Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize: 2025 Winners
The 2025 Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize attracted 65 submissions from undergraduate and graduate students across various majors, including brain and cognitive sciences, economics, electrical engineering and computer science, physics, anthropology, and others. All entries were eligible to win a number of cash prizes.
The grand prize of $10,000 was awarded to Annaliese Meyer, a PhD candidate in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program focusing on chemical oceanography. Meyer won for “(Pre/Sub)scribe,” a work of speculative fiction that imagines the benefits and dangers of a synthetic bacterial supplement controlled by Bluetooth.
The two runners up were awarded $5,000. Martin Staadecker, a graduate student in the Technology and Policy Program in the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, was a runner up for his essay on a fictional token-based system to track fossil fuels. Juan Santoyo, a PhD candidate in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, was awarded for his short story of a field-deployed AI designed to help the mental health of soldiers in times of conflict. In addition, eight honorable mentions were recognized with each receiving a cash prize of $1,000.
Meet the winners, watch their presentations, and read their essays below.
Grand Prize Winner
(Pre/Sub)scribe
Annaliese Meyer
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
MIT-WHOI Joint Program, Chemical Oceanography
WATCH PRESENTATION
READ ESSAY
Runners Up
Fossil Tokens
Martin Staadecker
Technology and Policy Program
Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
WATCH PRESENTATION
READ ESSAY
Honorable Mentions
- Lillian Bluestein (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), “Eve“
- Nathan Cloos (Brain and Cognitive Sciences), “Similarity: The Future of African Innovation“
- Kristen Edwards (Mechanical Engineering), “So That Oma May See“
- Andy Qu (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), “No Humans Were Harmed in the Making of This Paper“
- Karie Shen (Biology), “AI of the Tiger“
- Quilee Simeon (Brain and Cognitive Sciences), “The Future of Computing Was Inside You All Along: Integrating Your Life’s Blueprint with Your Digital Fingerprint“
- Elisa Xia (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), “LucidScope: Bridging the Subconscious & Conscious Minds“
- Jonathan Zheng (Chemical Engineering), “Autonomous Molecular Discovery and Chemicals for Peace“
The Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize competition is co-sponsored by the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC), a cross-cutting initiative within the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, and the MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
Thank you to MAC3 Impact Philanthropies for their generous support of the prize this year.