Grace Kossia: From Refugee to Harvard-Trained AI Leader.
Grace Kossia fled war in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a child and grew up in America, carrying with her the weight of displacement and the hope of a new beginning. Her motivation came from teachers who believed in her, who saw potential she had not yet recognised in herself and invested their time and care into her future. That experience shaped her calling: to give that same gift of belief to other young people.
She became a physics teacher in New York City and Texas, standing at the chalkboard just as her mentors once did. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in education from Harvard University, grounding her passion in both technical skill and pedagogical wisdom.
Today, at Arizona State University, she works as an AI Innovation Specialist, helping schools use artificial intelligence wisely, as a thinking partner that expands what students can achieve. She creates programs that lift up students, treating them as contributors rather than recipients.
She also mentors young fellows through the Mastercard Foundation AI Youth Fellowship. Her work mixes technology with real human care.
Article source: Africa Giant
