Past FLI Members Archives - Future of Life Institute

Bena Lim Ying

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:57:49 +0000

Bena is currently a PhD student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, under the Singapore-MIT Alliance Graduate Fellowship at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). She studies the biophysical interactions involved in malaria sequestration and works with collaborators from various disciplines on biomechanical problems. Apart from conducting experiments, she also enjoys discussions on the impact of technology on society. She is happy to be part of the FLI Chinese outreach team ?

Alan Yan

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:56:50 +0000

Alan is passionate about both ethics and innovation at the intersection of technology and society. He is an avid proponent of unity of knowledge and a transdisciplinary approach to epistemology and posits that the traditional compartmentalization of disciplines has led to many of today’s existential threats. With a background in mechanical and software engineering, he is currently a Master’s Fellow in Integrated Design & Management at MIT.

Carolyn Wu

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:55:50 +0000

Carolyn is a student in Harvard Kennedy School, Public Administration and International Development Program. Her research focuses on AI and other technology policy in US and China. Before studying in Harvard Kennedy School, she worked for 3 years in the Boston Consulting Group. She assists with AI policy research and China outreach.

Kevin Wang

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:53:13 +0000

Kevin has a BSE in electrical and computer engineering and computer science from Duke University where he was also first exposed to the Effective Altruism community. He currently works at Google as an associate product manager.

Szymon Radziszewicz

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:47:51 +0000

Szymon, since 2015 leads Crito Consulting, Inc.; a consultancy committed to providing purposeful advice and working together towards a better world for future generations. Since 1999, he designed programs and solutions for international development, capacity building, regulation, and financial reporting reforms. As an expert, he serves governments, NGOs, and donor agencies on all continents. Among other projects, he works as an international advisor to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance. Szymon studied philosophy, theology, political science, and accounting. His interests include future of humanity, xRisk, keeping AI beneficial, semiotics, and future of regulation. He also volunteers for other causes, including as a youth soccer referee in Brooklyn.

Grzegorz Orwiński

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:45:49 +0000

Grzegorz holds a master’s degree in computer science. He is a software developer, focused on Microsoft technologies. Grzegorz (or Gregory, if you don’t want your tongue to hurt) lives in Warsaw, Poland and works remotely for software company based in Norway. In his spare time he likes to deepen his knowledge and engage in conversations on cosmology, astronomy, AI, bioethics, transhumanism and future of humanity.

Jason Orlosky

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:44:25 +0000

Jason Orlosky is currently a professor at Osaka University, adjunct faculty at Augusta University, and a technology consultant. He earned his BS in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2006 and his PhD in Information Systems Engineering from Osaka University in 2016. Some of his current research goals include improving the safety and usability of intelligent interfaces, promoting cross-functional and international research efforts, better understanding the human brain and its relationship to machines, and improving human-computer integration.

Na Li (Lina)

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:39:39 +0000

Lina is a PhD graduate from an infectious diseases program that is jointly established by Singapore’s National Research Foundation and MIT. She is also the recipient of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Graduate Fellowship and had published her research on the impact of acute infections on host genome and cellular fate. She has previous experience in clinical research project management and she strongly believes in the importance of regulations that promote the safety and effectiveness of medical products that have the power to improve lives. Lina is currently based in Durham-Raleigh, North Carolina, and is leading FLI’s Chinese outreach efforts.

Alina Kovtun

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:36:11 +0000

My name is Alina Kovtun. In Belarus, I studied at a linguistic university, I was learning English and French. Now I’m studying in Moscow for a specialist in international relations, I continue to study English and begin to learn Spanish. Along with languages I was always interested in technical orientations, so I now work in IT and learn programming languages.

In FLI, I translate articles related to AI. I like it immensely, because this activity allows me to practice my English, which is connected with my specialty, and learn more about the topic that fascinates me – the technologies of the future. I also feel that I am doing something useful, and this is very important. I’m fond of reading: scientific articles, comics, fiction – in general, everything that seems interesting to me.

Vera Koroleva

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:31:18 +0000

Vera received her BA and MA degrees in language studies with focus on simultaneous interpretation, translation, and localization (Russian, English, Italian). Throughout her studies, Vera has specialized in a variety of topics, including environment, nuclear security, and AI, and takes pride in providing accurate and idiomatic translations. While her professional aspirations lie in the sphere of simultaneous interpretation, she is currently pursuing a career as a freelance translator and editor. In her spare time, she enjoys social dancing and catching up with the news over a nice cup of cappuccino.

Eric Gastfriend

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:49:24 +0000

Eric is an MBA student at Harvard Business School, Class of 2015. After graduating from Brown University in 2010 with a degree in International Relations, he worked for 3 years as General Manager of Happy Cloud, a cloud gaming tech startup.

Yishuai Du

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:47:05 +0000

Yishuai Du is a Master student in the department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah School of Medicine and has interest in Math and AI. He assists with AI safety and FLI’s Chinese outreach efforts.

Jacob Beebe

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:46:15 +0000

Jacob holds a BA in Psychology and Russian Literature from the University of Wisconsin, where he became interested in studying the peculiarities of human nature across time and cultures. He currently works abroad as a freelance translator and assists with FLI outreach efforts in Eastern Europe. His other interests include music, conservation, and the universe.

David Stanley

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:42:38 +0000

David is a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University specializing in computational neuroscience. He has published research on deep neural networks, neural network dynamics, and neurological disorders. David has a long-standing interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience. His objectives are to apply the next generation of data analysis techniques to understanding brain function, and to ensure that related neural technology is used ethically.

Ariel Conn

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 01:15:54 +0000

Ariel oversaw media and outreach for FLI from 2015 to 2019. She is the founder of Mag10 Media, an organization dedicated to improving science communication. She’s studied English, physics, and geophysics, and her background is a mix of advertising, marketing, and scientific research. She’s worked with NASA, the National Labs, and multiple universities, including MIT and Virginia Tech.

Kirsten Gronlund

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 06:29:20 +0000

Kirsten was the Editorial Director for FLI. She studied critical theory, neurobiology, and philosophy at Cornell University, and she’s interested in the intersection of these disciplines, as well as the application of interdisciplinary research to real-world problems. At FLI, she’s working to promote diverse voices and viewpoints in the conversations around effective altruism and existential risk.