Priyanka Cingirikonda is a senior at Creekside High School in Saint Johns, Florida, aspiring to pursue atmospheric science/meteorology or astrophysics in college while continuing her climate activism. She has been passionate about space, weather, and climate from a young age, recognizing the growing threats of climate change, such as warming oceans, hot summers, and rising sea levels. H2OO has provided her a platform to voice her concerns and advocate for climate action.
In her first year with H2OO, Priyanka served as a 4th Cohort Policy Working Group Committee Member of the U.S. Youth Action Council for the UN Ocean Decade, enhancing her public speaking and networking skills. She is currently a research assistant at the University of North Florida, studying rapid rotating stars in binary systems and soon starting a project on tropical systems and climate change. Priyanka shadows 2024 AMS Meteorologist of the Year Mike Buresh and is a Cohort 2 Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador for NOAA, actively promoting ocean literacy, conservation, and climate justice.
Outside of academics and activism, Priyanka enjoys dancing, singing, jewelry making, listening to music, beach walks, and exploring new foods.