UH-Hilo student wins local and international STEM scholarships from Zonta

A University of Hawai’i at Hilo student pursuing her master’s thesis and creating three-dimensional models of Hawaiian coral reefs received a $1,000 from the 2023 Zonta Club of Hilo Women in STEM Scholarship.

Sofia Ferreira Colman, who is studying Marine Science at UH-Hilo, is from Paraguay, and was selected as one of 30 women representing 20 countries who were awarded the 2023 Zonta International Women in STEM Scholarship of $5,000.  

She said the STEM Scholarship will enable her to complete her master’s thesis that involves creating three-dimensional models of Hawaiian coral reefs to investigate the intricate connections between the structural complexity of reef habitats and the local fish community using a trait-based approach.  

“Ultimately, the models can help scientists find ways of fighting climate effect change in Hawai‘i,” she said. 

The Zonta Women in STEM Scholarships are awarded to women pursuing a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree program who demonstrate outstanding potential in the field.  Open to women of any age, students must be enrolled at an accredited university/college/institute in at least the second year of an undergraduate program through the final year of a master’s program at the time the application is submitted.  The next application deadline is May 2024.

Zonta Club of Hilo is member of Zonta International, whose mission is to build a better world for women and girls.  Scholarship information is available at www.zontahilo.org/scholarships-grants/.