Geoffrey Siwo •  Computational Biologist

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I am a

Computational biologist

Geoffrey Siwo

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Soccer with my Kids.

I played a lot of soccer with my friends when I was young. We often couldn’t get our hands on “real” soccer balls, so we made balls by clumping sheets of plastic bags and tying them together. We made goalposts with stones and had fun kicking and playing in the street. It was one of my favorite ways to spend time outside and with friends. Now I play with my three sons, and I love seeing the game bring them the same joy it’s brought me.

History & Technology.

I’m fascinated by technology and the tools we’ve created across time and cultures. I also think a lot about the tools we’re creating today and how that’s going to change our course in the future. I love reading and discussing new possibilities, as well as learning about the past. I think we can learn a lot from history. When we understand how tools have changed over time, and changed us, we can get a clearer picture of where we might go in the future.

Coffee Shops.

I really enjoy both coffee and traveling – and it’s even better when they’re combined. Whenever I visit a new place, one of my first stops is the local coffee shops. I love discovering the different ways that coffee is prepared and experiencing a city’s culture through the different styles.

Going for Walks.

Growing up, we walked much more than we drove. I still get a lot of joy just walking from place to place. When I lived in NYC, my wife and I would walk from coffee shop to coffee shop in Central Park. Now I live in a small town, and I still love finding beautiful paths and spending time enjoying the outdoors. It makes me feel more grounded and connected to our environment. And sometimes, it helps me think.

Making & Tinkering.

I’ve always enjoyed creating things from scratch. As a kid, we used to convince the shopkeepers to let us use their leftover cardboard boxes so that we could make our own toys and dismantle our TVs to see how they were made. Now, with my sons, we’ll find boxes and turn them into any number of things – cars, planes, houses. It doesn’t have to require fancy or expensive materials to create wonderful things.

A Little About Me

  • I spend a lot of time thinking about what the future of humanity might look like.

    We live at an exciting moment in time when science and technology are accelerating quickly. What we’re capable of and how we solve problems is constantly changing, and I spend a lot of time reading about new tools and how we can use them to build better lives for more people.

  • I’m not always the loudest voice in the room, but that doesn’t mean I have nothing to say.

    I can be somewhat of an introvert, and am thoughtful about what I say and when I say it. It’s important to find ways that you’re comfortable expressing yourself, but being quiet comes with its own benefits. It gives me more opportunities to listen and be more intentional with my reactions.

  • I’m very close with my family and believe in the importance of community support.

    In Kenya, we tend to have large, close-knit families, and we help each other however we can. When I lost my parents and sisters, the rest of our family came together to make sure everyone had the support they needed, whether financial or emotional. No matter how busy life gets, I think it’s critical that we show up for the people we love and take time to take care of each other.

  • I believe that technology is powerful, but it needs to be designed to benefit everyone.

    Technology has the potential to transform lives across the world, but it isn’t always designed to maximize equity and positive impact. I think it’s important to prioritize different perspectives and backgrounds when we’re designing solutions, so that we’re more likely to design in ways that benefit everyone.

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MY ADVICE

“No matter who you are or where you come from in the world, if you have an idea and access to information, the internet, and computers, you can discover something that even the top experts might never have."

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WHO I AM

People describe me as..

  • Humble

    My mother had a lot of humility and instilled that value in me. She always showed extreme kindness in sharing what little resources she had. I was raised to be confident, but not to be arrogant or to center myself above others.

  • Thoughtful

    I try to take time to consider the nuances of different ideas and possibilities around me. There’s a lot of power in the technologies that I use every day, and I think it’s important to be careful with it.

  • Visionary

    I think it’s important to give ourselves permission to imagine a world that’s very different than the one we live in. That kind of imagination is our best chance at dreaming up a better future.

  • Curious

    I make a lot of space for wonder in my life, and find that curiosity is best paired with patience. I’m always asking questions and putting in the effort it takes to actually answer them.

My Accomplishments:

PhD Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA

B.S. in Biomedical Science and Technology from Egerton University

TED Fellow

Next Einstein Forum Fellow

The Basics:

Pronouns: He/Him

Title: Research Assistant Professor

Institution: Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan

Expertise: Genomic medicine, systems biology, RNA science, drug discovery, innate immunity, cancer biology, global health, AI/machine learning, natural language processing (NLP)

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO

Where to Follow Me:

LINKEDIN →
TWITTER →

“Pay attention to the things that excite you. They may have a great impact on your professional life and make you stand out in future."

— Geoffrey Siwo

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Erick Forester • Illustrator: Ekaterina Kuleva

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