Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Diana (Tingxuan) Zhu is a PhD candidate at MIT Political Science with research interests in technology policy, economic statecraft, and international cooperation.With experiences in the fields of international relations and quantitative methods, Diana has worked on projects related to technology cooperation, foreign aid, trade and barriers, and innovative data types. Diana joined MIT Science Policy Review as the CEO of Volume 6 and have advised projects that led to SPR publications since 2024.
Prior to joining MIT, she graduated from New York University Abu Dhabi with a bachelor degree in political science and economics. In her spare time, Diana greatly enjoys cooking, concerts (classical music), museums, and traveling.
Chief Operation Officer (COO)
Karikari Achireko Kwagyan is a graduate student in the Technology and Policy Program at MIT, where his research at the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research focuses on the economics and business of advanced nuclear cogeneration systems for industrial decarbonization. He previously worked as an Energy Specialist Consultant at the World Bank and as an Energy Infrastructure Consultant at the Electricity Company of Ghana, leading major investment planning and policy advisory projects across Africa’s power sector. His interests lie at the intersection of energy economics, finance, and policy, with an emphasis on mobilizing private capital for clean energy infrastructure. At MIT, he serves as a Director in the MIT Energy and Climate Club and has been involved with the Science Policy Review community as an Associate Editor. He also serves as Director of Corporate Strategy, Partnerships, and Investments at the Africa Sustainable Energy Centre, where he helps shape investment mobilization and partnership strategy for Africa’s energy transition. Beyond academics, he enjoys mentoring students, traveling, and exploring how innovation can drive sustainable and inclusive energy transitions.
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Maedbh King is an incoming manager of research culture and quality at Trinity College, Dublin. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the McGovern Institute at MIT, where she leveraged machine learning to identify risk predictors of psychiatric and developmental disorders. She graduated with a PhD in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and it was during her time in the Bay Area that she became interested in science policy, particularly in using scientific rigor and data-driven approaches to improve accountability and transparency in academia. Before becoming co-EIC, she was co-Interviews Director for Vol. VI, and a review author for Vol. V. In her spare time, she loves cycling by the sea and reading Julia Donaldson books to her daughter.
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Isabel completed her PhD in Environmental Engineering and Computational Oceanography at MIT in 2025 and currently works at a non-profit based in Oxford, UK, where she researches marine carbon dioxide removal. Before becoming co-EIC, she was co-Interviews Director for Vol. VI and an interview author for Vol. V. In her free time, Isabel enjoys hiking, playing the saxophone, and analyzing classic Victorian novels.
Communications Director
Weronika Nitecka is a final-year student pursuing a Dual Degree in Economics and Philosophy at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is passionate about data science and public policy, with a strong interest in research at the intersection of technology and policy—particularly in data privacy, innovation, and startup ecosystems. With experience in the French public sector, she currently works at Pathway, a startup developing LiveAI frameworks. In her free time, she enjoys coding, baking and horseback riding.
Technology Director
Ananjay is currently pursuing an undergrad degree at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), and working as a Technology Director for the MIT Science Policy Review. His work ranges from LLM systems and applied machine learning to automation and product experimentation. He has worked on LLM pipelines, applied ML research, and scalable AI tooling, with interests ranging from AI safety to real-world deployment challenges. He enjoys building fast, experimenting aggressively, and exploring ambitious ideas at the intersection of technology and impact.
Amelia is a researcher and science writer with a background in bioacoustics and marine ecology. Focused on the intersection of environmental science, governance, and regulation, she covers emerging ocean and climate research. She enjoys interviewing scientists and changemakers and previously published as an interviews author for VI.
Gabriel is PhD Candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at UPenn, where he develops multi-scale simulations of soft materials for membrane applications. He is broadly interested in how science communication, policy, and diplomacy can help translate advanced technologies into positive societal impacts, which initially brought him to MIT SPR as a co-author for Volume VI. Prior to this role, Gabriel also served as the Science Communication Chair for the Penn Science Policy and Diplomacy Group. In his free time, Gabriel likes to practice martial arts, watch Youtube video essays, and exploring human belief systems.
Laura is a PhD candidate at Caltech, where she studies quantum information theory and its applications to physics. Her work lies in the intersection of high-dimensional statistics, computational complexity, and quantum dynamics. She is also broadly interested in science policy and education. Prior to starting at Caltech, she graduated from MIT with a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics. Outside of work, Laura enjoys painting, tinkering with vintage cameras, and bouldering.
Ekaterina (Katya) is a PhD candidate in Biology at MIT, where she studies how mammalian cells regulate mRNA stability during the cell cycle. She is also interested in science communication and writing. Before joining the Volume VII team, Katya served as an Associate Editor for Volume VI. In her free time, she enjoys reading, movies, crafts, nature, and playing squash.
Austin is a final-year PhD candidate and Graduate Researcher/Instructor at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. His research develops analytics and optimization methods that connect public policy to supply chain/operations design decisions, with a focus on resilience and sustainability. He has published two papers in the MIT Science Policy Review (Vols. IV and V) and served as an associate editor for Volumes V and VI.
Vaibhavi is a senior at Georgetown University studying Science, Technology, and International Affairs. She has a background working in space policy at organizations like NASA, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Smithsonian Institution. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, reading science fiction novels, and spending time with her dog Comet.
Kristina (Tina) is an Undergraduate Junior at MIT studying Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics with a concentration in French. She joined SPR because she’s interested in how science and technology shape society and policy conversations. Beyond academics, Tina is a nationally ranked competitive fencer and a member of Next Sing. Prior to being Executive Editor, Tina was involved with MIT SPR Vol VI as an Associate Editor. In her free time, she enjoys writing, exploring new coffee shops around Cambridge, singing, and traveling.
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