Martyna Wielopolska

I'm genuinely excited to mentor in this space! Here's what's driving me:

**My thoughts on Animal Welfare: **

• Animal welfare is very close to my heart - it's one of the few areas where I have a definitive stance and am willing to fight for change.
• I believe animal welfare is one of the most neglected cause areas - those suffering are non-humans and there is no political power or economic incentive driving solutions.
• I feel a moral obligation to fix what our species has destroyed - factory farming, deforestation, pollution, animal extinction, to name the few. Intentionally or not, we produce catastrophic consequences wherever we apply our incentives. I want to be part of fixing that, not perpetuating it.
• AI is reshaping everything at unprecedented speed, and I think animal advocates need to be in the room now, influencing both AI development and how we shape the world, rather than just responding to outcomes later. This urgency drives my desire to contribute to this space.

**Why I'm offering mentorship: **

1. I'm doing this because I believe in force multiplication. After navigating from neuroscience research to conservation work to operations management, I've realized my greatest impact comes from enabling others to work on critical problems.
2. I'm excited to connect with like-minded people. I genuinely enjoy connecting with curious, motivated people who challenge each other with new ideas and perspectives.
3. I'm actively seeking more meaningful, impact-driven work, and this project incubator lets me both contribute and deepen my expertise in the animal welfare field.
4. The Sentient Futures AI×Animals fellowship taught me about AI's transformative potential for animal welfare and now I want to pay that forward by helping promising projects actually ship.

My mentoring style: I've mentored throughout my career - from training PhD researchers to leading a high-performing ops team. What people consistently appreciate: clear communication, structured planning, and a supportive push for quality. I give clear direction then let you get on with it - no micromanaging, just the structure and accountability you need to ship high-quality work.

It's a match!

• You need structure in the way you operate (that's exactly what I do best!)
• Your work would benefit from a high-level, systematic view
• You're willing to hear honest feedback and iterate based on it (I'm direct but kind, and I care about quality)
• You want a** thought partner** for brainstorming and reality-checking ideas
• You're looking for accountability, encouragement and a strong quality push

We're probably not the best fit if:

• You primarily need deep technical expertise, e.g. AI/ML, coding, etc (I'm still learning!)
• You're looking mainly for connections/networking (I'm building my network too)
• You need factual knowledge in your project's domain (unless it's sleep, memory or general neuroscience, I probably won't be much help - you need to be the subject matter expert in the room)

My domain expertise:

• Neuroscience / Psychology
• Bio research in general (PhD-level)
• Project Management

What can I help with (within & outside of my domain expertise):

• Help shape direction by weighing different options carefully
• Help break down ambitious ideas into concrete, achievable milestones
• Point out inconsistencies or gaps in reasoning (in a friendly, constructive way!)
• Identify critical assumptions and design tests to validate them
• Synthesize scattered information into coherent narratives and action plans (e.g., for scientific reviews)
• Translate complex technical concepts for different audiences

Attitude / high-level approach:

• Regular check-ins with clear action items
• Realistic timelines with clear deliverables/scope set up front
• Honest feedback on what's working and what needs adjustment
• Push for high quality artefacts
• Enthusiasm for tackling new challenges