford University.