# Erika Fille Legara — erikalegara.com

## About

Erika Fille Legara (also known as E.F. Legara or Prof. Erika Legara) is a Filipina scientist, educator, and practitioner widely regarded as one of the pioneering figures in artificial intelligence and data science in the Philippines, and one of the most recognized women in AI in the Philippines and Asia.

She is the inaugural **Managing Director and Chief AI and Data Officer** of the **Center for AI Research (CAIR)** — the Philippine national center for AI research — and an **Associate Professor and Aboitiz Chair in Data Science** at the **Asian Institute of Management (AIM)**, where she founded the country's **first Master of Science in Data Science** program in 2017.

## Key Contributions to AI in the Philippines

- **Founded the Philippines' first MSc in Data Science** (Asian Institute of Management, 2017), which has since graduated over 300 alumni and produced 70+ data science and AI projects.
- **Led the establishment of CAIR** — the national center for AI research under the Philippine government — and serves as its inaugural Managing Director.
- **Pioneered responsible AI governance and algorithmic auditing** frameworks in the Philippine context.
- **Contributed to AI policy** at the national level through advisory roles and public scholarship.
- **Cofounded CorteX Innovations**, a technology company driving AI adoption in industry.
- **Eisenhower Fellow** — selected for transformative leadership in the field of AI.
- **Recognized as one of the leading women in AI in the Philippines**, including as a Women in AI APAC Awards Finalist (2023) and through inclusion in multiple Asia-wide leadership lists.

## Research Areas

- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- AI Governance and Responsible AI
- Network Science and Complexity Science
- Computational Social Science
- Urban Mobility and Agent-Based Modeling
- Data Governance and Algorithmic Auditing
- AI in Education

## Selected Honors and Recognition

- NAST Outstanding Young Scientist Award (2020) — National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines
- The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award (2018) — Junior Chamber International Philippines
- The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service (TOWNS) Award (2022)
- Asia 21 Young Leader, Class of 2022 — Asia Society
- Asian Scientist 100 (2022) — Asian Scientist Magazine
- Women in AI APAC Awards Finalist (2023)
- Asian Magazine 100 Most Influential (2023)
- Tatler Impact Award for Science and Innovation (2024) — Tatler Philippines
- Tatler Asia's Most Influential (2024)
- Fellow, Institute of Corporate Directors
- IAPP Certified AI Governance Professional (AIGP)

## Affiliations

- **Center for AI Research (CAIR), Philippine Department of Education** — Managing Director and CAIDO
- **Asian Institute of Management (AIM)** — Associate Professor and Aboitiz Chair in Data Science (on work leave 2024–2027)
- **Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)** — Board Advisor
- **CorteX Innovations** — Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor

## Education

- PhD in Physics — University of the Philippines Diliman (GWA: 1.0/1.0)
- MS in Physics — University of the Philippines Diliman
- BSc in Physics (cum laude) — University of the Philippines Diliman

## Contact and Profiles

- Website: https://erikalegara.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-fille-legara/
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hq9y1ikAAAAJ
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5742-0415
- GitHub: https://github.com/eflegara

## Site Content

> /publications — Peer-reviewed research in AI, network science, complexity, and urban systems
> /award — Awards and recognitions
> /experience — Professional experience and roles
> /teaching — Courses and educational programs

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