Mhairi McCann

Founder & CEO of Youth STEM 2030

Mhairi (she/her) is Youth STEM 2030’s Founder & CEO, and her work here is fuelled by a deep drive to create possibility for other young changemakers in STEM. Based in Inverclyde, Scotland, her expertise lies in creating meaningful, inclusive and participatory youth inclusion in decision-making. A generalist, Mhairi brings a strategic approach to the pursuit of our mission, and enjoys thinking of the bigger picture and ‘joining the dots’. She has a strong focus on equity & inclusion, is especially passionate about ocean conservation and, in her free time, enjoys volunteering and spending time in nature on long walks with Gordon the dog. Mhairi is a 776 Foundation Climate Fellow, and a 2021 National Geographic Young Explorer, and for her work at Youth STEM 2030, she was named Winner of the 2022 Young Scot Environment Award.

Anika Dugal

Research Conference Organiser

Anika Dugal is a Youth STEM Matters Research Conference Organiser and Research Editor. She is an Old Bridge High School student who loves all things STEM--especially medicine, sustainability solutions, and AI! Anika is currently an intern with the Waksman Center of Microbiology, where she is conducting research on duckweed DNA mutations. In the future, Anika plans to major in Biomedical Engineering and develop innovative disease treatments.

Sameera Hassan

Storyteller & Communications Strategist

Sameera Hassan is a storyteller, communications strategist, and founder of Chronicle Health – a creative social impact platform and bespoke strategic advisory firm placing community voices and storytelling at the forefront of global health and international development. She is a graduate of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has lived and worked in Belize, China, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Kenya.

Iona Finney

Sixth form student and Youth STEM Matters Volunteer

Hi, I’m Iona! I am currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and History for my A-Levels. I’m really interested in engineering and how it can be used to combat climate change. In my free time, I love to play hockey and netball, as well as do some baking.

Robert Meya

Environmental Educator and Trainer, Climate Change Activist and Founder OEO

An environmentalist whose passion is driven by both love and fear. His fear is about what would happen if noting is done. He got fully engaged in conservation from 2016, as a pioneer chair of the UON-CEES Environment club, Founded Our Environment Organization, youth coordinator at Friends of Ondiri Wetland Kenya, Logistics in-charge at March For Our Planet and Communications Officer at Africa Climate and Environment Foundation. He has presented papers in conferences in SDGs and Climate Change and he is an environmental writer

Victor Olufemi

Data Scientist

Victor is a final-year student the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, where he studies Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the undergraduate level. After over 4 years of building data-centric products for farmers in Subsaharan Africa, he now focuses on building his own Startup. He is currently the highest-ranking student on Zindi Africa, placed at 10th out of over 60,000 data scientists.

Rosana de Oliveira Gomes

Lead Machine Learning Engineer and Project Manager at Omdena

Rosana is a Senior Data Scientist in the energy sector. After a long career as an Astrophysics researcher, she opted for focusing her career on technology for social impact. Rosana is passionate about supporting minorities into tech careers and is an advocate of gender equality in tech. Together with her friends, she founded the AI Wonder Girls team, which was awarded multiple prizes in Hackathons all over the world. She wishes that such projects and prizes help bringing more visibility to women in tech and inspire the next generations.

Laura Maisvoreva

Climate Activist & undergraduate medical student

Laura is a fourth year medical student at the University of Zimbabwe who is passionate about advancing the sustainable development goals, particularly those that integrate climate action and good health and wellbeing.

Luna Ramírez

Youth STEM Matters Research Editor and teen leader

" High school student and teen leader exploring the connections between gender equality, climate justice and environmental sciences (biology, ecology and more!). Passionate about the power of education in female empowerment through STEM. She works in initiatives to tackle climate change, provide sexual education to vulnerable communities and support educational programs with ASOFI, an organisation working towards peacebuilding. "

Margarey Yainkain Mansaray

Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Women in Energy Sierra Leone Limited

Margaret Yainkain Mansaray is a promising clean energy innovator from Sierra Leone. With a passion for engineering, she aims to tackle the challenge of inadequate access to affordable and efficient clean cooking energy in her country and Africa. Through her work, Margaret developed an innovative and sustainable cooking solutions, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prevent health risks bringing hope for a healthier and sustainable future

Sophia Alfaro

STEM Enthusiast and High School Graduate

Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Alfaro and I am a high school graduate from Managua, Nicaragua. I am particularly interested in exploring the synergy of chemical engineering, 3D printing, and medicine. I am passionate about developing affordable prosthetics using 3D-printing technology for my community. I am also a climate activist, leveraging my STEM expertise to develop eco-friendly materials for sustainable innovations. In my free time, I tutor underprivileged children in science, mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Treasure Mayowa

Changemaker and Tech Enthusiast

Treasure Mayowa is a 16-year-old gap-year student who is passionate about computer science and technology. As a tech enthusiast, she is keen on leveraging technology to solve global challenges. This has led her to embark on several projects and initiatives to explore this interest including a climate change awareness app and a Scratch Programming Curriculum.

Roger Koranteng

Environmental Conservation Advocate and Remote Sensing Specialist

Roger is a passionate environmental conservation advocate and remote sensing specialist based in Accra, Ghana. With a deep interest in protecting the climate and preserving biodiversity, he utilizes his expertise in satellite technology, particularly the Sentinel-2 satellite, to monitor land cover changes and deforestation in the Congo Basin. His work aims to contribute to climate change mitigation efforts and address the impact of human displacement. Roger is committed to empowering young minds to take action for a sustainable future.

Aya Taloaie

Tech Enthusiast and Social Entrepreneur | Big Data Analytics and minor in Business Administration Student

Aya Taloaie is a Moroccan-based IT enthusiast and social entrepreneur. She is presently enrolled in Al Akhawayn University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Big Data Analytics with a minor in Business Administration. Aya's commitment to encouraging innovation is exemplified by her job as Co-Founder and Team Manager at Forsa Lik, where she inspires high school students through social volunteering initiatives. Her influence extends to a variety of civic projects, including advocacy for women's rights and young participation in entrepreneurship and human rights. Aya's wide skill set and dedication to making a positive difference make her a vital force in the fields of STEM and social entrepreneurship.

Laurissa Havins

Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Oxford

Laurissa is a postdoctoral research scientist working at the University of Oxford. She is passionate about the use of stem cells for developing treatments for neurodegenerative and neuroimmune diseases and has presented at a variety of national conferences. She has been a mentor for undergraduate and masters students in the medical sciences, and has been involved in STEM outreach events.

Akhila Mahidhara

High School Student and Aspiring Bioengineer

Akhila is a high school student from New Jersey and an all-around science enthusiast. She particularly enjoys reading and researching computational biology and data science, and has been involved with research in this space since her sophomore year. Akhila believes in the importance of empowering youth to pursue science and create change in their communities.

Shweta Narayan

Climate and Health Campaigner, Health Care Without Harm

Shweta Narayan coordinates the Global Climate and Health Campaign for Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), an international NGO in 74 countries dedicated to making health care available and environmentally sustainable.  She facilitates HCWH’s health professional mobilization initiatives and coordinates staff activities and strategic campaign planning.  She is based in India and has over two decades of experience advocacy and community organizing experience on environmental justice issues. Her work focuses on providing legal, media and scientific research support to the residents of polluted communities and workers exposed to toxic chemicals.

Sera Tolgay Marshall

Urban Planner & Designer at Scape, passionate about nature-based infrastructure

As an Urban Planner and Designer specializing in climate adaptation, Sera is dedicated to transforming urban landscapes by integrating nature-based solutions into the way we plan cities. She has a background in environmental science and hydrology, and currently works at the intersection of science and design, collaborating with engineers, ecologists, and landscape architects at Scape. Sera also worked on zoning for coastal resilience at the New York City Department of City Planning and as an independent consultant to the World Bank and UN-HABITAT on urban regeneration and resilience projects.

Kolisa Yola Sinyanya

Ocean Biogeochemist obsessed with science communication

Kolisa Sinyanya is a PhD researcher in Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She explores relationships between phytoplankton, nutrients, and biogeochemical cycling in the Southern Indian Ocean. Kolisa is passionate about her science, communicating it and being a pioneer for policy making in relation to ocean health.

Shahed Debiat

Research Conference Organiser

Shahed is a Research Conference Organiser and a Team Member at Youth STEM Matters.

Emmanuel Randle

Youth STEM Matters Team Member

Randle Emmanuel is a Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate who is passionate about utilizing engineering technology for designing sustainable and resilient infrastructure (and structures). Hence, he is passionate about SDGs 9, 11 & 13. This passion has fueled his activities over the past few years, he has engaged in research on materials that could be used for construction that are more ecologically friendly and he is currently researching ways to improving infrastructure performance against undesirable conditions.

Alice Cameron

Research Conference Organiser

Hi, I’m Alice! I am currently studying Maths, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at Advanced Higher. I’m hoping to study Medicine next year and am very interested in healthcare inequalities and public health. Outside of school, I enjoy training and competing with my local athletics club, travelling, and looking after my pet chickens.

Alana Scott

Youth STEM Matters Programme Officer & Communications Lead

Alana (she/her) is part of the Youth STEM 2030 Core Team, as our Youth STEM Matters Programme Officer. Based in England, Alana is an ecologist who is at the end of her Master's degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology. As the director of a conservation non-profit, Alana has experience managing rewilding projects, leading a business, and communicating science, a skill which she has also utilised in her past role as editor-in-chief of a local nature magazine. Now, Alana is combining these skills as Youth STEM Matters Programme Officer.