Astrobiologist Aomawa Shields has been featured by the magazine Teen Vogue in an article that highlights the work of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The article celebrates twelve female STEM leaders who are not only helping to advance scientific knowledge, but are actively inspiring, encouraging, and supporting the next generation of scientists.

Click here to view the article at Teen Vogue.

As an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California Irvine, Aomawa Shields studies the habitability of small planets around distant stars. Shields is also a classically trained actress, and founder of Rising Stargirls, an organization dedicated to “encouraging girls of all colors and backgrounds to learn, explore, and discover the Universe.”

As a member of the Virtual Planetary Laboratory (VPL), part of the Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS), Shields’ work is helping astrobiologists understand the climate and potential habitability of small exoplanets. She was also a participant in the FameLab USA communication competition (part of the larger FameLab International event) for early career scientists. FameLab USA was implemented by the NASA Astrobiology Program and partners from 2012 to 2016. Shields took home the Audience Choice Award at the 2012 National Final held in Atlanta, Georgia.