Ayesha Shafiuddin is working on the HPC Educations and Outreach team as a post baccalaureate appointee to support building evaluation tools and practices. Ayesha graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science in a joint program with the College of DuPage and Lewis University, where she pursued opportunities to broaden her global and technical perspective, including studying abroad in Seoul to learn machine learning. She also served as a student trustee at the College of DuPage and participated in multiple mental health advocacy groups. These experiences have not only strengthened her leadership and communication skills, but also instilled in her a deep commitment to building inclusive communities both in higher education and in the field of STEM.

Before immigrating to the United States, Ayesha lived in Saudi Arabia— often wondering if she would ever have the opportunity and access to an education. Now, with aspirations to go to graduate school, she feels a strong moral imperative to continue giving back to the community and creating a more education-inclusive world.

Ayesha joined Argonne National Laboratory as a CCI intern in the summer of 2024, working on research that fell under the decarbonization effort— to analyze the health impacts of major port cities emitting pollutants. Following her internship, she became a student STEM ambassador, representing Argonne in the midwestern region to enhance university partnerships and connection with students. She returned to Argonne this summer to assist with the Intro to HPC Bootcamp and has returned as a post-baccalaureate appointee working under the supervision of Paige Kinsley to assist with the evaluation of ALCF training programs.