Mary Kay Awards Grants to Five Aspiring Young Scientists at Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mary Kay Inc., a corporate cheerleader in support of STEM education and youth pursuing their dreams, recently awarded three grants to five standout high school scientists, selected from nearly 2,000 participants representing almost 70 countries, with grants at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles. The grants—totaling nearly $10,000—were awarded to students with innovative projects focused on finding cures for cancers affecting women, sustainable packaging innovation, and protecting our planet’s most valuable resources.

ISEF, a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional, and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately $9 million in awards and scholarships.

“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.”

MEET THE STUDENT SCIENTISTS

First Prize: Keshvee Sekhda and Nyambura Sallinen (Georgia, USA)
IdentiCan: The App That Detects Brain, Breast, Lung, Skin, and Pancreatic Cancer
App utilizing AI technology to identify cancerous tumors with 99.6% accuracy.

Second Prize: Madalena Filipe and Frederico Mauritty (Lisbon, Portugal)
HidroQapa: Waterproof Bioplastic Made From Chitosan Extracted From Shrimp Shell Waste
Creating sustainable, biodegradable materials from crustacean shells, helping to reduce waste and environmental pollution.

Third Prize: Carolina de Araujo Pereira da Silva (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Rock the Metals! Investigating Manganese as a Trigger of Malignancy and Metal Transporters as Targets in Cancer Treatment
Researching how metals and their transporters affect cancer cell behavior for novel therapeutic cancer treatments.

About Mary Kay

Then. Now. Always. One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 35 countries. For 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, 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 preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.

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