DALLAS -- Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for furthering young women’s education and encouraging youth to follow their STEM dreams, returned for a second year as a Special Awards Organization at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF) in Columbus, Ohio. Ten grants totaling nearly $10,000 were awarded to standout high school-aged students excelling in innovative projects spanning topics from finding cures for cancers affecting women to sustainable packaging innovation and protecting our planet’s most valuable resources.

Mary Kay judges, Carrissa Dowdy, Manager, Product Formulation, and Kristin Dasaro, Director, Package Engineering and Sustainability, awarded grants to the next generation of young women in STEM leaders. (Photo Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)
Mary Kay judges, Carrissa Dowdy, Manager, Product Formulation, and Kristin Dasaro, Director, Package Engineering and Sustainability, awarded grants to the next generation of young women in STEM leaders. (Photo Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)
Each year, the event convenes nearly 2,000 participants representing more than 60 countries, with a total award pool offering over $9 million in awards and scholarships and invitations to corporate and academic events with elite global leaders in STEM.

Celebrating its 75th year, ISEF, a program of Society for Science, is the world’s largest pre-college global STEM competition. 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 at the annual Regeneron ISEF.

“The ingenuity, passion, and innovation demonstrated by these young STEM leaders are awe-inspiring,” said Carrissa Dowdy, Manager of Product Formulation at Mary Kay. “Their work has the potential to transform industries, drive sustainable advancements, and accelerate major breakthroughs in fields like cancer research, material science, and environmental engineering. Mary Kay is proud to stand behind them as they shape the future of STEM.”

*Carolina de Araujo Pereira da Silva is a two-time Mary Kay Young Women in STEM grant recipient for her outstanding contributions to the cancer research field. Her 2024 prize money was utilized toward furthering her presented project - Rock the Metals! Investigating Manganese as a Trigger of Malignancy and Metal Transporters as Targets in Cancer Treatment which elevated her 2025 award-winning submission.