Recognition: To Infinity & Beyond Award by Reinvented Magazine
- Mileyca Oporta
- Jan 3
- 3 min read
There are recognitions that celebrate achievements. And there are others that position an entire country within a global industry.
This year, I was honored with the To Infinity & Beyond Award, a prestigious international recognition granted by Reinvented Magazine, one of the most influential publications focused on women in STEM, during its Space Gala at the Kennedy Space Center, United States.
This award recognizes the rising stars in the aerospace industry — individuals who are creating real impact, building ecosystems, breaking barriers, and paving the way for new generations in the space and technology sectors.Today, Costa Rica is officially on that global stage.
What is the To Infinity & Beyond Award?
The To Infinity & Beyond Award is an annual recognition that:
Celebrates women who are transforming the aerospace sector
Highlights innovation, leadership, and social impact
Elevates role models for girls and young people in STEM
Positions emerging leaders within the global space ecosystem
It is presented by Reinvented Magazine as part of its Space Gala, a high-level event held at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, where leaders, space agencies, companies, universities, and organizations shaping the future of space come together.
Why is this award also Costa Rica’s?
Because this recognition does not come from an isolated project. It is the result of a high-impact international partnership.
In 2024, Costa Rica became the first host country outside the United States for the Princesses with Power Tools program — a social, nonprofit initiative operated by Reinvented Magazine, the creators and pioneers of the program, in partnership with SWE – Society of Women Engineers Costa Rica.
Princesses with Power Tools is a global program that empowers girls and nonbinary youth to explore careers in STEM and technical trades, breaking historical stereotypes that separate femininity from engineering and technology.
In this program, engineers, scientists, and technology professionals become “princesses,” wearing iconic gowns and using real tools to guide girls through their first experiences with power tools, DIY projects, and scientific concepts, creating transformative experiences that redefine what a girl believes is possible.
Through hands-on workshops — such as building constellation projectors using power drills — and the expansion of the program at national and international events, Costa Rica officially joined a global network that has already impacted more than 17,000 girls and youth across multiple countries.
This partnership not only brought a program, but it also activated an educational and community space ecosystem, connecting representation and female leadership under one shared vision: to empower more girls and women in STEM.
Women Who Are Changing the Future
Reinvented Magazine has a clear mission: to empower girls and youth in STEM through real-life role models. This award recognizes not only technical impact, but human, social, and generational impact.
Every girl who today says, “I can work in space too,” is the true meaning of this recognition.
What began in 2023 as a dream and a new world of discovery…
Today, it is an exponential partnership where, together with Reinvented Magazine and SWE Costa Rica, we are bringing women’s representation in STEM to more girls and youth across Costa Rica.
Thank you to whoever nominated me 🤍
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