Dr. Abhilash Mishra is the founder of EquiTech Futures. He is also the founding director of the Xu Initiative on Science, Technology, and Public Policy, a research center at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. His work as a researcher and an entrepreneur is situated at the intersection of technological innovation and social inequality. His recent policy work includes the design and evaluation of low-cost strategies to improve STEM education in India, the proposal for the creation of an American Science Corps to improve public trust in science, and audits of AI systems deployed in developing countries.
Abhilash trained as a physicist and holds an MPhys from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Caltech. He is a recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship, the Clinton Global Initiative University Distinguished Alumni award, the KVPY Fellowship from the Government of India, and the Goldman Sachs Global Leader Award. He serves on the selection committee for the Rhodes Scholarships and as a technical advisor to social impact startups.