ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT ZAKI ALAM, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras | Chennai, India | Advancing SDG 3, SDG 10, SDG 9, SDG 4 & UNAI 3
" I am excited to be a Millennium Fellow because it offers the opportunity to merge my technical expertise with a global platform dedicated to inclusive impact. My journey — from witnessing my grandfather’s daily struggles after losing an arm, to meeting a rural boy who simply wished to ‘run like every other kid’ — has shaped my drive to create accessible, affordable solutions for persons with disabilities. Through neuromotor rehabilitation, EMG-based VR interfaces, and assistive computer vision systems developed in collaboration with CMU, IISc Bangalore, and IIT Madras, I aim to bridge the gap between innovation and compassion. The Fellowship’s mentorship, diversity, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals will empower me to scale these solutions, foster collaborations, and inspire change in communities worldwide. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: NeuroBridge: AI-Assisted EMG Rehabilitation System
NeuroBridge is an AI-assisted EMG rehabilitation system designed to improve movement quality for individuals with motor impairments, especially in low-resource settings. The project uses surface EMG signals and kinematic feedback to detect incorrect movement patterns and provide real-time corrective guidance. By creating a low-cost, accessible, and clinically meaningful rehab tool, NeuroBridge aims to reduce the rehabilitation gap in the Global South, where access to physiotherapy is limited. This initiative contributes to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) by supporting structured, repeatable, and effective motor recovery at home or in community health centers.
About the Millennium Fellow
Zaki Alam, born in Chennai, India, is an undergraduate Biological Engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras dedicated to advancing health equity through computational neuroscience, bioinformatics, and inclusive assistive technologies. His work spans neuromotor rehabilitation, EMG-based VR interfaces, and computer-vision navigation aids for the visually impaired, developed in collaboration with CMU, IISc Bangalore, and IIT Madras. Zaki aligns his innovations with UN Sustainable Development Goals, addressing disparities faced by persons with disabilities through scalable, affordable, and compassionate solutions that merge cutting-edge engineering with real-world impact.
