Summary
Stefania Druga is a research scientist with 12 years of experience at the intersection of language models, information retrieval, and computing education, currently advancing applied LLM work at Sakana AI in Tokyo. Her career spans research roles at Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and a principal researcher position at the University of Chicago Booth, where she focused on LLMs for social impact. A PhD-trained AI educator from the University of Washington and an MIT Media Lab alum, she founded Cognimates, an open-source platform that brings AI coding to children and informed her long-running interest in AI literacy. Stefania blends hands-on prototype and product experience (early work at Fixie.ai) with academic rigor, often translating research into usable learning tools and platforms. Beyond model research, she has a track record of launching community-driven maker and education initiatives across continents, evidence of a design-forward, impact-oriented approach. Based in Chiyoda, Japan, she pairs deep technical expertise with a persistent curiosity about how AI can improve access to education and information.
12 years of coding experience
13 years of employment as a software developer
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, AI Literacies & Applications, Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, AI Literacies & Applications at University of Washington
Master's degree, Media Arts and Science, Master's degree, Media Arts and Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Flatironschool
Bachelor, Communication and Public Relations, Bachelor, Communication and Public Relations at Universitatea „Politehnica” din Timișoara
Master2, Education Management, Master2, Education Management at University of Lisbon
Master, Education Management, Master, Education Management at Université de Poitiers
Master2, Education Management, Master2, Education Management at Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia - U.N.E.D.