Mary Kay awards grants to young scientists at Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair
Mary Kay has awarded three grants to five high school scientists at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles.
Selected from nearly 2,000 participants representing almost 70 countries, the grants—totalling nearly $10,000—were given to students with projects focusing on cancer cures, sustainable packaging, and environmental protection.
ISEF, a programme run by the Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a network of local, regional, and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to pursue scientific inquiry. Each spring, selected finalists compete for approximately $9 million in awards and scholarships.
Meet the Student Scientists
First Prize: Keshvee Sekhda and Nyambura Sallinen (Georgia, USA)
Project: IdentiCan: The App That Detects Brain, Breast, Lung, Skin, and Pancreatic Cancer
Description: An app using AI technology to identify cancerous tumours with 99.6% accuracy.
Second Prize: Madalena Filipe and Frederico Mauritty (Lisbon, Portugal)
Project: HidroQapa: Waterproof Bioplastic Made From Chitosan Extracted From Shrimp Shell Waste
Description: Creating sustainable, biodegradable materials from crustacean shells to reduce waste and environmental pollution.
Third Prize: Carolina de Araujo Pereira da Silva (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Project: Rock the Metals! Investigating Manganese as a Trigger of Malignancy and Metal Transporters as Targets in Cancer Treatment
Description: Researching how metals and their transporters affect cancer cell behaviour for novel therapeutic cancer treatments.
Kristin Dasaro, Director of Package Engineering and Sustainability at Mary Kay, stated:
“These future STEM leaders demonstrated innovative research, creative solutions, and novel approaches to complex problems that will directly impact cures for cancer, sustainable business practices, and redefine industry norms,” said Kristin Dasaro, Director, Package Engineering and Sustainability at Mary Kay. “We have so much to learn from this next generation and Mary Kay is honored to support them in their STEM journeys.”
