Adam Lele

Academic Interests

Computer Science

Fun Fact

I used to live on a college campus

My name is Adam Lele, and I’m a freshman at Duke University majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence. My passion for programming started in elementary school, where I built and programmed my first robot. That early curiosity grew over the years, and by senior year of high school, I was leading my school’s robotics team to a 1st place finish in the Oklahoma Botball Regional Tournament. While robotics has been a key part of my journey, my interests span much further.

In high school, I took every opportunity to deepen my knowledge of programming and technology. I enrolled in a Programming & Software Development course at Moore Norman Technology Center, where I earned certifications in Java, Python, C++, and C#. I also competed at the state and national levels in Java programming, representing my school's Business Professionals of America chapter, where I won state twice.

At Duke, I’m excited to continue exploring robotics and software engineering through my involvement in the Robotics Club, the National Society of Black Engineers, and Colorstack. I’m eager to learn new skills, collaborate with like-minded peers, and work on projects that push the boundaries of technology. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing and watching basketball (the Oklahoma City Thunder are winning it all this season!). I also love reading, especially sci-fi and dystopian novels. Some of my favorites are Dune, Parable of the Talents, and Vicious.

What do you like about being a SPIRE Fellow?

What I love about being a SPIRE fellow is the opportunity to be part of a community of diverse, like-minded individuals who I can easily relate to and learn from. It’s inspiring to be around people who share similar goals and challenges, while also bringing their own unique perspectives. I also appreciate the frequent SPIRE events, which give me the chance to connect and engage with other fellows in meaningful ways.