Zara Gounden

Zara Gounden

Zara Gounden is the Cambridge Hub Leader for the Young AI Leaders program. With a strong commitment to bringing humanitarians to the forefront of AI innovation, she focuses on addressing systemic biases in technology, ensuring AI becomes a tool for equity and societal progress. Her passion for this work stems from her time on the French-Italian border, where she witnessed the harmful effects of biased algorithms and facial recognition technologies on asylum-seekers. These experiences deepened her resolve to advocate for inclusive and ethical AI practices.

Zara also co-founded Twenty Miles More, a youth-led initiative addressing the intersection of Europe’s migrant reception crisis, climate change, and border tensions. The project received a $10,000 Davis Projects for Peace grant, which was used to conduct water quality assessments of the Roya River, provide essential support to migrants in Ventimiglia, Italy, and produce a feature-length documentary attesting to the conditions at these borders.

A fourth-year Davis Scholar at New York University (NYU), Zara is pursuing a BA in Politics, Rights, and Development with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. Her studies have spanned six NYU campuses—Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, Berlin, Florence, New York, and London—providing her with a uniquely global perspective on the complex issues she addresses through her work. Recently, Zara was honored with the prestigious Dr. Patricia M. Carey Changemaker Award in recognition of her contributions to decolonial and equity-focused initiatives at NYU.

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    Hub Leader
    January 2025 - 2029
    Cambridge Hub
    The Americas
    United States