Success for 17-year-old Polish girl Kornelia Wieczorek recognized by Time magazine

The prestigious American weekly magazine has unveiled its "Girls of the Year 2025" list – a collection of ten young leaders who "inspire communities around the world." Among them is 17-year-old Polish scientist Kornelia Wieczorek, who is currently working on, among other things, an app for detecting and diagnosing skin lesions.

Time magazine has published its first-ever "Girls of the Year 2025" list, which recognizes talented young women achieving success in various fields.

"These girls are breaking stereotypes, facing challenges, and building solutions from the ground up. They belong to a generation that is reshaping modern leadership. They know full well that change doesn't require waiting for adulthood—it starts with recognizing a problem and refusing to accept it as permanent," the magazine's description of the ranking reads.

Cover created by TIME Studios in collaboration with Coed Studios and the LEGO Group / Photo: press materials

Kornelia Wieczorek , a Polish woman, is among the esteemed group of 10 young leaders who "inspire communities around the world." The 17-year-old scientist hails from Łódź and currently lives in Gdynia. She admits that she didn't immediately become interested in science.

"At first, I was afraid of biology. I don't even know why," she revealed in an interview with Time.

Thanks to one of her teachers who demonstrated the practical application of her biology knowledge, Wieczorek's love for the subject began to blossom.

At the age of 10, she attended medical school, and four years later, together with her friend Diana Serjant , she created a biodegradable fertilizer. This innovative product, based on strains of Rhizobium bacteria , supports seed growth without causing soil degradation. Last year, the girls were recognized in the prestigious Forbes magazine ranking of the 100 Most Influential Women.

The talented teenager is currently working on potentially revolutionary projects - an application for detecting and diagnosing skin lesions and research on the use of stem cells in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Wieczorek is considering pursuing two majors simultaneously— neurobiology and medicine. Although he doesn't know what the future holds, he plans to continue pursuing his passions.

- I'm not sure what will happen in six months, but I hope to be an expert in my field because I really like it - she noted.

For other young scientists, Kornelia has one piece of advice.

- Gain as much knowledge as possible and work now on who you would like to be in the future - emphasized the scientist.