Society for Science & the Public adds five new members to National Leadership Council

WASHINGTON, DC – The Society for Science & the Public is thrilled to announce Shantanu Gaur; David Holz; Willie T. Reaves, Jr.; Ramji Srinivasan; and Afton Vechery have all joined the Society’s National Leadership Council. The National Leadership Council, formed in 2018, is made up of alumni from the Society’s three science competitions: the Broadcom MASTERS, the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

“I am excited to welcome these five new members to the Society’s National Leadership Council,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “As accomplished scientists and entrepreneurs, they are invaluable additions and their insights will be critical in supporting the Society’s work and continued alumni engagement.”

Shantanu Gaur (ISEF 2003 and 2004) is the Co-founder and CEO of Allurion Technologies. Gaur graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College and with an M.D. from Harvard Medical School where he was a Paul Revere Frothingham Scholar and Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow. Gaur founded Allurion in 2009 while he was a medical student at Harvard. 

David Holz (ISEF 2006) is the CTO & co-founder of Leap Motion, now Ultraleap, “the world’s most advanced hand-tracking technology.” Prior to founding the company, Holz contracted for NASA’s Langley Research Center and conducted neuroscience research while at The Max Planck Institute. He studied Applied Math at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ultimately leaving his Ph.D. program to co-found Leap Motion.

Willie T. Reaves (ISEF 2007 and 2008) is the Director of Partnering Products & Services at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), where he heads product development for a software platform that connects life sciences companies to facilitate investment and drug development partnerships. Previously, Reaves was a government and NGO project manager and teacher in South Korea and Argentina. Prior to that, he worked with the Patent Group at the Emory University Office of Technology Transfer. Reaves holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Emory University and a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online.

Ramji Srinivasan (ISEF 1999) co-founded and led Counsyl as CEO from inception in 2007 through acquisition by Myriad Genetics in 2018. Counsyl runs a women’s health genetic screening lab and counseling service, helping parents planning to have kids, moms in early pregnancy, and women at risk for cancer. Before Counsyl, Srinivasan worked in Morgan Stanley’s Equity Research division, covering the Internet industry. Srinivasan obtained his B.S. in Computer Science and M.S. in Financial Mathematics from Stanford University.

Afton Vechery (ISEF 2005; STS 2007) is the CEO and co-founder of Modern Fertility, a women’s health company making personalized, proactive fertility information more accessible to women. Previously, Vechery worked in healthcare private equity, strategic operations at various health tech startups, and product at 23andMe. Vechery is a graduate of Wake Forest University with degrees in Neuroscience, Business & Entrepreneurship.

About Society for Science & the Public

Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazine, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).