Self-Rescuing Princess of the Week - Kirtana Vallabhaneni

Kirtana Vallabhaneni, Photo: BBC News

Seventeen year old Kirtana Vallabhaneni is a science fair rock star, as proven by her recent award in The Big Bang Fair, in Birmingham, England, as part of the University of Liverpool's research project working to identify the cause of pancreatic cancer.

Ms Vallabhaneni, who was part of the project team working to isolate cells in the pancreas that can be targeted with chemotherapy, said she was "so happy" with the win. 

Not only did she beat out 360 other contestants in the contest which was between students, 11 to 18 years old, competing in science, technology, engineering and math, she wowed the judges, who included several scientific celebrities, including space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Sir Tim Hunt, and the Science Museum's inventor in residence Mark Champkins.

Dr Aderin-Pocock said she was "delighted" with Ms Vallabhaneni's work.

"The country's science and engineering industry has an incredibly bright future ahead of it if Kirtana and her fellow finalists are anything to go by," she said.
"It's these talented individuals who will inspire others to think about science and engineering in a new and exciting light."

And she is exciting! And excited. 

"Everything that I've worked for over the last year has come together," she said.
"The fact four finalists were female shows that there are strong opportunities for women in science and it proves they don't have to follow convention and stereotypes.

She certainly is a great role model for young women who have a passion for science and research.

"I'm so passionate about what I do and I hope that with this success, I can instil the same kind of passion I have for science in other young people.
"If I can do it, they definitely can."

Hear hear!

source: BBC News