Spotlight: UCSF AI4ALL Alum - Annabel Ng
UCSF AI4All is back, and DoC-IT is proud to be a partnering sponsor of this incredible program. Over 10 weeks, this summer internship gives high school students hands-on exposure to AI and data-driven biomedical discovery, helping shape the next generation of researchers and innovators.
Applications are open for the 2026 cohort (deadline is March 25), and we're excited to feature program alumni and where they are now.
Read on to hear firsthand from an alumnus of the program in the Q&A below.
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Q&A with Annabel Ng (UCSF AI4ALL '21)
Annabel is a 2021 UCSF AI4ALL alumna whose journey from a high school science fair project to the UC Berkeley electrical engineering and computer science program—and an incoming role at Google—is a testament to what curiosity and the right opportunity can spark.
In this alumni feature, Annabel shares how AI4ALL set her on a path through theoretical neuroscience research and autonomous vehicle perception systems, and why she still has the notes she took during program sessions five years later.
What drew you to apply to the UCSF AI4All program?
The UCSF AI4ALL program felt like an incredible opportunity to explore machine learning in a hands-on environment while applying it to meaningful problems in the biomedical field. Before the program, I worked on a small science fair project that classified hospital readmissions using clinical text data. While it was a fun introduction, it only scratched the surface of what machine learning could do. AI4ALL gave me the chance to learn more deeply about how AI can be used in medicine and research, and to explore whether this was a direction I wanted to pursue in college.
How did AI4All shape the direction of your education or career?
UCSF AI4ALL played a major role in shaping my academic path in college. The experience encouraged me to pursue EECS at UC Berkeley and gave me the confidence to reach out to different graduate students and professors to continue exploring machine learning research. In my freshman year, I joined a theoretical neuroscience lab, where I spent two years studying sparse visual representations inspired by the brain. Later, I pivoted to an autonomous Formula 1 racing lab, where I improved the car’s camera-based machine learning perception systems. AI4ALL was the major spark that first inspired me to pursue research in these spaces!
Looking back, what's one skill, mindset shift, or piece of advice from mentors or fellow trainees that you still carry with you today?
One piece of advice that has stayed with me is that success is rarely linear. Dr. Aenor Sawyer’s talk particularly resonated with me when she described her journey to becoming a professor at UCSF. She emphasized the importance of perseverance and looking for meaningful gaps where you can contribute rather than simply following the traditional path others take. That mindset has helped me stay open to new opportunities and directions in my own academic journey.
If you could describe the AI4All experience in one sentence to someone who's never heard of it, what would you say?
UCSF AI4ALL is an incredible program that introduces students to machine learning research through world-class mentorship and a passionate community of peers.
Anything else you'd like prospective applicants to know?
Ask a lot of questions during keynote sessions and workshops! I made it a goal to ask at least one question in every session and take notes on the advice speakers shared. I still have those notes today. Also, the community you build during the program is truly special, and many of the peers I met at AI4ALL are still friends and part of my network 5 years later.