These days, seeing women in labs, airplane cockpits, or astronaut teams hardly surprises anyone. But it wasn’t always this way — women had to fight for centuries for the right to study, grow professionally, and pursue science. To recognize their contributions to humanity, the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In honor of this occasion, we’re sharing the stories of remarkable participants from the projects and events of Association Noosphere — young women who are shaping Ukrainian science while bringing their own creative touch to it.
Daria Petlyak, a ninth-grader from Dnipro, is just 14 years old, but her interests are already impressively diverse. A passionate musician, she attends music school and plays piano. In August 2024, she was selected to participate in the Noosphere Tech Intensive. Always eager to explore new experiences, she jumped at the chance to join the summer school, where she built her first rocket model and robot, studied the basics of cybersecurity, and discovered a newfound love for astronomy.
“I was fascinated to learn that, in one way or another, everything we have exists because of space,” she shares. The inspiring instructors at Noosphere Tech Intensive fueled her curiosity, motivating her to dive even deeper into learning.
Initially, Daria planned to dedicate her future to music, but now she’s keeping her options open, exploring different fields to find her true passion. Her advice to peers? Never limit yourself.
“Don’t see the world in black and white. Never stop at one goal—once you achieve something, set your sights on the next challenge. And never turn down opportunities; they bring experience and help you figure out your path. Most importantly, believe in yourself,” she says confidently.
Maria Brailovska, an eleventh-grader from Kharkiv, is no stranger to achievement. In December last year, she won the Space Heritage UA competition in the Scientific Audiopodcast category with a piece about prominent Ukrainian figures in the space industry.
Maria’s interests span a wide range — physics, astronomy, computer science, programming, youth policy, and international relations. She chose the podcast format because, in her view, information is best absorbed through audio and video, making space history more engaging for listeners.
Maria envisions a future in science, though she’s still exploring which field to pursue. She’s even considering studying multiple disciplines.
“I want to create something that will make the world a better place, something that will impact humanity and leave a mark in history,” she shares.
Maria firmly believes that science and creativity go hand in hand — after all, innovation and imagination are at the heart of scientific breakthroughs. She dismisses gender stereotypes in science as baseless and sees them as motivation rather than barriers.
“Fortunately, women today have access to education and careers in science. Yes, stereotypes still exist, but we can use them as fuel for our success. Knowledge and skills have no gender,” she asserts.
Olha Polinko, a tenth-grader from Cherkasy, studies at a physics and mathematics high school while working with mentors at the Noosphere Engineering School Cherkasy. She has been passionate about space engineering for three years, conducting her own research on space exploration.
“My fascination with space started in physics class when I read an article about black holes. I wasn’t sure if they were real, so I asked my teacher. When he confirmed that they do exist, I was shocked — and hooked on astronomy,” she recalls.
The allure of unanswered questions in astronomy keeps Olha engaged and driven. By ninth grade, she had already written a research paper on astronomy that won first place at the national level.
Last year, she participated in the NASA Space Apps Challenge for the second time, where her team, Voice of Stars, ranked among the top five winners. Their project? Transforming data from the starry sky into musical notes and performing a unique composition on the cello.
The idea came about spontaneously, but Olha and her team were confident it would make an impression. “We knew that turning star data into a cello melody would create a wow effect,” she says. She’s convinced that science and creativity should be intertwined, breaking down the barriers between art and research.
Currently, Olha is tackling the issue of space debris, developing a system for collecting and recycling waste using energy-efficient trajectories. She hopes to turn this research into a startup in the future.
Her advice to other young scientists? “Just start. If you’re passionate about something, inspiration will follow—and you’ll create incredible things.”
Anastasia Konotop, the cellist from Voice of Stars, brought their project to life with her virtuoso performance of the star melody before the hackathon judges.
At 36, she is a mother of two and jokes about being the oldest member of the team, but she found immense inspiration in working with her younger colleagues.
“People who work with young minds are different. That’s probably why university professors always seem so youthful and energetic,” she laughs.
Anastasia recently completed her master’s degree in Metrology and Information-Measurement Technology at Cherkasy State Technological University. She joined the NASA Space Apps Challenge on a whim, without expecting much, but the star melody project captivated her. Music, particularly playing the cello, is her greatest passion.
Even in her scientific research, she combined technology with art—studying the structure of the cello from an engineering perspective, exploring how different sounds are produced and what makes the instrument’s design so unique.
Her message to aspiring female scientists? “Don’t confine yourself to one field. Broaden your horizons, bring creativity and innovation into science.”
On this special day, the Noosphere Association wishes all women in science boundless inspiration for new discoveries and achievements. And, of course, well-deserved global recognition for their creativity and dedication.
