Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
0 comments 
The Cearense Maria Beatriz Mesquita Ximenes, known as Mabe, is the only woman among the 19 Brazilian students qualified for international Physics Olympiads in 2026, having earned her spot on merit at the Brazilian Physics Tournament and will compete in the Ibero-American Olympiad in João Pessoa.
Among the 19 Brazilian students selected to represent the country in the main international Physics competitions in 2026, there is only one woman: Maria Beatriz Mesquita Ximenes, 16, known as Mabe. The Cearense, who left Sobral at 14 to study in Fortaleza, secured one of the four spots in the delegation that will compete in the Ibero-American Physics Olympiad (OIbF) in João Pessoa, from September 25 to October 1. The spot was earned on her own merit, without relying on the female quota provided in the regulations of the Brazilian Physics Tournament.
Mabe’s journey to the international selection is the result of a routine that few 16-year-olds could maintain. A student in the 3rd year of high school at Colégio Farias Brito, she spends almost 14 hours a day at school, with up to 11 classes on some days, most of which are dedicated to training for Olympiads in Physics, solving problems, and practical activities in laboratories. It is very tiring study, but it’s about feeling challenged every day and understanding that this means you are on the right path, summarizes the student.
The move from Sobral to Fortaleza at 14 in search of opportunities
The decision to leave Sobral, about 244 kilometers from Fortaleza, happened when Mabe was 14 years old. The motivation was clear: to seek more academic opportunities and greater support from the school for participation in Olympiads and international selections.
-
The notary office now authenticates ‘prints’ for a ‘cheap’ price with legal validity throughout Brazil; the new digital system validates WhatsApp, social media, and websites for just R$ 4, in a 100% online and certified process.
-
While Brazil wants to end the 6×1 work shift, the president of Argentina wants 12 hours for his workers, increasing political tension in the country.
-
The village where two rivers run side by side without mixing in Santarém and Alter do Chão reveals some of the most beautiful freshwater beaches on the planet.
-
Mars is accelerating, and scientists have discovered that the planet’s day is getting shorter, revealing surprising signs of internal activity.
In Fortaleza, she began living with her aunt and enrolled in Colégio Farias Brito, where her performance in competitions earned her a full scholarship. The move represented a significant personal sacrifice for a teenager who left family and friends with the goal of building a career in the field of exact sciences.
Mabe’s competitive journey was built over three consecutive years. In 2024, she started the path by participating in the Brazilian Physics Olympiad (OBF), where she won a bronze medal.
The following year, she advanced to the Brazilian Physics Tournament (TBF), the stage that defines Brazil’s representatives in international competitions. I have been studying for two years to be where I am now, says the Cearense, who maintains discipline as a central pillar of her preparation.
The only woman among 19 selected and the weight of solitude in the exact sciences
The fact that she is the only woman among the 19 students qualified for international Physics Olympiads in Brazil weighs on Mabe in a way that goes beyond the academic. It is a great sadness not to see other girls alongside me.
Because of this, it ends up being a very lonely process, the student confesses. For much of the preparation, she was the only woman in the training class, and she acknowledges that, even having male friends, the experience is not the same.
The student is categorical in pointing out that the barriers that keep girls away from the exact sciences are not intellectual, but psychological. It is very difficult to be in a place where you don’t see anyone like you. You look around and there are only boys. It feels like you don’t belong there, says Mabe.
For her, the lack of female representation in scientific Olympiads creates a self-perpetuating cycle: the fewer girls participate, the less encouraged girls feel to try, and the environment remains predominantly male generation after generation.
The achievement on her own merit and the quota that didn’t need to be used
The regulations of the Brazilian Physics Tournament provide a rule that guarantees a female spot among the 19 selected if no woman is among those qualified by performance. It is an inclusion measure created to combat the underrepresentation of women in the field.
Mabe was aware of the quota and initially saw it as a safety net, but ended up not needing the mechanism: her performance placed her among the best regardless of gender.
Cadu Farias, professor and coordinator of the Physics team at Colégio Farias Brito, reinforces the point: Mabe was hopeful about the female quota, but she fought hard and didn’t need the quota; she passed on her own merit.
The achievement is symbolic not only for the academic result but for what it represents for other young women who observe from the outside and may wonder if Physics is a possible space for them.
The numbers of gender inequality in the exact sciences in Brazil
The feeling of isolation reported by Mabe is reflected in concrete data. According to a survey by Nexus based on data from Inep released in 2025, men represented 74% of entrants in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses in 2023, while women occupied only 26% of those spots.
There has been progress in the last decade: the absolute number of women entering exact sciences degrees increased by 29% between 2013 and 2023. However, the growth of male freshmen in the same period was double, reaching 56%.
For Professor Cadu Farias, the problem starts before university, still in childhood. Boys tend to be more encouraged in logical reasoning and strategy games, while girls are directed towards other paths.
The school where Mabe studies has invested in female tournaments, psychological support, and the presence of women in mentoring positions, but Cadu acknowledges that the transformation needs to go beyond educational institutions and start at home. This year, four new female students joined the training class for Olympiads at the school, a sign that Mabe’s example is already having an effect.
The future of Mabe and the legacy that a 16-year-old Cearense is building in Physics
Mabe intends to pursue a career that connects Physics to technology, with a special interest in the field of quantum computing. The choice is linked to the transformative potential of the field, which she considers to be at the center of the next technological revolution.
The student reflects on the challenges of pursuing a physics career in Brazil, citing professional devaluation and difficulties in maintaining quality of life, and keeps the possibility open to continue her studies both in the country and abroad.
For the scientific and educational community, Mabe’s story goes beyond an individual achievement. The 16-year-old Cearense who left Sobral, studies 14 hours a day, and became the only woman among 19 selected for international Physics Olympiads without needing a quota is, consciously or not, building a reference.
The tools to break this taboo are these warriors, says Professor Cadu, who adds: Mabe will be their great mirror. She is like a pop star now for the new female students.
What do you think of Mabe’s journey? Do you believe more girls will be inspired by her and seek space in the exact sciences? Leave your comment and share this story with someone who needs to know it.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!