Lauren U.C. Ejiaga
New Orleans, Louisiana
Supporting STEM Education in Louisiana
When she was in 8th grade, Lauren U.C. Ejiaga conducted a science fair project on the impact of ozone depletion on Louisiana’s disappearing marsh grasses. Her project won a top prize at the national STEM competition, Broadcom MASTERS. That was when Lauren realized that spreading awareness of environmental issues is just as important as conducting research about them. So she decided to start working to educate her peers.
As a cohort leader for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Lauren, 17, founded multiple native plant restoration projects. She also founded an initiative to foster interest in STEM education and coastal protection among youth through a series of ongoing workshops called the Conservation and Restoration Conjunction. Lauren also recruits national science fair finalists and winners to speak at workshops about how young students can work towards careers in the STEM field.