Society alum Kornelia Wieczorek named to Time鈥檚 Girls of the Year list
It鈥檚 just the beginning for Kornelia Wieczorek. Although she鈥檚 only 17 years old, Kornelia has made her mark on STEM 鈥� as a finalist in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and now one of
In celebration of , a United Nations observance honoring the ongoing efforts of young women making their mark on the world, Kornelia and other inspiring girls and women are proving their impact in STEM fields.
Kornelia, along with her project partner Diana Serjant, created a fertilizer called , which contributes to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (specifically and ) by reducing our reliance on chemical fertilizers while also offering an eco-friendly solution with reduced environmental impact.
Kornelia, who hails from Gdynia, Pomorskie, Poland, shared that while she views competing in Regeneron ISEF as a significant accomplishment, the highlight of her experience was the sense of belonging she felt during the competition.
鈥淲hat I鈥檒l always remember about Regeneron ISEF is that beyond the awards and recognition, it was a celebration of creating lifelong friendships,鈥� Korneliasays. 鈥淚t showed me that science is not only about discoveries, but also about building bridges between people.鈥�
Kornelia鈥檚 first interest in science began at a young age, driven by curiosity. She was a child who wanted to understand how things work and always asked the question 鈥渨hy.鈥�
At 11 years old, Kornelia started taking classes at the nearby Medical University, which shaped her academic path forward. For the first time, she had an opportunity to be in a space full of physicians, researchers and medical students.
鈥淐oming from a family without doctors or scientists, it was the first time I could speak directly to people working in the field I was beginning to love,鈥� Kornelia says.
According to Kornelia, becoming an ISEF finalist helped her to see that science was her calling. She says Regeneron ISEF helped her to understand that international collaboration is critical to science.
鈥淚 realized how powerful it is when people from different countries, backgrounds and perspectives come together to share knowledge and ideas,鈥� Kornelia shares. 鈥淭he conversations I had with other young scientists, mentors and judges were just as valuable as presenting my own work.鈥�
Kornelia continues to excel in her studies and stays busy with projects that bridge medicine, technology and research. She is working, for example, on an oncological applicator for brachytherapy in cervical cancer in partnership with one of the biggest oncology institutes in Poland. The goal is to create a device that makes treatment safer, more precise and more comfortable for patients.
Kornelia has also been interning at the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, where she has worked on projects exploring behavioral changes connected to neuropsychiatric disorders and research related to Parkinson鈥檚 disease. Together with a professor from Harvard Medical School, Kornelia is co-authoring a paper on the use of stem cells in treating Parkinson鈥檚 disease.
鈥淚 had the chance to present this work at Cambridge University, and this summer I will be a research intern at Harvard,鈥� Kornelia says. 鈥淭his project is especially meaningful to me because Parkinson鈥檚 is such a complex and devastating disease. Stem cell therapy holds real promise for future treatment.鈥�
While the accolades are a nice recognition for all the hard work she鈥檚 done, Kornelia says the awards and titles are not the most important thing; she鈥檚 just doing what she loves.
鈥淚 believe that broadly defined success is often only the visible tip of the iceberg, with failure, setbacks and hard work hidden beneath, so I try to celebrate achievements when they occur,鈥� Kornelia says.
International Day of the Girl recognizes girls鈥� stories, amplifies their voices and advocates for a more equal world. The Society congratulates Kornelia on the TIME鈥檚 Girls of the Year list honor and looks forward to seeing what she accomplishes next!
鈥淣ow, I see my future not only in terms of personal achievements in the field of medicine and neuroscience, but also in terms of being part of this wider global community of researchers,鈥� Kornelia says. 鈥淚 want to keep asking questions, looking for solutions and using science to improve people鈥檚 lives, and I know I want to do that in an environment where ideas are shared openly with collaborative thinking involved.鈥�
