Congratulations to the 2026 Education and Culture Program participants in STEAM Education Alliance of the Americas: An Entrepreneurial Look into the Sciences!
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), in partnership with Partners of the Americas, supports professional exchanges through the Education and Culture Program to advance U.S. public diplomacy priorities and strengthen institutional collaboration across the Western Hemisphere.
Building on this framework, the STEAM Education Alliance exchange is facilitated by the Partners of the Americas Colorado Chapter. The program builds upon an established partnership between Universidad Nacional del Comahue (Argentina) and the University of Texas at Tyler (United States), which in 2024 carried out an academic exchange supported by Partners of the Americas and the 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative. This collaboration expanded U.S.-led academic engagement, elevated the global visibility of American higher education, and laid the groundwork for broader regional partnerships anchored in U.S. institutions.
The STEAM Education Alliance of the Americas: An Entrepreneurial Look into the Sciences exchange brings nine emerging science leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru to the United States for a professional exchange designed to advance American leadership in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. The program promotes collaboration that strengthens U.S. science education, enhances American innovation ecosystems, and expands U.S. institutional networks and research partnerships throughout the region.
Through engagement with U.S. universities, research centers, and innovation hubs, participants gain exposure to American models of research translation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and science-based entrepreneurship. The exchange reinforces U.S. leadership in higher education and applied research, supports long-term partnerships that advance U.S. economic competitiveness, and deepens strategic ties that benefit American institutions and industries.
Meet the Participants
| Anthony Anrango – Ecuador |
Anthony is a Biomedical Engineering student at Yachay Tech University with strong research experience in nanoscience and AI-based diagnostics, including two research publications applying deep learning to medical diagnosis. He has completed research internships at top Ecuadorian universities in the areas of biomaterials, cell culture, and nanoscience. He also has extensive leadership experience through IEEE EMBS and the Hult Prize Program, where he led national outreach initiatives, organized international events, and developed community STEM projects, including the donation of electronics kits to a rural school. He is particularly interested in advancing biomedical innovation in Ecuador through low-cost technologies such as quantum-dot research and microfluidic devices and has growing academic interests in organ-on-a-chip technologies and 3D bioprinting for tissue engineering.
Through this exchange, he aims to build international collaborations and help transform student research into real-world impact.
| Belén Benites – Ecuador |
Belén is a geoscience engineer with strong experience in data science, geospatial analysis, and AI applications for environmental challenges, supported by research roles, internships, and international exposure such as NASA Space Apps and PATA-Days in France. She combines technical expertise with a commitment to STEAM outreach, volunteering with rural girls through the INSPIRA project, and creating science education content and community-centered tools.
Through the exchange, she aims to develop AI-driven, data-quality solutions for rural geohazard monitoring and build scalable, community-informed innovation that supports decision-making.
| Damian Moya Martinez – Ecuador |
Damian is a Mechatronics Engineering student with a strong record of youth leadership, community action, and national/international recognition, including work with UNICEF, PAHO, and the Youth Ambassadors Program. He has founded university initiatives such as a reading club and an Older Adults Program, and was selected to serve as AIESEC ESPE Local Committee President for 2026–2027.
Through this exchange, he aims to deepen his skills in collaborative leadership and project design to expand participation in his programs and bring scalable, human-centered innovation to his university and community.
| Daphne Arenas Yance – Peru |
Daphne is a Meteorological Engineering and Climate Risk Management student who has led key scientific initiatives, including founding FEMIMET—the first international forum for women meteorologists in Latin America—and organizing Peru’s national meteorology congress. She has conducted research on environmental patterns, biodiversity, and atmospheric processes, and has participated in international scientific platforms such as the NASA GLOBE Program and the Annual Meeting of ANDEX, where she presented a scientific poster.
She hopes to use this exchange to further strengthen her skills in mentorship, science communication, and global collaboration to inspire more youth to pursue atmospheric science.
| Esteban Ezequiel Riquelme – Argentina |
Esteban is a Physics teacher from Argentina with strong experience in computational modeling, innovative physics education, and international academic collaboration. He has participated in exchanges with 100,000 Strong in the Americas, CERN, and AFS, leading workshops, citizen-science projects, and teacher-training initiatives that connect cutting-edge research with classroom practice.
He aims to pursue graduate studies in science education and plans to apply the program’s tools to strengthen regional physics education networks and develop research-based, impactful STEAM initiatives in Patagonia.
| Roman Orlando Llontop Arevalo – Peru |
Roman is a biological sciences graduate with strong experience in microbiology, biotechnology, and molecular research, including work on bat ectoparasites and environmental health projects recognized at national conferences. His background spans laboratory research, food safety, bioinformatics, public health initiatives, and volunteer leadership through PartnersCampus Lambayeque and the NASA Space Apps Challenge. He hopes to strengthen his skills in molecular biology, epidemiology, and vector-borne disease research by learning from U.S. institutions, especially programs at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder.
He aims to return to Peru to advance public health research, develop community awareness programs, and foster collaborations between universities and research centers.
| Wara Cossio Pacara – Bolivia |
Wara is a linguistics and business student from Bolivia with a strong record of leading STEAM-focused education and community projects. She founded Sinchi Warmi, a nationally recognized initiative that combines art, culture, technology, and entrepreneurship to strengthen women’s skills and economic opportunities.
She hopes to use the exchange to advance her training in computational linguistics, expand STEAM learning programs, and develop technology tools that connect Bolivia’s cultural heritage with modern innovation.
| Melanie Cedeño – Ecuador |
Melanie is a biologist with strong hands-on research experience in respiratory viruses, synthetic biology, and CRISPR-based biotechnology. Her work includes award-winning research on recombinant Influenza A and active involvement in genetic modification projects aimed at improving nutritional outcomes.
Alongside her research trajectory, she has developed a solid record of scientific leadership and outreach, including founding youth-oriented STEM initiatives, contributing to regional science networks, and being selected as a fellow in programs such as GENIA (by REMCI) and Youth Ambassadors. She has also led university science groups and built a public-facing science communication platform to make complex scientific topics more approachable.
Her interests lie at the intersection of biomedicine, diagnostics, and gene design, with a particular focus on how research is translated into real-world and educational applications. Through this program, Melanie seeks to understand how U.S. research institutions bridge innovation and implementation as part of her preparation for doctoral training. She plans to return to Ecuador to launch SynBio for All, an initiative to promote responsible synthetic biology literacy and expand science education across schools and communities, in collaboration with academic and public health institutions.
| Shirley Duchi Chimbo – Ecuador |
Shirley is a Magna Cum Laude Biomedical Engineering graduate from Yachay Tech with strong experience in bioinformatics, AI applications in health, and educational technology projects. She has mainly contributed to research in medical diagnostics and food safety, developed STEAM learning tools, and held leadership roles in IEEE, academic conferences, and networks supporting women in science. She hopes the exchange will help her translate research into practical innovations in education and healthcare across Ecuador and Latin America.
Program Impact
Through the STEAM Education Alliance exchange, the Education and Culture Program:
- Strengthens U.S.-led scientific collaboration across the Western Hemisphere
- Promotes entrepreneurship in the sciences aligned with U.S. innovation models
- Expands institutional partnerships that advance U.S. higher education and research engagement
- Reinforces U.S. leadership in innovation, research commercialization, and applied science
Participants will return to their home countries prepared to implement research-informed initiatives while sustaining long-term engagement with U.S. academic and innovation institutions, strengthening collaborative networks that support shared economic and scientific priorities.
About the Education and Culture Program
Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Education and Culture Program advances U.S. foreign policy goals by supporting professional exchanges that expand U.S. institutional engagement, promote mutual understanding, and strengthen strategic collaboration across the Americas.
Learn more at: https://www.lightgoldenrodyellow-caterpillar-563328.hostingersite.com/program/travel-grants/