On Thursday, Randi Williams announced on social media that she has joined Day of AI as a research lead.
Williams expressed that the organization's mission aligns with her dedication to fostering a future where all students can learn about and influence the world through artificial intelligence (AI).
"My journey with Day of AI began during my PhD at MIT," she shared with her followers on LinkedIn. "I had the opportunity to work with hundreds of teachers and students. Today, we're bringing free, hands-on AI literacy to hundreds of thousands of K-12 classrooms worldwide," she added.
Williams gained attention during the spring commencement season of 2024 when she graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in human-robot interaction and preK-12 education in the personal robots group.
Williams is a member of the Algorithmic Justice League, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing societal awareness about artificial intelligence (AI) and addressing the potential harms and biases AI can pose to society.
In an archived email to her colleagues at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Williams proudly acknowledged her roots at UMBC as a Meyerhoff Scholar from 2012 to 2016.
Freeman A. Hrabowski III, the 2013 Black Engineer of the Year and former provost at UMBC, created the Meyerhoff program, which aims to increase diversity in science, engineering, and related fields.
Hrabowski served as UMBC's president from 1992 to 2022 and was recognized at the BEYA STEM Conference for his significant contributions to education.
The annual BEYA Conference brings together over 10,000 participants, including K-12 and college students, professionals from the corporate, government, and military sectors, as well as industry employers, to engage in learning, celebrate excellence, and explore career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Williams is a member of the National Center for Women in Technology: Aspirations in Computing.
Previously, she served as a senator for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where she participated in planning and decision-making at the regional level.
She has received several prestigious fellowships, including the Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship and the LEGO Papert Fellowship, which enabled her to explore the intersections of creativity, play, learning, and new technologies.
Additionally, Williams earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and was a GEM Fellow, preparing her for advanced careers in industry, academia, and government agencies. She also received the Ida Green Fellowship for outstanding women at MIT.