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Lily Stelling

Election Year: 2026

Election Constituency: New Zealand

Scholar Status: Scholar Elect

Rhodes Identifier: New Zealand, 2026

Lily Stelling

Biography

Lily Stelling, from Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, is a technical AI governance researcher and policy advocate. She completed a BA/BSc in Mathematics, Philosophy and Economics at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, followed by an Honours degree in Mathematics at the University of Queensland. She has contributed research across public policy, economics, mathematics and AI governance in New Zealand, Australia and Europe. She was awarded the Kahotea Outstanding Achievement Scholarship at Victoria University of Wellington.

Co-founding Make It 16 NZ at the age of 18, Lily cares deeply about advocating for neglected voices. After considering the moral importance of future generations, combined with rapid technological change, this commitment led her to work in AI safety.

At Oxford, Lily will pursue a DPhil in Engineering Science, affiliated with the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, focusing on alleviating technical barriers to progress in AI governance. Outside of her academic work, she is a keen choral singer and published poet.