A 10-year-old girl just won a massive fellowship to build robots for Paris

So often, we forget that a great deal of scientific and technological innovation comes from one of the least-scientific sounding places: the human heart.

As reported by CBS, ten-year-old Eva applied to the Paris Summer Innovation Fellowship seeking to build Thymio robots, and gave the most heart-warming reason why:

“The streets of Paris are sad. I want to build a robot that will make them happy again,” Eva wrote in an application letter. “I’ve already starting learning how to code on Thymio robots, but I have trouble making it work.”

Of course the founders of Five by Five, the the folks behind the fellowship, were floored. Who wouldn’t be? They were so touched they wrote her back an open letter that has since gone viral.

As part of the letter, Five by Five Founding Partner Kat Borlongan wrote:

Borlongan wasn’t the only one inspired by Eva. According to CBS, “The President of Thymio, the robotics company whose technology Eva hopes to work with, offered to personally help the young girl; he will also be providing her with their latest robots.” That’s showing some definite support for her cause!

We, too, are inspired by young Eva. Now if only someone would want to use robots to put a smile on our neighborhood streets! And for those of you interested in following her journey, you can read her blog (with translations from the original French) here. She is quite the engaging writer.

Recently on her blog, Eva gave us some video footage of her robot-in-progress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Borlongan wrote in her letter to Eva, “It is my hope that your work on robotics will encourage more young girls all over the world — not just to code, but to be as brave as you, in asking for help and actively looking for different ways to learn and grow.” We heartily agree, and hope to read about more brave young female innovators in both the sciences and the arts!