Emma Zajdela is a Franco-American mathematician and science diplomacy activist. Currently, she is a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University and a research fellow at the Santa Fe Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics from Northwestern University (2023), M.S. in mathematics from University of Illinois Chicago (2018), and a B.S. in mathematics and theoretical physics from Loyola University Chicago (2016). Emma’s research focuses on using mathematics to understand how patterns emerge from interactions among individual agents, a field known as complex systems. The applications of her work are interdisciplinary and include poker, autonomous vehicles, governance for global environmental challenges, synchronization, and fashion trends. Since 2015, Emma has been active with the Malta Conferences Foundation, a non-profit organization which uses science diplomacy as a bridge to peace in the Middle East, where she currently serves as Treasurer and the youngest member of the Board of Directors. The Malta Conferences are the only platform in the world where scientists from 15 Middle East countries can meet face-to-face with Nobel Laureates to develop friendships and collaborations on water, clean energy, and science education for all. Emma’s research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, Intelligence Community, Sloan Foundation, Siegel Research Endowment, and Buffett Institute for Global Affairs. In 2022, her team’s article on mathematics of poker titled “When to Hold ‘Em” was recognized by the Allendoerfer Award from the Mathematical Association of America. Her research has been featured in media around the world, including BBC, The Times of London, El Pais (Spain), Journal Publico (Portugal), Sciences et Avenir (France), Scientific American, and the New York Post. Emma is passionate about bringing her love of math to young people and the general public and has been active in outreach programs including Applied Math in Action and Maths en Jean. A classically trained violinist, Emma is an aspiring judoka, loves learning languages (of which she speaks six), and all things hexagonal.