Maya Ajmera facts for kids

Maya Ajmera is a leader in the world of science and helping children. She is the President and CEO of the Society for Science. She also helps publish Science News, a magazine about science.

Maya Ajmera started an organization called Global Fund for Children. This group helps other small organizations around the world. These groups work to support children and young people who need help the most.

She wrote a book in 2016 called Invisible Children. She has also written more than twenty books for children. Some of her children's books include Children from Australia to Zimbabwe, Extraordinary Girls, To Be an Artist, Faith, and Healthy Kids.

About Maya Ajmera

Her Early Life and School

Maya Ajmera grew up in eastern North Carolina. Her parents came from India. She went to the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham. She studied biology at Bryn Mawr College. Later, she earned a master's degree in public policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.

Her Career and Helping Others

Maya Ajmera started The Global Fund for Children in 1994 when she was 25 years old. She got the idea a few years earlier during a trip to India. While waiting for a train, she saw a teacher teaching children on a train platform. These children were part of a "Train Platform School" for kids who couldn't go to regular school.

What she saw inspired her greatly. Instead of going to medical school, she started classes at Duke University. With help from Duke and a professor, she received a grant from Echoing Green. This money helped her create an organization to support groups helping vulnerable children worldwide.

During her time at the Global Fund for Children, the organization gave almost $25 million to nearly 500 local groups in 75 countries. These grants helped more than seven million children around the world. Maya Ajmera left her role as president in 2011 after eighteen years. She stayed on the board of directors until 2013.

Since 2011, Maya Ajmera has taught at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She was also a visiting scholar there from 2011 to 2013.

For the 2013–2014 school year, she was a special guest at Duke University. She also taught at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke.

In August 2014, Maya Ajmera became the President and CEO of Society for Science. She also became the Executive Publisher of Science News. The Society is famous for its science competitions for students. These include the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. Maya herself was part of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search when she was younger.

Maya Ajmera is also on the boards of several organizations. These include Kids in Need of Defense, Echoing Green, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Foundation. She also serves on the board of Sibley Memorial Hospital/Johns Hopkins Medicine. She is a trustee for the North Carolina School of Science and Math. She is also on the Board of Visitors for the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. She helps advise other groups like the Center for Advanced Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University and the American India Foundation.

Her Family Life

Maya Ajmera is married to David Hollander Jr. They have one daughter. Her family background is from India, with her father's side from Rajasthan and her mother's side from Bihar.

Awards and Recognition

Maya Ajmera has received many awards for her work.

• In 1989–1990, she received a Rotary International Graduate Fellowship.
• She also received the Echoing Green Public Service Graduate Fellowship (1993-1997).
• She was honored with the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations of North Carolina.
• In October 2007, she was featured on CNN's Heroes. Actress Mira Sorvino even called Maya her hero.
• In June 2008, she received the Women of Distinction award. This award is given to women who have achieved great things and inspire young female students.
• She was part of a group that advised the Obama Presidential Transition team on technology and government reform.
• In 2011, she was a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute.
• In May 2014, she received Rotary International's Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award in Sydney, Australia.
• In 2020, Maya received the National Science Board's Public Service Award. This was for her important work in helping people understand science and engineering better. She is also a respected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• In May 2021, she received an honorary degree from Cedar Crest College. She also gave a speech there.

Books by Maya Ajmera

Books for Adults

• Invisible Children: Reimagining International Development at the Grassroots by Maya Ajmera with Gregory A. Fields. Palgrave Macmillan 2016.

Books for Children

• Xanadu: The Imaginary Place Edited by Maya Ajmera and Olateju Omolodun. Charlesbridge 1999.
• Extraordinary Girl By Maya Ajmera, Olateju Omolodun, and Sarah Strunk. Charlesbridge 1999.
• Let the Games Begin! By Maya Ajmera and Michael J. Regan. Charlesbridge 2000.
• Children from Australia to Zimbabwe By Maya Ajmera and Anna Rhesa Versola. Charlesbridge 2001.
• Come Out and Play By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
• To Be a Kid By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
• Back to School By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
• A Kid's Best Friend By Maya Ajmera and Alex Fisher. Charlesbridge 2002.
• Animal Friends By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2002.
• To Be an Artist By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2004.
• Be My Neighbor By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2004.
• Children of the USA By Maya Ajmera, Arlene Hirschfelder, Yvonne Wakim Dennis, and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2008.
• Faith By Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2009.
• Our Grandparents: A Global Album By Maya Ajmera, Sheila Kinkade and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge, 2010.
• What We Wear: Dressing Up Around the World By Maya Ajmera, Elise Dertine, and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2012.
• Global Baby Girls By Maya Ajmera. Charlesbridge 2013.
• Healthy Kids By Maya Ajmera, Victoria Dunning and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2013.
• Music Everywhere! By Maya Ajmera, Elise Hoter Derstine and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2014.
• Global Baby Boys By Maya Ajmera. Charlesbridge 2014.
• Global Baby Bedtimes By Maya Ajmera. Charlesbridge 2015.
• Every Breath We Take By Maya Ajmera and Dominique Browning. Charlesbridge 2016.
• Global Baby Playtime By Maya Ajmera. Charlesbridge 2021.
• Global Baby Grandparents By Maya Ajmera. Charlesbridge 2024.

Many of Maya's books have special introductions written by famous people. These include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Melinda French Gates, Julianne Moore, Bill Bradley, Marian Wright Edelman, John Hope Franklin, and even Kermit the Frog.

Interviews and Speeches

• Interview with the Clinton Global Initiative, 2007
• Interview with Think Change India, 2008
• Appearance on NPR's Tell Me More, 2008
• Interview with The Financial Times, 2008
• Appearance on Dallas NPR Station KERA, 2009
• TEDxAshokaU: Universities Driving Global Change at Duke University, February 25, 2011
• TEDxSMU, 2011
• William D. Reimert Lecture, Cedar Crest College, 2011.