Tufayel Ahmed

Tufayel (16) grew up in rural Balaganj, Bangladesh, where the digital divide and climate vulnerability often held back young potential. Watching peers—especially girls—get sidelined from science and technology, he came to believe that in a climate-threatened world, scientific literacy isn’t a luxury, but a fundamental right.

Tufayel has led over 20 seminars across rural Sylhet, teaching STEM, digital literacy, and children’s rights to more than 1,000 first-generation learners, tackling topics as advanced as quantum physics and space science. With mentorship from teachers at Balaganj Govt Dwarakanth High School, he founded “Shout for Change,” a youth-led organization campaigning against child marriage and promoting the right to education in marginalized communities, while also advocating for climate justice and digital safety.

As a NASA Conrad Innovator and Peace Prize nominee, Tufayel has built a digital footprint reaching over 100,000 people. His advocacy videos and STEM showcases have earned over 75,000 views across Facebook and LinkedIn, especially among South Asian youth, while “Shout for Change” has grown into a digital hub for climate justice with more than 15,000 followers.