Tech Analyst

Kayla Peng

Kayla Peng is a student at the Kent Place School in New Jersey. She has experience in the intersections of technology, environmental advocacy, public policy, and journalism.

Growing up between China and the US, Kayla has experienced climate impacts that negatively affected her community. At YIP, she serves as a Tech Analyst after graduating from the Fall 2025 Fellowship Cohort. Outside of YIP, Kayla has led a statewide youth climate coalition, served on the US Youth Action Council for the UN Ocean Decade, conducted research with a MIT postdoc, and was a synchronized swimmer. At school, Kayla is the editor-in-chief of Ballast, the school newspaper.

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The $14.7 Billion Question: Who’s Responsible for New Jersey's Power Crisis?

Capstone Project

Energy lies at the core of every functioning society, yet today’s world faces mounting challenges as demand accelerates due to technological advancements while supply lags. Ratepayers experience rising costs largely due to the rising demand for AI data centers. Through policy harnessing the price stabilization effect of clean energy and more robust consumer protection plans, the mismatch can be amended.

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Policy Briefs by the author

Re-evaluating Screen-Time: Youth Engagement with Technology in Education

Technology Policy

February 8, 2026

Youth engagement with screens, especially artificial intelligence (AI) tools and social media, has grown rapidly, affecting learning. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), AI is already an integral part of adolescents' daily lives, ranging from predictive text to generative chatbots. Because adolescence (roughly ages 10-25) is a critical period for brain development as well as emotional and social development, the APA warns that adolescents are incredibly vulnerable to AI systems that present inaccurate information, simulate human interaction, and present persuasive content designed to influence adolescents’ beliefs or emotions without them often realizing it. Research cited in the advisory emphasizes that adolescents are less likely than adults to question the accuracy or intent of AI-generated responses, making them more susceptible to misinformation, bias, and excessive reliance on AI tools, especially in educational settings.

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Effects on Science & Technology Amidst Government Shutdown

Technology Policy

December 20, 2025

November has seen the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, beginning on October 1, 2025 and lasting for 43 days. This shutdown posed major disruptions for the science and technology sector. The abrupt halt in federal funding for essential basic and applied research stagnated U.S. global competitiveness as agencies will require months to regain lost progress. Additionally, it adds to the pressure already faced by federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from mass layoffs earlier in the year. Policymakers in the Bureau of Labor Statistics who depend on timely information to inform their decisions will also experience greater difficulty due to furlough. Furthermore, pathways for young people to enter STEM careers such as the NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) have been impaired because of the shutdown. Because of this, many scientific societies and agencies such as The Science Coalition are pushing for more predictable funding and assurance for long-term projects that could be compromised by funding disruptions.

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