Members of the PEEC Nature Youth Group including Adis Bock, Zoe Bent, Tate Plohr, Suchir Jha, Celia Pesiri, Sebastian Koglin, Phoebe Reid and Aditya Viswanathan. Photo by Ryan Ramaker

By Ryan Ramaker and Gowri Srinivasan

Members of the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) Nature Youth Group have been awarded a prestigious prize for their innovative and socially impactful Artificial Intelligence (AI) project in the high school track of NeurIPS, the world-renowned AI conference.

Their project was one of only four winners selected from 335 global entries, putting them in the top 1% of submissions. Along with a monetary prize, one member of the team will have the opportunity to present at the conference, which will be held in Vancouver in December 2024.

Aditya Viswanathan, a founding member of the PEEC Nature Youth Group, will travel to Vancouver to present the work and receive the award for the team. Other members of the prize-winning project include Adis Bock, Zoe Bent, Tate Plohr, Suchir Jha, Celia Pesiri, Sebastian Koglin and Phoebe Reid.

Founded just a year ago, the club aims to bring together high school students, lab scientists, and local experts to address environmental challenges in the community. The team is developing an AI system to help mitigate human-wildlife conflict in the local area. Their success highlights the practical role AI can play in addressing human-wildlife interactions and environmental challenges.

PEEC Nature Youth Group is developing exciting eco-centric programs for young adults ages 14-19+.

These programs will promote PEEC’s mission of enriching local communities in and around Northern New Mexico by connecting people to our canyons, mesas, mountains and skies. The program provides leadership development opportunities for participants and adheres to PEEC’s core principles.