MPOWER Women in STEM Winners Include Sustainable Fuel Engineer, Air Pollution Researcher, and Data-Driven Product Innovator
MPOWER established the Women in STEM Scholarship to celebrate women across the globe contributing to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Now in its third year, the Women in STEM program has awarded nearly US$30,000 to tomorrow’s leading scientists, medical professionals, creators, and innovators worldwide.
Today, we’re continuing to give back to the international community by announcing the latest winners of our Women in STEM Scholarship! We’re awarding US$9,000 to three impressive winners.
Each of these female professionals demonstrates high potential for achievement and social impact, and are role models and advocates for women in their communities and worldwide.
Read more about our winners below!
MPOWER’s Women in STEM Scholarship winners are:
$6,000 Grand Prize Winner: Miki Mura, Engineer Developing Carbon Capture Technology
Japan, University of Texas — Austin
Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering
Miki Mura has an accomplished background in petroleum engineering. She established her career in Japan as a reservoir and geomechanics engineer and geologist, and now hopes to include a global perspective by earning her Ph.D. in the U.S.
Miki watched many of her senior counterparts become experts in the energy industry by attending schools in close physical proximity to the fields in which they work. She hopes studying in Texas, the heart of the oil and gas industry, will empower her as a “researcher who can play on a global stage and address environmental issues.”
Long term, Miki wants to leverage her accomplishments to open the path for more women in STEM, writing: “When I recruited graduates for engineer and scientist positions… I tried to cast the spotlight on female graduates. However, other people did not allow it because I did not have enough power. That is why I want to become a good role model for female students, to encourage them to choose a career in STEM and create more opportunities.”
$2,000 Runner-Up: Alli Abosede Sarah, Epidemiologist Focused on Public Health
Nigeria, University of Massachusetts — Amherst
Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences
Alli Abosede Sarah studies how air pollution affects respiratory health in vulnerable groups like pregnant women, children, and the elderly. While studying for her undergraduate degree, she learned about the health burdens that high air pollution causes in Nigeria. Her doctoral research evaluates how air pollution in Ghana can cause respiratory illnesses, obesity, and high blood pressure.
After Alli completes her studies, she plans to teach in Nigeria as a professor. She wants to expand the scientific literature available in her community and “provide high-quality data to support environmental policies and locally relevant interventions to mitigate air pollution exposure.”
$1,000 Honorable Mention: Bristi Panja, Innovative STEM Product Developer
India, Tufts University
Master’s Degree in Innovation and Management
Bristi dedicates herself to solving social solutions with novel systems and technology. She helped build a nanoparticle-based system that protects marine ecology from oil spills, designed teaching tools to assist visually impaired students, and consults on end-to-end technology product development.
She hopes to use her education to narrow the gap between research and business development at midcap startups. She pursues this strategy to “optimize technology delivery, since I believe that science delivered right can do wonders for this world.”
Our Women in STEM Scholarship’s next round is currently live — apply before July 15, 2022, for a chance to win up to US$6,000 for academic and education expenses! You can also explore our Global Citizen, MBA, and Monthly Special Series scholarships. MPOWER also offers student loans for up to US$100,000, check to see if you’re eligible to apply.
