About the Author
Dr. Juan M. Lavista Ferres is the Corporate Vice President and Chief Data Scientist of the AI for Good Lab at Microsoft. Leading a team of dedicated data scientists and researchers in the domains of AI, Machine Learning, and statistical modeling, he partners with domain experts, researchers, and organizations worldwide to create a collaborative ecosystem that drives progress toward addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Juan cofounded the Microsoft AI for Good Lab in 2018. Since its inception, he and his team have undertaken over 350 projects worldwide, ranging from enhancing the detection of pancreatic cancer to assisting organizations after natural disasters. Collaborating with prominent organizations such as the United Nations, the American Red Cross, The Nature Conservancy, Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, the Vatican, Harvard University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University, they have consistently been at the forefront of using AI for the betterment of humanity.
A sought-after speaker, Juan has been featured at Strata, IEEE, TedX, Cornell University, and UC Berkeley, among others. In addition, Juan’s editorial leadership shapes the Microsoft Journal of Applied Research (MSJAR), helping to define AI and Data Science within Microsoft.
Juan dives in to address global challenges armed with a computer science degree from the Catholic University in Uruguay, a graduate degree in Data Mining and Machine Learning from Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in AI on Healthcare from Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. Juan resides in Kirkland, WA, with his wife and three children.
Juan is a co-author of AI for Good: Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action, and Health, a must-read resource for technical and non-technical professionals interested in AI’s social potential, as well as policymakers, regulators, NGO professionals, and non-profit volunteers. AI for Good is part of the Wiley AI eBooks Library collection, now available in IEEE Xplore.
Source: ieeexplore.org, microsoft.com and data.org, May 2026.
