Ruth Nakigozi: Taking risks and meeting community needs
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 1, 2026
This is one of 12 finalists for The Herald Business Journal’s annual Emerging Leaders awards for 2026. The winner will be announced on April 7.
Ruth Karen Nakigozi, 24
Independent Study Researcher, University of Washington
Ruth Karen Nakigozi is not afraid to take risks.
Whether that was moving from Uganda and enrolling in Edmonds College or later attending the University of Washington. Whatever her path may be, remaining curious has guided her through it.
“Just take a chance on yourself. You never really know,” Nakigozi said. “The world is yours.”
During her time at Edmonds College, Nakigozi served as the student government president, the executive officer for student relations, and co-founded and co-chaired the Student Information Strategies Committee, which identified strategies for supporting students as information gaps around immigration rights widened.
As a member of the Technology Investment Management Committee, she helped allocate $1.5 million in technology funding, while ensuring the needs of underrepresented students were reflected in funding decisions, she wrote.
One of her accomplishments was leading an initiative that created a health and wellness vending machine at Edmonds College. Installed in June 2025, the vending machine offered Naloxone, pain medication, pregnancy kits and Band-Aids, among other first aid items.
“If I know that one student will go to Edmonds’ vending machine and get that Band-Aid at like $2,” she said. “Yet they would have gone to Walgreens and gotten it for five, for me, that gives me so much joy.”
Nakigozi was selected as a Mary Gates Research Scholar, a competitive scholarship at the University of Washington. Last year, she participated in the Princeton Prospective Ph.D. Preview (P3) program, which prepares scholars for the graduate application process and provides opportunities for professional development.
At the University of Washington, Nakigozi researches how oral histories can be ethically preserved and analyzed to inform inclusive approaches to technology and Artificial Intelligence research. Currently, Nakigozi is working on the Sephardic digital studies collection alongside the University of Washington’s Information School and The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, she said in an email.
Last summer and fall quarter, she investigated how interactive, transformational games could help students recognize and understand bias in AI systems. She co-first-authored a paper, which was accepted to the International Society of Learning Sciences conference.
“Her research work has led her to some amazing spaces,” a nominator wrote. “She is determined, bright, and charismatic and I just know she will be changing the world for a long time!”
Outside of academia, you can find Nakigozi reading African literature, listening to gospel music, dancing or spending time with her friends.
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan
