At 12 years old, Mahditlhy Ruth Tarazona Trujilloa student from Comas, has shown that opportunities are not expected, they are sought. Her perseverance has led her to be selected to be part of the third crew of Peruvian girls and adolescents who will visit the NASA Space Center Houstonwithin the framework of the “She is an Astronaut” program.
This is not the first time Mahditlhy, known as Mahdi, has applied to the program. In 2022 she tried for the first time, but was not accepted. That year was especially hard for her and her family, as her mother died suddenly, leaving her only 10 years old. Clinging to the support of her father, an early childhood teacher, and her older sister, Mahdi found the strength to keep going.
In 2023, she tried again, but sent her application form late. Undaunted, the young student participated again this 2024 with the help of her older sister and achieved her goal: “The third time is the charm, and here I am,” she commented excitedly.
José Valverde Caro de Comas received the news of his selection at his school, where he is in 2nd grade. Nadia Sánchez, president of the She Is Foundation, and Valeria Mei Ling Martínez Chú, participant of the first Peruvian crew, were present at the welcome ceremony. Although her family could not be physically present, her friends and teachers joyfully celebrated her achievement after a rigorous five-month selection process.
“It was a great joy for me because I know I can achieve more things,” Mahdi told the Andina Agency.
This 12-year-old genius is not the only one making the trip; she will be part of a group of Five young Peruvian women selected from 1,651 registered from 16 departments of the country. Joining her will be Claudia Natalia Panta Hurtado, Yanet Melinda Bañez Rojas, Ángela Poma Cerpa and Anning Chambi Huamanlazo.
Since she was a child, Mahdi has been fascinated by the Moon and space. This curiosity led her to become interested in science and astronomy. At her young age, she has already developed a chatbot about the life and achievements of the scientist and Nobel Prize winner, Marie Curie. chatbot answers questions like “When did Marie Curie die?” or “What did she do to win the Nobel Prize?” Mahdi plans to extend the applications of his chatbot to other subjects such as mathematics and science.
In addition, Mahdi has another project in mind to promote the love of reading among boys and girls. “I would like to create books in comic format or comics so that they like reading and understand better what they read,” she explained. She also dreams of being a creator of scientific content on social media, to share her knowledge and experiences in a way that is accessible to teenagers.
A few months after his trip to USAMahdi admits that she still finds it hard to believe. “I thought this was going to be impossible, but it is possible if we do it with autonomy, punctuality, resilience and optimism. I have high expectations, and I want to encourage other girls to apply for this program and contribute positively to my community.”
Mahdi finds inspiration in her older sister, who studies Civil Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP). She aspires to follow in his footsteps and plans to apply to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the future, leaning toward a career related to science and technology.
Currently, Mahdi is an exemplary student, excelling in mathematics and science. She is also preparing to apply next year for High Performance College (COAR) Lima, one of the most demanding in the country. With an enviable determination, she looks forward to everything that the coming months have in store for her, certain that her future is full of great achievements.
