PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Priya Donti

Also known as Priya L. Donti

Priya Donti is an assistant professor at MIT who applies machine learning to power grids that run on high shares of renewable energy. She studied computer science and mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and earned a PhD in computer science and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2019 she co-founded Climate Change AI, a nonprofit she chairs. In 2021 MIT Technology Review named her to its 35 Innovators Under 35 list, Vox named her to its 2023 Future Perfect 50, Schmidt Sciences named her an AI2050 Early Career Fellow in 2024, and TIME included her on its 2025 TIME100 AI list. Her AI2050 project develops physics-informed machine learning methods that help balance power grids.

Works
47
Citations
2,323
h-index
11

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2015

    A Watson Fellowship on smart grids

    As a joint computer science and mathematics senior at Harvey Mudd College, she wins a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship in 2015 for a year of independent study on smart-grid policy in four countries.

  2. June 2019

    Co-founding Climate Change AI

    Climate Change AI, a nonprofit, is founded in June 2019, and she is one of its co-founders and chairs it.

  3. 2021

    A place on Innovators Under 35

    MIT Technology Review recognizes her in 2021 on its list of 35 Innovators Under 35.

  4. 2022

    A doctoral dissertation award

    ACM SIGEnergy names her the 2022 recipient of its Doctoral Dissertation Award. The award honors her thesis, Bridging Deep Learning and Electric Power Systems, from her Carnegie Mellon PhD in computer science and public policy.

  5. September 2023

    Joining MIT's EECS department

    She joins MIT's Department of EECS as an assistant professor in September 2023. Vox also names her to its 2023 Future Perfect 50.

  6. March 2024

    An AI2050 Early Career Fellowship

    Schmidt Sciences names her an AI2050 Early Career Fellow, and her project develops physics-informed machine learning methods that help balance power grids.

  7. 2025

    A place on TIME100 AI

    TIME includes her on its 2025 TIME100 AI list.

  8. As of October 2026

    Assistant professor at MIT

    She is an assistant professor and Silverman (1968) Family Career Development Professor in MIT's Department of EECS, where her research focuses on machine learning for high-renewables power grids.

Sources and credits

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  1. Two Seniors Earn Watson Fellowships | Harvey Mudd College News | Harvey Mudd College hmc.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Climate Change AI - About | Climate Change AI climatechange.ai. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Priya Donti mitibm.mit.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Priya Donti - AI2050 ai2050.schmidtsciences.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Donti recieves SIGEnergy Doctoral Dissertation Award - Engineering and Public Policy epp.engineering.cmu.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Priya Donti named AI2050 Early Career Fellow - MIT EECS eecs.mit.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.