Kornelia Wieczorek – 17-year-old Polish visionary on TIME’s list
Women are still fighting for equal footing in science and technology, and we are slowly seeing the results. Kornelia Wieczorek from Łódź, a 17-year-old science enthusiast, has been included in the prestigious ‘Girls of the Year 2025’ list by the American magazine TIME. This distinction is not only an individual success. It is a symbol of how important it is to support women in pursuing their ambitions from an early age.
Too few women in the world of science
TIME’s initiative, carried out in collaboration with the LEGO Group as part of the ‘She Built That’ campaign, was created for a specific reason. Scientific research relentlessly shows the reality: girls do not see themselves as leaders, and the lack of female role models in science and technology weakens their belief in their own abilities. The ‘Girls of the Year’ list aims to change this narrative by showing young women that science and leadership have no gender.
Kornelia Wieczorek is a perfect example of what modern women scientists look like. Her story shows that age is no barrier to true innovation. At just 17 years of age, she has developed a biodegradable fertiliser based on Rhizobium bacteria, which promotes plant growth without soil degradation and water eutrophication – a solution that could revolutionise environmentally friendly agriculture.