Research Associates
Sofia Torres is a Data Scientist and Designer based in Bogotá, Colombia, and CEO of Acropolis Labs. She works at the intersection of AI, data, and engineering to deliver solutions across industries ranging from fashion to the public sector. Her professional experience includes hands-on work in fast-moving consumer goods analytics, helping organizations leverage data for better decision-making. At Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, Sofia analyzed biases in AI, particularly within Spanish-language models, and developing dashboards that reveal social inequalities across education, economics, and other areas.
She is a Senior Research Associate at American University’s Institute on Disability and Public Policy, contributing to the development of a Disability Rights Data Dashboard using Python and Streamlit, with a strong emphasis on user-centered design and the practical application of AI.
Juan David Lopez Becerra is a Technology and Product Leader and AI Strategist based in Bogota, Colombia. He is the Co-Founder of ExaByte Company and currently serves as the Product Lead for BrainBox, where he specializes in developing Generative AI (RAG) solutions to automate critical processes, such as contract analysis and financial reporting. Juan is a certified Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect and Associate Cloud Engineer with experience leading digital transformation and high-scale cloud architectures.
Additionally, he serves as a Senior Research Associate at the American University Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP), where he contributes to developing data dashboards using the Python stack.
Rachi Adhikari is a Research Associate at the American University Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at the Kogod School of Business. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of the West of England, Bristol, in 2022.
Her work focuses on evaluating the global implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). She supports updating and preparing datasets of CRPD state and shadow reports, applying NLP, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs) for analysis. She also contributes to research outputs through data visualization and dashboard development.
Juliana Woods is a Research Associate at the American University Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). She is currently a Master’s Candidate in the American University School of International Service International Affairs Policy and Analysis Program. She earned her B.A. in Anthropology with a minor in International Development and Conflict Management from University of Maryland College Park in 2022.
Her research and work within IDPP centers around examining state parties’ implementation of the CRPD in the past and present, promoting the research of IDPP online, and overseeing the center’s website and social media presence.
Nathan Banks is a Research Associate at the AU Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). He is a graduate student in the School of International Service studying global government, politics, and security.
His previous academic experience is in global affairs, with a particular interest in government-sponsored social development projects. He worked for three years in International Student Affairs at Northwest Missouri State University where he assisted in expanding and increasing inclusion in the university's study abroad program.
Harshala Chandraiah is a Research Associate at the AU Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). She is a current Masters of Public Policy student majoring in environmental policy at the School of Public Affairs at American University. Her major interests include food policy, microcredit systems, and adaptation and mitigation efforts for tackling climate change.
Her previous work in quantitative research has focused on the rate of deforestation in tropical and sub-tropical areas, along with an internship experience on the Climate Crowd initiative at World Wildlife Fund.
Ambulah Abutumaga Mamey is a Research Associate at the AU Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). He studies development management in the School of International Services (SIS) at AU and is a Distinguished Agricultural Investment Fellow with the Kirchner Food Fellowship.
His studies are concentrated in sustainable agricultural development. He is deeply interested in reducing rural poverty through empowering and creating access to finance and markets for smallholder farmers. Ambulah has 8 years of experience working in the private and public sectors in Liberia, including developing and implementing infrastructure, health, and entrepreneurship projects in rural and urban slum communities.
Antonina Yelistratova is a Research Associate at the AU Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). Antonina is a graduate student in the International Development program at School of International Service (SIS) at AU.
Prior to joining IDPP, Antonina worked with international organizations and NGOs providing consultancy services and managing international projects. Antonina worked in the UNDP country office in Belarus as a Social Inclusion Coordinator establishing partnerships with disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) and proving expert support for the country projects portfolio.