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Maria Laura Polo González is the president elect for 2022 at the Student Platform for Engineering Education Development. She currently serves as SPEED’s vice president of Educational Content, where she leads diverse activities with students all around the world including sustainability, climate change adaptation, risk assessment, and engineering education.
Maria Laura is an Environmental Engineer from Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia. She is fascinated with nature, biological systems and anthropological processes. Yet, all those interests stem from an underlying true passion for education. Maria Laura has been working towards promoting a cooperative network and experiences that generate a positive effect of engineering on society and the environment, and the participation of students in the decision-making process since 2017, when she became a member of SPEED. She is presently pursuing further studies in New York City, where she lives with her family and their unruly kitten, Azula.
Sri Yash Tadimalla is a Ph.D. student in the College of Computing and Informatics at UNC Charlotte, pursuing an
interdisciplinary degree in Computer Science and Sociology. As the Technology Focal Point for the United
Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) Science-Policy Interface and the incumbent General
Secretary of the World Student Platform for Engineering Education and Development (SPEED), Yash is a staunch
advocate for the equitable advancement of STEM education, mental health, and technology advocacy on a
global scale. He actively fosters youth participation in STEM initiatives through engagements with United
Nations stakeholder mechanisms and the International Federation for Engineering Education Societies (IFEES).
Yash’s research agenda explores how individual identity influences interaction with and learning of technology,
particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Science (CS) education. He has presented his research at
distinguished international conferences across North America, South Africa, Western Europe, Australia, and
South Asia, serving as a keynote speaker, panelist, and workshop organizer. As an immigrant deeply engaged in
technology access research, Yash brings nuanced insights into the intricate connections between educational
and technological accessibility and advancing global sustainable development goals. These insights are
profoundly shaped by his research, personal journey, and professional experiences. At UNC Charlotte, Yash
contributes to various NSF research projects under the Center for Humane AI, the Center for Education
Innovation (CEIR) Lab, and the Human-Centered Computing (HCC) Lab. He also serves as the President of the
Charlotte Human-Centered Research Group.
We are honored to announce that our Rising to the Top book series has added TWO new volumes!
Rising to the Top provides an intimate and inspiring look into the experiences that have shaped the lives and careers of women engineering leaders from around the world. By openly sharing their personal journeys in these pages, the authors hope to not only inspire the next generation of engineering leaders, but also provide valuable insight into the challenges facing women engineers around the world, and the opportunities that are theirs for the taking.