Adhara Pérez Sánchez is an 11-year-old prodigy who is working on her master’s degree in engineering and hopes to one day be an astronaut. She was diagnosed with developmental disability at the age of 3, when her speech significantly regressed. After enduring years of apathetic teachers and bullying from classmates, she began to isolate herself. During times she spent alone, she taught herself algebra and memorized the periodic table. Her mother soon sought therapy for her daughter, and it was a therapist who advised her to send her daughter to Centro de Atención al Talento (Center for Attention to Talent), a school for gifted children. There, her IQ was confirmed to be a staggering 162, higher than that Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who both had an IQ of 160. She finished elementary school at the age of 5, finishing middle school a year later. Adhara is currently studying for her master's degree in mathematics at the Universidad Tecnológica de México (Technological University of Mexico). The young girl hopes to continue her education at the University of Arizona, where she can study astrophysics. The school had offered her a scholarship, but it was deferred due to visa issues. When Adhara isn't studying hard to become an astronaut, she is working with the Mexican Space Agency to help promote space exploration and mathematics to other young girls. She is also currently working toward finishing tests that will allow her to man flights through an agency that has connections to NASA and supports young scientists. When she passes, she'll be around 17 and the first autistic person to fly.
