STARMUS VIII Honors Two Young Changemakers with Junior Medals

The STARMUS VIII festival has announced the recipients of its Junior Medals, recognizing young leaders in science and conservation. Valeria Corrales from Spain will receive the Junior Stephen Hawking Medal for her work in bringing science, programming, and technology to younger audiences. Aneeshwar Kunchala from the United Kingdom is awarded the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal for his dedication to wildlife conservation and inspiring children to protect the natural world.

Corrales, now studying Computational Media at the Georgia Institute of Technology, began her science communication efforts at age ten by co-founding the educational platform ValPat. The platform has since grown into a significant STEM education resource in Spanish, boasting over 240,000 YouTube subscribers. Her achievements have earned her recognition from Forbes Spain and a finalist spot in the Global Student Prize.

Eleven-year-old Kunchala has become an international advocate for wildlife conservation and environmental education. His mission began at age four after learning about a whale that died due to plastic pollution. He has since engaged audiences through television documentaries and public speaking, aiming to protect animals and the environment. Kunchala holds three Guinness World Records.

Both young recipients embody the STARMUS ethos that knowledge should inspire action, regardless of age. The awards will be presented during the STARMUS VIII festival, themed "The Search for Truth," held in the Canary Islands from October 17-22, 2026. The festival aims to bring together leaders in science, space exploration, music, and arts to discuss evidence and scientific thinking.