Innovation Matters.
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Maryam (Mary) Bellakbira is a nationally recognized youth leader and advocate in innovation and health. She has distinguished herself through her commitment to addressing healthcare disparities across communities. Maryam serves as a nationwide advocate with Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation initiative, where she leads efforts at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and innovation. Her leadership has been recognized through honors such as the e.l.f. Cosmetics and Her Campus 22 Under 22 Class of 2025 and Glamour Magazine's College Women of the Year.

Mary is a rising fourth-year undergraduate at Cornell University. She has conducted research with institutions including NASA, Harvard Medical School, and the Stanford School of Medicine as an AUI Scholar, and is also a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. She is passionate about tackling some of healthcare's most pressing yet underserved challenges, particularly in women's health, aging, technology, engineering, policy, and entrepreneurship. Her work has earned recognition from organizations such as the United Nations Foundation, Girl Up, Kode With Klossy, Girls Who Code, and the Endocrine Society, and led to an invitation to the White House in recognition of her impact in healthcare innovation. Featured in Cornell Daily Sun, her story highlights the intersection of fashion, STEM, and healthcare innovation.

At Cornell, Mary is pursuing a BS in Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering while developing multiple medtech devices and healthcare innovations.