Riya Kamat is a senior at Singapore American School, Class of 2027.

Her work is driven by one enduring question: why do systems designed to drive progress unintentionally leave some people behind?

That question has taken her from published research and entrepreneurial ventures to community initiatives, powerlifting platforms, and flight training — each offering a different lens through which to understand the relationship between technology, institutions, and society.

Riya believes the most meaningful questions lie at the intersection of disciplines. Her work brings together technology, sociology, economics, public policy, and ethics to better understand not only how systems create progress, but who benefits from it.

She welcomes opportunities for research collaborations, podcast conversations, and thoughtful exchanges with researchers, founders, educators, policymakers, and others who share an interest in building more thoughtful, inclusive, and equitable systems.