Three Indian American professionals have been selected for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s New Voices program, aimed at addressing critical national and global challenges.
Three Indian American professionals—Siva Pilli, Nikitha Sambamurthy, and Sutyajeet Soneja—have been named to the 2026-2028 cohort of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s New Voices program. This initiative seeks to broaden the expertise involved in the work of the National Academies while fostering a network of U.S. leaders dedicated to tackling pressing national and global challenges.
“Now more than ever, we need to nurture the next generation of talented American researchers, who are the future leaders of the U.S. science and innovation enterprise,” stated Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences, during the announcement of the new cohort.
Siva Pilli, who resides in Richland, Washington, serves as the director of strategic planning at Dassault Systèmes. In this role, he supports long-range planning across various sectors, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare, as well as infrastructure and urban development. Pilli’s career encompasses a diverse range of experiences in global industry, national laboratories, and professional engineering organizations.
Prior to his position at Dassault Systèmes, Pilli worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he led programs funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. These initiatives aimed to connect government, industry, academia, and small businesses to facilitate the advancement of emerging technologies from research to practical application. He has also held leadership positions in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers, representing the United States at various international engineering forums.
Nikitha Sambamurthy, the founder of Building Better Learning in Avon, Ohio, operates at the intersection of engineering education, learning science, and digital learning. Her work emphasizes evidence-based design and evaluation of educational technologies, including tools powered by artificial intelligence. Over the past decade, Sambamurthy has contributed to the development of digital learning products that have reached over one million STEM students, focusing on assessment design and the measurement of student reasoning and critical thinking on a large scale. She holds a doctorate in engineering education from Purdue University and has been honored with the university’s “38 by 38” award for outstanding alumni.
Sutyajeet Soneja is an associate scientist at the Center for Outbreak Response and Innovation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, based in Ellicott City, Maryland. With more than 15 years of experience in global environmental health, exposure science, and science policy, Soneja has held various significant roles. His previous work includes involvement with MITRE on nationwide COVID-19 testing efforts in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as contributions to health security initiatives like the launch of ARPA-H.
Additionally, Soneja has served as a senior epidemiologist with Resolve to Save Lives, advised local COVID-19 response efforts in North Carolina, and worked as a science diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Italy. His research interests encompass air pollution, climate change, and maternal and child health, with a particular focus on South Asia.
During their two-year term, the new cohort of 20 distinguished mid-career scientists, engineers, and medical professionals will engage in the National Academies’ consensus and convening activities, develop their own interdisciplinary projects, and continue to cultivate a robust network of emerging STEM leaders both in the U.S. and internationally.
Members of previous cohorts have participated in over 40 National Academies committees and represented U.S. mid-career STEM voices in more than 100 engagements at major international and domestic events, serving as speakers, planning committee members, and attendees.
According to a media release, the New Voices program is a vital platform for fostering innovation and collaboration among the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.