Recognition & Awards
From academic honors to international stages
Miss Nepal North America 2022
2nd Runner Up & Miss Talent
At the Miss Nepal North America 2022 pageant held at Melrose Ballroom in New York City, Divya Pant was crowned 2nd Runner Up and received the Miss Talent award, a recognition of her platform advocacy combining sustainability science with cultural representation.
Rather than treating the pageant as an end in itself, Divya used the platform to amplify her work in climate science and women's empowerment in agriculture. Her talent presentation and advocacy messaging centered on the intersection of environmental sustainability and gender equity, themes drawn directly from her doctoral research and community work in Nepal.
The Miss Nepal North America title provided a megaphone for Divya's mission, connecting her with diaspora communities and opening doors for speaking engagements on sustainability and Nepali cultural preservation across the United States.
Academic Honors
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
National Science Foundation
One of the most prestigious fellowships for graduate researchers in the U.S., awarded for doctoral research on carbon accounting in biorenewable systems.
NSF Innovation in Graduate Education Fellowship
National Science Foundation
Pioneered a cross-border LCA collaboration framework between Nepal and the U.S., developing Nepal-specific carbon accounting protocols and training 15+ stakeholders on technical assessment frameworks.
XPRIZE Carbon Removal — Team SANJEEVANI
XPRIZE Foundation
Led Nepal's only team in the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, establishing partnerships across Penn State, Tribhuvan University, and 8+ organizations.
Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society
Penn State Chapter
Inducted into the international honor society of agriculture, recognizing academic excellence and commitment to the agricultural sciences.
Graduate Student Honor
Penn State Graduate School
Recognized for outstanding graduate scholarship and contributions to the Penn State academic community.
Excellence Award: 3rd Place Poster
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
Awarded 3rd place for research poster presentation at the College of Agricultural Sciences annual research showcase.
Ag Springboard Competition: 2nd Place
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
Earned 2nd place and $2,500 in funding for Carbon Away, the waste-to-energy venture addressing Nepal's organic waste challenge. Total competitive grants secured: $8,500+.
International Recognition
UN Forum on Forests Participant
United Nations
Represented Nepal and the Penn State academic community at the United Nations Forum on Forests, advocating for sustainable forestry and carbon market frameworks.
NYC Public Advocate Recognition
Office of Jumaane D. Williams, Public Advocate for the City of New York
Received formal recognition from NYC Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams for contributions to sustainability advocacy and community leadership.
Community Leadership
Joint Secretary, Youth For Agri Welfare
Youth For Agri Welfare, Lamjung, Nepal
Built women-centered agriculture programs reaching 50+ women entrepreneurs, designed climate-smart solutions for 100+ smallholder farmers, trained 200+ students in climate literacy and entrepreneurship, and co-created community cooperatives and local value chains.
Cultural Ambassador, Miss Nepal North America
Dreams Universal LLC
Year-long ambassadorship reaching 5M+ audience across national TV and digital media, advocating for climate action, sustainability, and women-led economic participation. Strengthened US-Nepal collaboration on climate awareness and social impact.
Gallery
United Nations Forum on Forests
Cultural Ambassador at the UN
Miss Nepal North America 2022
Pageant Advocacy Platform
NYC Public Advocate Recognition
Academic Excellence Recognition