Elissama - known to friends as Eli - grew up in a poor neighbourhood in Bahia, Brazil. From a young age, she loved flipping through her grandfather’s old encyclopaedias, filled with pictures of fish and ocean creatures. Those books sparked a curiosity about the sea that never went away.
Eli’s mum worked incredibly hard, raising three children on her own, and she taught Eli that education could change everything. At 15, Eli studied for a whole year to pass the entrance exam for a top STEM school. Getting in was just the start - she then had to work even harder to keep up with classmates who’d had more advantages growing up. It was tough, but that school shaped who she became.
“STEM journeys aren’t always solo adventures - they’re built with the help of people who teach you, encourage you, and sometimes carry you through hard times.”
Eli went on to study Oceanography, following her lifelong fascination with the ocean. Today, she works at the meeting point of science and fairness for people - looking at how the shipping industry affects both the climate and the communities who live near busy ports and coastlines. She co-founded an organisation called Equal Routes, which works to make the maritime world cleaner and fairer for everyone.
Eli started working informally from the age of just eight years old, helping support her family - something many people never realise is part of so many people’s stories. Throughout her journey, she has faced moments of real doubt, but she’s always been held up by an incredible community: family, neighbours, teachers, friends and mentors who believed in her.