The IEEE Women in Engineering International Scholarship was established thanks to the support of donations to the IEEE Foundation Women in Engineering (WIE) Fund from IEEE WIE members and others. The scholarship is presented to up to one female IEEE WIE Student Member who has completed two years of undergraduate study in an engineering curriculum at an accredited university or college.
2024 WIE International Scholarship Recipient
Maria Mishel Cuiza Flores, originally from Sucre, Bolivia, is an Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering student at the Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB). In 2023, she served as the Webmaster of the IEEE UPB ComSoc Chapter, contributing to the organization of the “Café de Circuitos” monthly conference series. In 2024, she was appointed Chair of the IEEE UPB Student Branch, leading a team dedicated to fostering technological education and outreach. Under her leadership, the branch organized impactful STEM initiatives such as “Kids in STEM: Solar Cockroach Workshop” and “Kids in STEM: Exploring Circuits”, designed as university extension programs to promote STEM education from an early age and encourage gender balance in engineering fields. Additionally, she actively participated in the “Your Laptop, Their Future” campaign, an initiative led by the Viva Foundation, which focused on refurbishing laptops for students in rural areas, providing them with access to education and digital job opportunities. As part of her commitment to gender diversity in engineering, María Mishel organized the event “Dialogue with Engineers: The World Needs Our Vision and Ideas” as a member of IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE). This event brought together prominent female engineers to share their experiences, challenges, and achievements, fostering discussions on innovation, leadership, and the role of women in technological advancement. Her efforts, along with her team, led to the recognition of the IEEE UPB Student Branch as the Best IEEE Student Branch in Bolivia.
In parallel, Mishel has made significant contributions to scientific research, presenting her work at prestigious international conferences and journals. Her research “Comparison Between ERA5 Cloud Parameters and Rainfall Rate in Madrid” was presented at the 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2024), while her study “Implementation of a Ground Station to Encourage Space Science in Developing Countries” was featured at the International Conference on Global Aeronautical Engineering and Satellite Technology (GAST’24). Additionally, she published “SP-SAT: Development of an Educational Satellite” in the Kosmìčna nauka ì tehnologìâ Journal (2024) and “3D Printing in the Creation of CubeSat Structures vs. Conventional Materials” in the Investigación & Desarrollo UPB Journal (2024). Furthermore, her research “Evaluation of Total Precipitation from ERA5-Land Reanalysis for Rain Attenuation Studies” was presented at the Latin American Conference on Antennas and Propagation (LACAP 2024), where she also contributed as a volunteer. Additionally, her research ” Use of Precipitation Data from the ERA5-Land Climate Reanalysis in Radiowave Propagation: UPB Rain Sensor Case Study” was awarded Best Scientific Poster at BETCON 2024, recognizing her contributions to the study of climate reanalysis data for radio wave propagation.
Since her early semesters, she has volunteered in various university activities, assisting in mathematics and physics courses, laboratory sessions, and faculty-led engineering projects within the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (FIA) at UPB. Due to her outstanding academic performance, she has been awarded the UPB Excellence Scholarship twice and received a Travel Grant for LACAP 2024. Additionally, she is a member of Conecta Mentora Bolivia, a mentorship initiative focused on professional and personal development. She was also awarded the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) Scholarship, which will allow her to pursue an academic exchange in Canada.
