Ria Persad was born in Trinidad and Tobago, is of East Indian descent, and moved to the United States of America as a small child. She is both a mathematician and a classical musician and was a child prodigy. She currently mentors technology companies and is a climate scientist coordinating research teams globally. Her life story has been featured in Oprah, and the documentary “Drops in the Ocean” (released 2019) follows her cutting-edge research in mitigating tropical cyclones. Persad is the author of the book “All Things are Possible: Unleashing the Superhuman Within”, and is the reigning Mrs. Grand Universe (Mrs. Universe 2018).

Highlights

  • Founding CEO of StatWeather, recognized as the 2017 #1 Climate Technology globally, 2015 Top Data Provider Globally through Energy Risk Awards, Top U.S. Weather Company in Energy Risk Software Rankings 2013, Best Newcomer of the Year 2013, a 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards “Rising Star”, and in the Top 5 Most Innovative Companies in America in 2015 through MeetAdvisor
  • Inventor of 90-Day Ahead Weather Forecast that predicts extreme events with bulls-eye accuracy, as documented by Forbes, Reuters, Energy Manager Today, and others
  • Named International Woman of the Year by Renewable Energy World and Power Engineering 2013 and a “Lifetime Achievement” Leader through Platts Global Energy Awards 2014
  • Keynote and invited guest speaker for major engagements, including Commodity Markets Council (CMC), Commodity Trading Risk Management (CTRM), Energy Risk USA, The Money Show, Commodity Trading & Merchandising, Energy Weather Summit, LDC Gas Forum, Financial Certainty to Move Mexico, Total Energy USA, Eastern Oil and Gas, Google Startup Grind, and others
  • Author of #1 Most Viewed Blog on Energy Central, “Exactly How Accurate Are Weather Forecasts?”
  • Author of motivational book, “All Things Are Possible: Unleashing the Superhuman Within”, available on Amazon.com
  • Weekly writer for The Manila Times on scientific and motivational topics for Harvard University column
  • Subject Matter Expert with 22 Years’ Experience in Mathematical Methods: Cutting-edge Forecasting Models, Climatology, Space Physics, Geospace, Mathematics Software, Teaching, and Scientific Communication
  • Active DOD SECRET Clearance; Client work at Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), NASA Johnson Space Center, US Air Force, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, L-3 Communications, Honeywell Aerospace

SCIENTIFIC BIO

Ria Persad studied mathematics and physics at Harvard, Princeton, and Cambridge Universities. Her experience in climate modeling began at Lawrence Livermore Lab’s Supercomputer Center in 1991. Persad performed earth and solar system modeling at NASA and went on to model geophysical systems at Bell Geospace. She worked on the trading floors of Lehman Brothers and was a consultant to Goldman Sachs. As a climatologist at Enron and Duke Energy, she was alerted to the needs of the energy trading sector and weather risk management. She later went on to develop state-of-the-art long-range weather prediction systems which were peer-reviewed among academia and U.S. Department of Defense scientists. She models complex systems for the U.S. Space Program and is an innovative Subject Matter Expert. Persad has been collaborating with NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and their academic research partner, CICS-NC on numerous climate and energy engagement activities to advance environmental intelligence. Persad is the Founding CEO of StatWeather, which received the 2017 International Climate Business Achievement Award for top global merit in climate technology. Persad received the Highest Honor from the Society of Women Engineers and Citations from the U.S. Secretary of Energy and the U.S. Senate on Scientific Achievement on her original contributions to computational and applied mathematics. Persad has been recognized by Platts Global Energy Awards as one of the top 7 global leaders for Lifetime Achievement and as the International Power-Gen and Renewable Energy Woman of the Year.  Persad has been a keynote and invited speaker for major events and platforms, such as the EU Climate Research & Innovation Days, the CNNMoney Switzerland Digital Future Board Room, and the TechPark Davos during the World Economic Forum. She has also been an influential writer and editor, contributing to publications such as Forbes, Reuters, Energy Central, The Manila Times, and Digital Future Magazine. She has also served as Mrs. Grand Universe 2018-2019 and is an advocate for climate solutions and STEM education.

MUSICIAN BIO

Ria’s journey began by inventing her own musical notation and playing by ear at the age of 5. She started formal lessons and performing Bach Inventions in recitals in Los Angeles at the age of 8. She was enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music and specialized in Early Music at the Madame Margaret Chaloff Foundation in Boston at the age of 14, graduating with High Honors. Ria Persad was admitted to Princeton University at the age of 16 on a mathematics scholarship and became the youngest pianist under conductor Walter Nollner, also performing as lead operatic soprano in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. At Princeton, she studied Species Counterpoint under American composer Professor Peter Westergaard and played recitals on piano and organ. Ria continued as a pianist and a singer in liturgical settings for over a decade prior to winning the 2010 Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition followed by her Carnegie Hall debut. Ria studied Alexander Technique under Evangeline Benedetti of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Russian Technique under virtuoso Eleonora Lvov. Ria’s life story as both an accomplished scientist and musician was chronicled by Oprah Winfrey, and her all-Yamaha recording “Solace” has been played on classical radio throughout the world. Ria has performed from San Francisco to New York, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and China. Her playing as been described as “Unique, visionary, supremely well-performed, with powerful poetic insights,” by Nick Peros of Phoenix Classical. Ria will be releasing a new album, “Beautiful Baroque” in 2025-2026 and giving concerts globally with works by Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Pachelbel, and Couperin.

Honors and Awards

  • 2019, Awarded title of honor of Marquise de Saint-Aymard for work in hurricane/typhoon research, benefiting the fight against poverty in Haiti
  • 2018, Mrs. Universe finalist and titleholder, “Mrs. Grand Universe”
  • 2017, Persad’s company StatWeather ranked as the #1 Climate Technology by Environment Business International
  • 2015, Persad’s company StatWeather ranked as the #1 Data Provider Globally by Energy Risk
  • 2014, Ranked among 7 of the Top “Lifetime Achievement” Leaders in the Platts Global Energy Awards
  • 2013, The recipient of Renewable Energy World and Power Engineering’s first ever POWER-GEN Woman of the Year award.
  • 2012, Persad’s company StatWeather ranked as #1 in Weather solutions in North America by Energy Risk
  • 2011, Carnegie Hall Debut and Global Concert Tour (Europe and America)
  • 2010, Winner of the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition
  • Society of Women Engineers – Highest Honor
  • Citation – U.S. Senate on Scientific Achievement (Sen. Edward Kennedy)
  • Citation – U.S. Secretary of Energy on Scientific Achievement (Hazel O’Leary)
  • Harvard Scholar – Top 5% Harvard incoming class
  • Presidential National Science Scholar (President George Bush)
  • 1st Award, MIT Science Competition (2 consecutive years)
  • Valedictorian, Boston Latin School