Wikipedia

Kiara Nirghin

Kiara Nirghin is a South African technologist,author, and sustainability advocate. She gained recognition at a young age when she won the Grand Prize at the Google Science Fair with her patented technological innovation against climate change.[5] Nirghin has been featured by TIME Magazine and The Guardian on their Most Influential lists and named one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year. She is recognized as a United Nations' Young Champions of the Earth[6] and is a Global Ambassador for Room To Read.[7]

Kiara Nirghin
NationalitySouth African
Alma materStanford University
Known forArtificial Intelligence and Patented Science breakthroughs.[4]
AwardsGrand Prize at the Google Science Fair [1]

Global Google Community Impact Award Winner [2]

Time Magazine's Most Influential [3]

Early life

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At sixteen years old, Nirghin gained international recognition by winning the Google Science Fair with her project "No More Thirsty Crops," which produced a biodegradable, super-absorbent polymer from waste products.[8] The product leveraged advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and data analysis, in an innovative way. She was one of the youngest female winners of the Google Science Fair.[9] Nirghin's word was in response to one of South Africa's worst droughts in 45 years. She developed a unique super-absorbent polymer that holds hundreds of times its weight in water when stored in soil. It is biodegradable, inexpensive and free of harmful chemicals, unlike the manmade materials currently used. The polymer, made entirely from waste products, improves the environment, increases the chance for plants to sustain growth by 84% during a drought and can increase food security by 73% in disaster-struck areas.[10]

Career

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Nirghin is a Peter Thiel Fellow[11] and a Fellow of Alexis Ohanian's fund. She is one of the youngest AI executives in Silicon Valley.[citation needed] Specializing in researching and building generative AI models, she co-funded Chima, a company using large-scale, venture-backed technology with a focus on sustainability and ethical practices.[citation needed]

Nirghin advocates through public and private organizations UN Women, L'Oréal UNESCO for Women in Science, and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is also a Global Ambassador for Room To Read[7] and served as the youngest member of Google's Impact Fund.[12]

Nirghin has collaborated with several renowned high fashion brands, leveraging her platform to promote sustainable and innovative fashion practices.[13] merging her technological expertise with the world of high fashion. She has been featured in fashion magazines and attended major fashion events.[14]

Nirghin has partnered with Coca-Cola[15] on their Dreamworld project, which explores the intersection of creativity and technology. She has collaborated with Prada in presenting the Oceans Award at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022.[16]

Writing

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Nirghin published her first book with Penguin Random House and has been invited to contribute articles to TIME Magazine in a piece titled "How Gen Z's AI Fluency Can Help Companies Succeed[17]", Fast Company[18] and The Economist.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "16-year-old South African invents wonder material to fight drought". CNN. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  2. ^ "South African teen wins Google prize for orange peel innovation". BBC. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  3. ^ "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2016". Time. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Teen Wins Big for a Homemade weonXD". Scientific American. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  5. ^ "South African teen wins Google prize for orange peel innovation". BBC News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Kiara Nirghin South Africa REGIONAL FINALIST, AFRICA". Young Champions of the Earth. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Kiara Nirghin Named Room to Read Global Ambassador and Launches Fundraising Campaign for Girls' Education". roomtoread.org. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  8. ^ "16-year-old South African invents wonder material to fight drought". CNN. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  9. ^ Caruso, Catherine (1 December 2016). "Teen Wins Big for a Homemade Polymer". Scientific American. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  10. ^ "KIARA NIRGHIN SOUTH AFRICA, 18". Three Dot Dash. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Biz Journals". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate". 2020 Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Gen Z world-changers: Kiara Nirghin in conversation with Zaya Wade". Hero. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  14. ^ "See Cher, Karol G, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Zendaya and more at Paris Fashion Week 2023". USA TODAY. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  15. ^ "WHY THIS 22-YEAR-OLD INVENTOR SAYS CREATIVITY IS AT THE HEART OF HER WORK".
  16. ^ "PRADA GROUP RECEIVES THE OCEANS AWARD FOR SEA BEYOND AT CNMI SUSTAINABLE FASHION AWARDS 2022".
  17. ^ "How Gen Z's AI Fluency Can Help Companies Succeed". Time. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Fast Company Why are women being sidelined in the ai race".
  19. ^ "Kiara Nirghin on the gender divide in science, technology, engineering and mathematics". The Economist. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
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