In 2020, Mary Kay launched the Young Women in STEAM grant program and social campaign to help shift the perception of “the face of science,” and encourage young women to pursue STEAM paths. According to UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, women remain a significant minority in scientific fields and are still under-represented in areas such as computing, digital information technology, engineering, mathematics, and physics.
“At Mary Kay, we celebrate young women who are embracing higher education and careers in STEAM areas as we continue to help narrow the gender gap and bias in scientific and related fields,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science for Mary Kay Inc. “It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in STEAM industries, and we want to help change that by providing impactful grants to encourage young women to continue their pursuits in STEAM-related fields. Our 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant recipients are blazing trails around the world and helping to solve some of humanity’s most complex problems through science and innovation. We are proud to recognize their contributions and by supporting these remarkable young women, we continue Mary Kay’s steadfast mission of enriching women’s lives worldwide.”
The recipients of Mary Kay’s 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant program are highlighted on the company’s global social media channels and will receive $2,500 USD grants to assist with their current or future STEAM endeavors.
The 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant recipients:
- Angela Busheska, 20 (Macedonia) – The social entrepreneur and research-innovator was inspired to pursue STEAM after joining her 7th grade math Olympiad team where she fell in love with solving problems. As a developer of the EnRoute app, Busheska helps users live a more sustainable lifestyle by utilizing machine learning algorithms to help users abandon fast fashion. She encourages other young women to join STEAM fields and looks forward to seeing humanity utilize STEAM technologies for greater social good.
- Fengyun Chen, 17 (China) – Her projects entail physics and the role of clean energy in environmental sustainability. In 2017, Chen founded Yun Energy, an alliance of science and technology innovation that serves 20,000 people per year through courses in scientific enlightenment and physics. She conducted a 30-day investigation with her father that also led to the invention of the Water Distribution Device of Power Generated by Geothermal Energy and Air 3.0. She believes STEAM education allows students to explore practical ideas through hands-on experimentation that stimulates creativity and imagination.
- Farzana Alam Eshita, 23 (Australia) – As a civil engineer and honors student at the Monash University in Australia, Eshita’s final year project focuses on investigating the development of shear bands in triaxially loaded sand bands using x-ray computed tomography. Her current projects also include engineering major road projects in accordance with Australian standards and development of a landmark sports complex structure highlighting excellence in architectural and urban design. Eshita believes being a female in a STEAM field offers a variety of benefits including the opportunity to gain confidence, improve problem-solving abilities, and develop new educational and employment prospects.
- Aruna Sherma, 20 (Germany) – Her project is focused on developing an alternative contrasting agent for MRI scans that replace the conventional agent, gadolinium. As a physics student, Sherma has worked in four different labs to develop the contrast agent, and a series of tests at the University of Hamburg has shown it to be biocompatible with a stronger effect in MRI scans at a lower dosage than conventional contrast. Although STEAM subjects can be daunting to many, she believes diversity is important in all fields and feels women are just as capable as men of shaping the future in technology and research.
- Jingyuan Xu, 31 (Germany) – The energy conversion technologist and sustainable energy champion is a research fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. Xu’s research focuses on sustainable energy technologies to provide economical solutions in cooling, heating, and power. She is passionate about applying her knowledge and expertise to minimize global-primary energy use and reduce CO2 emissions. In her view, women in STEAM boost team spirit, and the diversity that comes with inclusivity produces better science. She encourages young girls to pursue STEAM fields with enthusiasm and follow their hearts to benefit the world with breakthrough science.
- Eizelle Yee, 30 (Philippines) – An environmentalist, architect, and entrepreneur, Yee is a founding member of Pocket Garden, a public space design collective started by a group of volunteers who co-create and design shareable green spaces in the Philippines. She believes women have a keen eye for detail that helps marry art and science in an organized fashion. When it comes to STEAM initiatives, she feels collaborations between diverse cultures and traditions can bring inclusive and relatable creations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.
For more information on the Young Women in STEAM grant program, visit https://newsroom.marykay.com/.
About Mary Kay
One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.
