ScientistA Award

ScientistA Award 2026: Innovation and Leadership in STEM

Recognizing Brazilian women conducting research and applied scientific work across academia, industry, and government in the United States.

Program highlights:

USD $2,000 award
Five (5) honorable mentions
National and international visibility opportunities
Open to academia, industry, and government professionals
Ph.D. completed within the past 10 years
U.S.-based Brazilian women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)

Scientific Board Leaders 2026

The Scientific Board Leaders play a pivotal role in guiding the ScientistA awards. Their expertise, integrity, and commitment to advancing science ensure a thoughtful and rigorous selection process that celebrates the next generation of scientific talent.

Gessica Barros, PhD

Postdoctoral researcher at Duke University with a strong interest in understanding how cells maintain protein production through the regulation of mRNA translation. She uses genomic and molecular biology approaches to investigate the mechanisms that control translation to preserve cellular health under normal and stress conditions.

Thais Rodrigues, PhD

Plant biotechnologist and R&D executive with extensive experience advancing innovative crop protection technologies from early research to commercial application. As Global Director of R&D, Biology at Nufarm, she combines scientific leadership and industry expertise to drive sustainable solutions for modern agriculture.

Mirian Krystel, PhD

Biomedical scientist and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University investigating how the cellular machinery that produces proteins influences adipose tissue function and metabolic health. Her work combines expertise in genetics, molecular biology, and ribosome biology to better understand mechanisms underlying health and disease.

2026: How to Apply

Also download the full application guidelines (PDF) to answer your questions.

Application process

Applications for ScientistA Award 2026 are open from May 11th, 2026 through July 11th, 2026.

Applicants must submit all required materials through the official online application process, including:

CV
Ph.D. diploma
recommendation letter
institutional confirmation letter
impact statement
and video presentation.

Please see the application materials and guidelines in the downloads section.

Application method

Applications must be submitted through the online application form (google account required).

Timeline

Milestones (2026) are as follows (subject to change):

May 11 - Applications Open
July 11 - Application Deadline
October 5 - Finalists Announced
October 13 - Professional Development Workshop
November 6 ScientistA Award Ceremony (San Francisco)

Meaning of the name ScientistA

The ScientistA awards name came from merging the word "scientist" and "cientista" (female scientist in Portuguese). The play on words highlights the focus on women scientists and interfaces with both English and Portuguese language. The pronunciation also merges both English and Portuguese with the first part of the word pronounced as is in English and the A at the end pronounced as it would sound in Portuguese (Á H). Our name embodies the strength of these women in science building bridges between both countries.

Contacts

Please reach us by email to Scientific Committee at scientista@dimensionssciences.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

ScientistA Application Closes July 11

For details, see the application guidelines further below.