Meet Chinyere Ukeje, the 25-year-old Philadelphia computer scientist who won $300,000 NASA prize for Mars food system

Chinyere “Chichi” Ukeje, a 25-year-old computer scientist from Northeast Philadelphia, has won $300,000 after taking first place in NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table competition. Ukeje won the top prize for her innovative concept designed to help astronauts produce food during long-term missions on Mars and the Moon.

The NASA Deep Space Food Challenge sought ideas for food systems that could support astronauts living on the surfaces of Mars and the Moon, where regular food supplies from Earth would not be practical.