SciArtist Maya Matsumoto combines lettering and science through art

Creatives help elevate International Women's Day (IWD) through amplifying awareness raising.

Their creative contributions engage audiences worldwide, helping forge gender equality through collective action.

Each year the IWD Lettering Challenge, in association with the global Typism community, calls for creative designs that support an annual IWD focus and showcase the impressive talent of creators.

Here, we shine a spotlight on one such creative, Maya Matsumoto, and showcase her IWD 2025 Accelerate Action design.

Maya is a SciArtist based in Seattle, USA, who brings together lettering and science through art.

"Happy International Women's Day to all the queens doing the work to Accelerate Action," said Maya sharing her IWD design.

Spreading her love of science

Maya describes herself as "a biologist using art to communicate and spread love of science." She also describes herself as a "nerd who reads too much but keeps procrastinating with books."

Maya is a research technician in a bio lab, and does some science art on the side.

She enjoys science communication and representing science with art and lettering through stickers and puzzles.

When she's not illustrating, Maya reads lots of books, mainly fantasy, and especially enjoys dragons and magic.

Maya says she will "forever be a Pacific Northwest girl who just wants to read to the sound of the rain cozy under a blanket while eating a bowl of popcorn."

Creating STEM-inspired stickers

Check out some of Maya's fabulous STEM inspired gender equality stickers that she sells on Etsy.

Share your creative talent with the world

Post your creation on your social media feeds using the hashtags #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #IWDtypism for a chance to be featured throughout the year.

Together, let's Accelerate Action for gender equality.