Employee Directory

Maya Prabhakar

• Science Faculty
• Email
• Dyker Heights
• Upper School, Middle School

“I’ve always observed the world and wondered how things work and why; I hope my students share in, and nurture, that thought at least once as they grow their life experiences.”

Maya Prabhakar joined Poly Prep as a Middle School science teacher in 2023. They grew up admiring the Inwood Park rangers, geological samples in New York museums, and Central Park drop stones, deciding they wanted to be a geologist by the time they turned 15. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo with a B.S. in Geology, Maya found a love for the various scientific interconnections in climate science and studied Arctic climate change and the relationships between Earth systems for their M.S. at the University of Arizona. Realizing they loved sharing their curiosity and knowledge with students while teaching higher education, they left academia to focus on connecting students with the endless possibilities and joy of science. Maya has a strong interest in the intersections between climate science and social science as well as the arts. As a lifelong student and bookworm, they continue to delve into climate research, geology, and ecology. Outside of teaching, they paint, hike, and talk about science in science fiction and horror media online.