Biography
Zaira Razu is the Director of the Convergence Research (CORE) Institute, based at the Cyberinfrastructure and Convergence Research and Education (CICORE) Division of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego. In her role, she works to catalyze an impact network of researchers and practitioners committed to collaboratively engaging in research that is driven by urgent societal challenges and that requires deep integration across disciplines and sectors. She leads the Institute’s flagship training program, working with a cohort of Core Fellows each year to launch new convergence research collaborations designed from inception to create sustainable solutions to pressing challenges. Throughout her career, Zaira has focused on issues related to data science and public policy, spanning work on smart and inclusive cities, energy efficiency, water conservation, affordable housing, violence reduction, and workforce development. Before joining SDSC, Zaira was the data science lead for the City of San Diego’s Performance and Analytics Department, where she collaborated with city leaders and non-profit and private sector stakeholders to answer policy-relevant questions using machine learning for predictive analytics, data mining, and automated decision making. Her research experience includes previous roles at Stanford’s Program on Poverty and Governance, UC San Diego’s Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, and the Mario Molina Center. She holds an MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University and a BA in Political Science from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM).
