When Ruth Nakigozi thinks about the future, she’s never imagining what it looks like just for herself. Her work is done through the lens of accessibility and equity, while also keeping in mind her central goal of using tech to “develop people’s lives in a better way.”

“Everyone is focused on building more inclusive intelligent systems, but I feel like, after that, what next?” she said. “We have that but are there policies to regulate them? Are there government frameworks? I strongly believe that [emerging tech] should include everyone. All of us have something very special to contribute.”

Nakigozi’s contribution to the field of thoughtful tech is shaping up to be special in a meaningful way. A rising senior in Informatics, she came to UW as a transfer student from Edmonds College, where she was student government president. Before that, she completed two years of law school in Uganda. These experiences together played a part in her interest in joining the Tech Policy Lab. 

“I transferred in and I was writing my application (to the Information School) and my mentor (from Edmonds College) asked, ‘Is there a specific club at UW that speaks to you?’ She said, ‘Based on the questions you like asking, I think the Tech Policy Lab will speak to you.”

And her mentor, Sarayah, was right. Nakigozi started participating in the weekly discussion events and found what she calls “a home.” 

“The community is the best part of the Lab,” she said. “I’ve met two friends. Actually, they are not my friends, they are my sisters. People who will look out for me, who support me, who check in on me.”

On top of the personal benefits, Nakigozi says the discussions help her develop her professional mind in ever-expanding ways. 

“Every week I go I have an increase in knowledge. There’s a new topic that is discussed. It’s always something new. The thing about the Tech Policy Lab is that [the elements are] so compounding … engagements, conversations.”

Nakigozi was such a valuable participant in discussions that Tech Policy Lab Executive Director Alex Bolton was compelled to offer Ruth an internship. 

“Ruth stood out immediately as someone very thoughtful who was comfortable with the technical, social and political aspects of technology,” Bolton said. “She is one of the most extraordinary people I have met. As a student interested in emerging technologies and their social impacts, she is the total package in that she is comfortable with the technical side of tech policy and has a very strong understanding of the policy side, all while being great with people.”

Her internship responsibilities include supporting visiting scholars and other delegations; facilitating the weekly discussion events; and summarizing technical and policy research into one-pagers for diverse audiences. Of the latter, she jokes about how some of the research has  reminded her of what she has left to learn. 

“It has been very humbling. You think you know a lot but [the work] shows you, sweetie, you know nothing. And I consider myself privileged [to be in such a space].”

Nakigozi also stands out beyond the Tech Policy Lab. In 2026, she shared her research at the International Society of the Learning Sciences annual conference, was featured at the University-wide Undergraduate Research Symposium, and her research was recognized  with the Bridge Builder Award for Equity at the Information School’s Informatics Showcase. In April, she was one of 12 finalists for the Everett Herald’s Emerging Leader award for Snohomish County. 

She is currently engaged in a project that is working on how oral histories can be used to preserve culture  and reduce biases in speech technologies. Going forward, she is looking toward graduate school and a career as an international policy advisor. But even if she were to achieve that dream, she wonders whether her ambition would be satisfied. 

As humans, “we are always exploring what life could look like,” she said. “If I was to become the chief policy advisor of the United Nations … I would have arrived. But I think even the person who currently holds [that position] looks around and is like, ‘What should I do next?’ Life is such that we are always exploring … you’re always achieving. At one point getting into the Information School was my dream. Now I’m here and I’m like, OK, what’s next?”

We can’t wait to see.