Katelyn Liu
USA, 17
She/Her
Project: WOW! That’s STEM
As Katelyn sought to expand STEM opportunities for girls, she discovered that under-resourced Los Angeles communities were often urban heat islands where students lacked access to environmental education and time in nature. She founded WOW! That’s STEM to deliver hands-on science and environmental education to underrepresented students, with 20 chapters and 48 partners across six U.S. states and seven countries. WOW! has delivered 375 climate and science workshops, trained 60+ youth mentors to design and lead workshops worldwide, and distributed 13,000+ STEM kits to Title I schools to inspire innovation. Outside the classroom, Katelyn connects students to local ecosystems through community science advocacy, wildlife hikes and habitat restoration. She recently received a microgrant from Roots & Shoots USA to bring biodiversity research and life science curriculum into Los Angeles classrooms, continuing to build pathways for youth to become scientists, innovators, and stewards of their environments.