Meet our 2021 Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship winners
At Adobe Research we bring together the smartest, most driven people we can find to create innovative technologies for our software products to better serve consumers, creative professionals, developers, and enterprises.
When the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology (WIT) Scholarship was first created, it was a grassroots effort. The goal was to recognize outstanding female undergraduate and master’s students who were working on the next generation of technology, and to give them the support they needed to continue to hone their skills.
This year, we are proud to announce that the Adobe Research WIT Scholarship awarded 15 winners from across the country—more honorees than ever before thanks to partnering with our Digital Media and Digital Video & Audio teams, who were excited to help expand the scholarship. Our winners each received $10,000 to put towards tuition, a one-year subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud, and an opportunity to interview for an internship with us. Meet our 2021 winners as they describe what winning the scholarship means to them.
Annie Liu
University of Washington, human centered design and engineering
Receiving the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship means getting the chance to connect with a group of women who are passionate about using their voice to diversify, inspire, and lead the technology industry. In addition to giving me a greater platform to share my work, getting the scholarship has also opened the opportunity to advance the state of my research projects and create more opportunities for myself and others in my community to interact with and learn more about emerging technologies. I’m beyond thankful and honored to have been chosen for this scholarship that supports my intellectual interests and will allow me to continue pursuing what I love to do.
Brenda Henriquez
George Mason University, computer science
I feel very fortunate to be one of the Adobe WIT Scholars! It is more than a scholarship—it’s an investment in me and my future. This achievement is a testament to the time and effort my mentors and professors have invested in me along the way.
Healy Dwyer
Carnegie Mellon, Human-Computer Interaction
Being selected as an Adobe Research WIT Scholar will enable me to continue growing my skillset in order to improve people’s lives and experiences through technology. The funding will allow me to immerse myself in my coursework, research, and projects. I also look forward to utilizing the Creative Cloud subscription to elevate mockups, case studies, and wireframes. Not only that, but I’m excited to learn from both Adobe employees and my fellow WIT scholars.
Iris Liu
University of Southern California, computer science
Winning the Adobe WIT Scholarship is motivating and inspiring—it’s a reminder that the work I do matters, and that it is possible for everyone to dream and pursue the impossible as long as they work hard, have dedication and are courageous. This recognition is dedicated to my beloved family, mentors, friends and teammates, I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support and encouragement.
Isabel Gallegos
Stanford University, computer science
Being selected as an Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholar is an immense honor for me. This award is meaningful in so many ways—not only does it provide me with significant financial support, allowing me to focus on my academics and research, but the recognition provides me the confidence, encouragement, and inspiration to continue pursuing important challenges in science, engineering, and technology. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Adobe for providing me this award and for making this investment in my future.
Lalitha Kuppa
Virginia Tech, computer science and mathematics
Becoming an Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholar is a representation of my journey and experiences as a woman in computer science. It represents my growth as a STEM student, and beyond that, my awe and wonder for science and research.
Mary Zhu
Stanford University, computer science
To me, winning the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship presents an opportunity to elevate technology as a means to give back to the community. As a student who has dedicated thousands of hours into creating and developing a tech for social good organizations, I am excited to use this platform to highlight ways that people of all backgrounds can use their skills, especially in development and design, to serve others. Thank you, Adobe, for providing me with a scholarship to supplement my education and journey to promoting the use of tech for social impact!
Maxine Perroni-Scharf
Dartmouth College, computer science and mathematics
Winning the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship has given me a vote of confidence in my career as a young computer scientist. Throughout the application process, I have gained the chance to meet like-minded Adobe WIT scholars and members of the Adobe community who are also interested in empowering and uplifting women in computer science. I am incredibly honored to have been welcomed into the Adobe community!
Nana Aba Turkson
Mount Holyoke College, computer science and architecture
This award means that I get to be a part of, and learn from, a community of powerful women who also share my passion for technology. This opportunity also takes me a step closer to realizing my dreams. It serves as great motivation, and it affirms that my contributions and presence in tech matter.
Nicole Meister
Princeton University, electrical engineering and computer science
Winning the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship is a huge honor as I really look up to Adobe as a research company. This scholarship gives me the incredible opportunity to learn from world class scientists and researchers. I am really excited to grow, learn, and expand my impact through the mentorship and support from this incredible community.
Prerna Ravi
Georgia Institute of Technology, computer science
I am deeply honored to win the 2021 Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship. As an Adobe scholar, I feel a great sense of pride in representing women in technology—it’s a life-changing moment for me. It has instilled a greater sense of responsibility and confidence in my pursuit of developing tangible solutions that will make a positive impact in underrepresented communities. It will also help me foster a strong network with researchers in the area of educational technology.
Sadie Levy
Northeastern University, computer engineering
I am so grateful to be a recipient of the 2021 Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship, and I am deeply appreciative of Adobe’s support. Their generosity will allow me to further my education in computer engineering and digital media design, spend more time on my studies, research, and extracurricular activities, and spend less time worrying about my finances. I am especially proud to receive this award for my accomplishments because this is an award specifically for women.
Shinjini Ghosh
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, computer science and engineering
I am really excited and honored to be a recipient of the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship. I believe it will aid me in my journey in computer science, linguistics and cognitive sciences as I continue my studies and research and work towards building a better and safer world for everyone.
Spring Cullen
Brigham Young University, computer science and bioinformatics
To me, the Adobe Research WIT Scholarship is a culture shifter. It rewards women who are leaders and I am honored to be included on that list. I look forward to using my skills and talents to pave the way for others to become leaders in both industry and academia.
Tamar Geller
Yale University, electrical engineering and computer science
Winning the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship means joining a cohort of talented women who are passionate about giving back to their community and encouraging others to pursue careers in STEM. I am honored and humbled to receive this award and am inspired by Adobe’s commitment to bring more gender diversity to the technology industry.
Congratulations to our winners! We can’t wait to see how they’ll create the future of technology. If you’re interested in applying to the Adobe WIT Scholarship, we will be opening applications again in summer 2021.