Jun 6 2025

NATO announces winners of Women & Girls in Science 2025 Challenge

The NATO Science and Technology Office (STO) has announced the winners of the Women & Girls in Science 2025 (WGS25) Challenge, an initiative aimed at promoting scientific excellence across the Alliance. The WGS25 Finale, held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 6 June, brought together 12 finalists from 11 NATO Nations to present research proposals that address key challenges in defence and security.

Launched on 11 February 2025 in conjunction with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the WGS25 Challenge invited young STEM professionals to submit original research ideas for NATO to pursue over the next five years. Participants were asked to align their proposals with one of NATO’s core science and technology priorities: deterrence and defence, energy security, climate change, space, and resilience. NATO experts evaluated the proposals based on their scientific merit, relevance to Allied priorities, and potential long-term impact.

The 12 finalists presented their proposals at the WGS25 Finale on 6 June, followed by an expert Q&A session for each presentation. Three winners were then selected based on the quality of their proposals and their alignment with NATO’s strategic S&T priorities. This year’s winners are:

Beatrise Berzina (LV) – Electrokinetic Water Purification System for Point-Of-Use Applications
Mirjam de Bruin-Hoegée (NL) – Improving Tactical Combat Casualty Care After CBRN Attacks
Nicolette Moreau (UK) – Bio-Hybrid Batteries from Electric Eels

Special mentions were awarded to two undergraduate students:

Emese Kovács (RO) – Development of an Active Illumination Sensor for Space Rendezvous and Proximity Operations
Vasiliki Tsiplakidi (GR) – Hybrid AUV’s Localization & Navigation for Military Operations

One of the competition's judges was Ivana Ilic Mestric, Principal Data Scientist at the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA). During the event, Ilic Mestric emphasized the value of staying connected to innovative, real-world applications of science. “As someone working in data science and AI, it’s inspiring to see young researchers tackling complex challenges with such clarity and relevance,” she said.

The winning projects stood out for their originality and innovative thinking, clear military applicability, and practical approach. “Narrowing down 12 impressive finalists to just three winners was no easy task. As a jury, we felt honoured to evaluate such outstanding work. With so much talent on display, there really were no wrong choices,” she added. “Seeing this level of potential and maturity from students as young as 20 is truly encouraging. NCIA is proud to support initiatives like this and to remain actively engaged in the research and innovation community.”

Each of the three winners will be awarded with:

a visit to the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in La Spezia, Italy, one of NATO’s leading laboratories for applied maritime science and technology;
a six-month sponsored placement through CMRE’s Visitor Research Programme, subject to alignment between the participant’s topic and ongoing lines of research; and an invitation to participate in an STO research activity relevant to their research areas.

All 12 finalists have been invited to join STEM Forward, the STO’s growing network of emerging STEM professionals. Through this community, participants will gain access to new opportunities to connect, collaborate, and engage with the NATO S&T enterprise beyond the WGS Challenge.

By investing in scientific innovation and promoting forward-thinking research, NATO reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the Alliance’s advantage from technology — and to empowering STEM professionals for a safer tomorrow.

Read the full article on the STO website here.