Emerald Summit Showcases Next Generation Of STEAM Leaders

DUBLIN, CA — Over 225 students from five schools across the Tri-Valley participated in the second annual Emerald Summit, a student-led STEAM conference featuring student research and expert panels and speeches.

Students presented research and exhibits across several different disciplines, including:

• Computer science and engineering
• Medical and health science
• Art
• Music
• Culinary sciences
• Natural sciences
• Government and law
• Business and entrepreneurship
• Artificial intelligence
• Climate change & sustainability

The summit also featured panel discussions led by over 30 professionals from industry, academia, and public service. Dr. Bernard Kress, a key architect behind Google Glass and HoloLens who currently serves as Google’s Engineering Executive for Extended Reality, gave a keynote speech highlighting his entrepreneurial journey and current research in optics and photonics.

“It was my pleasure to speak with the students. I was particularly impressed by the students' seriousness, focus and dedication when presenting their projects. This speaks highly of the school and teachers,” Kress said.

The conference was organized by over 20 students, who managed event planning, hospitality, outreach, and individual tracks. “As a lead student ambassador, this event had a huge impact on me. I learned the importance of leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving in real time,” one student said.

The event was also made possible by parent volunteers and the Emerald High School Academic Foundation.

“The Emerald Summit was a powerful reminder of what happens when we choose collaboration over competition. From AI and biotech to civic leadership, seeing about 200 students from across the region showcase their curiosity was truly inspiring. It was an honor to join the Tech and Civic Verse panels and witness the next generation of 'Aeros' in action,” said Dublin City Councilmember Kashef Qaadri, who is also a biologist and expert in AI and bioinformatics.

“The quality of ideas, the depth of due diligence, the confidence in their presentations... this wasn't just impressive for high schoolers — it was impressive, full stop,” said Jay Chodagam, the co-founder of Pythagoras and founder of the AI Leaders Club who served as an expert judge for the VentureVerse, a Shark Tank-style pitching and coaching event. “From tech and biomedicine to business and law, the breadth of thinking on display was extraordinary. These young founders aren't just dreaming big — they're already thinking like builders.”

SEE ALSO:

• Emerald High School Hosts First Emerald Summit
• 'Emerald Innovation Challenge' Hackathon Taking Place Saturday
• Dublin Teen's Hackathon Help Network Connects Organizers With $2.7M In Prizes