STEM GIRLS September 2026 |September 2026 | Issue No. 1Issue No. 1September 2026 | Issue No. 1Katalin KarikóKatalin Karikó THE PROBLEM WITH RNA AND THE WOMAN WHO SOLVED ITTHE PROBLEM WITH RNA AND THE WOMAN WHO SOLVED IT OUR TIME IS NOWOUR TIME IS NOW The impacts of women inThe impacts of women in sports on sports medicinesports on sports medicine OUR TIME IS NOW The impacts of women in sports on sports medicine Trend WatchTrend Watch This month’s challenge,This month’s challenge, create your very own!create your very own! Trend Watch This month’s challenge, create your very own!
7 STEADY AS SHE GOES Women are changing sports medicine today!THE PROBLEM WITH RNA AND THE WOMAN WHO SOLVED IT 6 PAGES 11 YOUR QUESTIONS 16 MONTHLY WRITING COMPETITION FInd out the rules and this month’s prompts! 1 Submit your own today!
For generations, women in STEM have faced barriers that were never meant to stop them—but too often made the journey harder. From being underestimated in classrooms and laboratories to navigating workplaces where they were the minority, women have had to challenge expectations simply to be given the opportunity to contribute. Yet women have continued to show up, speak up, innovate, and lead. This issue celebrates those who are breaking barriers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics —not only by achieving remarkable things themselves, but by creating new possibilities for the women who will follow. Their stories remind us that progress happens when people refuse to accept limitations placed on them. But breaking barriers is about more than reaching the top. It is about making space for others. It is about mentoring the next generation, questioning outdated assumptions, and building STEM communities where every woman and girl can see a place for herself. As you explore this issue, I hope you are inspired by the women whose ideas, determination, and courage are helping shape the future.Editor-in-Chief ClaireFROM THE EDITOR
Katalin karikó THE PROBLEM WITH RNA AND THE WOMAN WHO SOLVED IT
Katalin Karikó, a Hungarian born scientist who dedicated her life to studying messenger RNA. After decades, her research is finally getting the recognition it deserves. For years, few people outside the scientific world had heard of Katalin Karikó. She was a researcher working on an idea that many considered unlikely to succeed: using messenger RNA, or mRNA, to help the human body fight disease. Since she was a child she had became increasingly interested in messenger RNA, a molecule that carries instructions from DNA to cells, telling them which proteins to make. The idea was intriguing. If scientists could safely introduce mRNA into the body, perhaps they could use cells themselves as tiny factories to produce proteins that could prevent or treat disease. Her and her partner Drew Weissman’s work garnered limited funding but decades after she began her research, the world faced a global pandemic and the technology she had spent years developing became a foundation for the rapid creation of COVID-19 vaccines.But there was a problem.Katalin Karikó 2023
A COVID 19 CellThe Problem With mRNA When researchers introduced synthetic mRNA into cells, the body's immune system could react strongly to it. Instead of quietly delivering its instructions, the mRNA could cause intense inflammation. For Karikó, this was not a reason to abandon the idea. It was just a problem that needed solving. After moving to the University of Pennsylvania, she eventually met immunologist Drew Weissman. The two researchers began collaborating in the late 1990s, combining Karikó's expertise in RNA with Weissman's knowledge of the immune system. Their research led to a crucial discovery: modifying certain components of mRNA could prevent the body's immune system from reacting so aggressively to it.This seemingly small change had incredible consequences. Karikó and Weissman published their findings. Their work helped make mRNA a much more practical tool for medicine.But their breakthrough did not immediately transform healthcare. It took years of additional research and technological advances, including improvements in the delivery of mRNA into cells before the technology was ready for a more widespread medical use. Then came COVID. When scientists identified the genetic sequence of the virus responsible for COVID-19, researchers around the world began desperately searching for ways to create vaccines. The mRNA platform provided a very adaptable approach. Vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna used mRNA technology to teach cells to produce a harmless version of the coronavirus's spike protein. This means that the immune system could then learn to recognize the protein and prepare a defense. The technology that had once seemed like a gamble suddenly became one of the world's most important medical discoveries. 6
GOES AS SHE By Margarita Perez. Photography by Francois MercerTHE FEMALE CHAMPIONS FOR SPORTS MEDICINE 7STEADY
For a long time, sports medicine was mostly based on research about male athletes. Even though women have been playing sports for decades, doctors and researchers did not always study their bodies or health needs as much. Female athletes are creating positive change to the sports they love. Their experiences have made doctors pay more attention to injuries, nutrition, hormones, and recovery. Because of this, women have had a major impact on the way athletes are treated. “FEMALE ATHLETES ARE CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE SPORTS THEY LOVE” Simone Biles (left) and Katie Ledecky (right) both women are Olympic champions!
One important example is ACL injuries. Female athletes are more likely to experience certain types of knee injuries, especially ACL injuries. As more women played competitive sports, doctors began asking why this was happening. Researchers started studying things like how female athletes move, land after jumping, and use their muscles. This led to injury prevention programs that teach athletes safer ways to move and strengthen important muscles. These programs are now used by many athletes, especially in sports such as soccer and basketball. This shows how programs designed with women in mind can work towards improving sports for everyone. Women have also changed how doctors think about the menstrual cycle and sports. In the past, it was not talked about very much in athletics. Female athletes were often expected to follow the same training plans without considering how their menstrual cycle could affect their bodies. Today, there is much more discussion about periods, hormones, and athletic performance. This has helped athletes and doctors understand that menstrual health is an important part of overall health. Another major issue is nutrition. Female athletes helped bring attention to a problem called the female athlete triad. It can happen when an athlete does not get enough energy from food for the amount of exercise they are doing. This can lead to irregular or missing periods and weaker bones. Weak bones can increase the risk of stress fractures and other injuries. Sports medicine has become more aware that eating enough food is not just about performance—it is also necessary for staying healthy.USA’s Womens Soccer Team 2024 Olympics
Serena Williams (right) and Tamara Walcott (left) Women have also helped change the way doctors look at concussions. As more women began competing in contact sports, researchers had more opportunities to study concussions in female athletes. This research has helped show that athletes can experience and recover from concussions differently. Instead of assuming every athlete will have the same symptoms or recovery time, doctors are becoming more focused on treating each athlete individually. What makes these changes so important is that they have helped sports medicine realize that there is no such thing as one "normal" athlete. Men and women can have different medical needs, and athletes can respond differently to training and injuries. Studying women has helped doctors understand these differences instead of simply using male athletes as the standard. Female athletes have not just changed sports by competing at higher levels. They have also changed the medical care that athletes receive. By speaking up about their experiences and by becoming the focus of more research, women have helped doctors discover better ways to prevent injuries, improve nutrition, and protect athletes' health. Sports medicine still has more to learn, but the progress made so far shows how important female athletes have been. They have helped prove that sports medicine should be designed around the real needs of all athletes—not just one group. In the end, women have not only changed the way sports are played; they have changed the way athletes are cared for.
YOUR QUESTIONSWhy are some people left handed? Some people are left handed because of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Researchers believe that certain genes may influence how the brain develops and how strongly a person prefers one hand over the other. However, there is no single “left handed gene,” and which hand is dominant is influenced by many different factors. ‘Handedness’ develops very early in life and is related to how the brain is organized. Although most people are right-handed, being left handed is a normal variation in human development. Left handed people are not less capable than righthanded people, don’t worry! They simply tend to have a natural preference for using their left hand for tasks such as writing, throwing, or using tools.YOUR QUESTIONS, OUR AWNSERS!I just learned how fast the Earth spins, why don’t we feel it? The Earth spins incredibly fast, about 1,038 miles per hour if you live in places near the equator. While Earth itself is traveling around 66,600 mph during its solar orbit! The reason we don’t feel it is because of the constant movement. Think of it similar to a plane or car, while in the air or road you won’t feel the movement, but when you hit the brakes or land, you feel it. Our planets speed does vary, as we get closer to the sun usually in January speeds can increase!Curious kid? Got a question you can’t get off of your mind? Submit your own today at the link below: https://forms.gle/TS5cWjEs Tv4nqhFy8
TREND WATCHBy Preeti Sharma Photography by Resham MinhasTHIS EDITIONS TREND IS CREATIVITY, CREATE YOUR OWN MACHINE, SYSTEM, PROJECT, OR WEBSITE!
TECH SPOTLIGHTYating Wan, helped develop quantum dot lasers that can be built directly onto silicon chips. Instead of using separate laser parts, her innovation allows the laser to be integrated with the chip itself. This can make computer and communication systems smaller, faster, and more energy efficient. Her work can help create advanced and higher speed data communication.
Calling all girls ages 11-18! Submit your own writing, a short work of 2-3 pages today for a chance to be featured in Octobers edition. You can chose either of the three prompts. Submitting multiple works will not increase the chances of publishing. September 2026 Prompts: Should technology be used in schools and education? If so where do we draw the line? Is it ethical to use humans in scientific research? Should consent always be prioritized even if it means losing access to potentially life saving discoveries? How is STEM changing sports? What sport has been most impacted by advancements in technology, training, and nutrition? For more details visit our website! STEM GIRLS Monthly Writing Competition!
Subscribe to Visit Monthly Follow us on our socials to stay up to date Connect with our community Join our mailing list to be notified with the latest newsNever miss an issue!Visit us onlineCatch the freshest features Updated monthly issues Read anytime, anywhere STEM GIRLS STEM GIRLSMonth Year | Issue NumberNeeta AhujaSUPPORTING TEXT FOR THE COVER STORY GOES HEREOUR TIME IS NOW The industry's rising stars speak upFASHION FORWARD Aisha Hashmi talks style, soul and substance STEM GIRLSNeeta AhujaSUPPORTING TEXT FOR THE COVER STORY GOES HERE