Laila Alawa (born 1991) is a Syrian-American entrepreneur, psychology researcher, and writer. Her work on examining gendered stereotypes in STEM led to results displaying continued issues in discrimination and prejudice against female scientists. She is recognized by The New York Times as an innovator for her global media & entertainment company, The Tempest. In 2018, Alawa was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Lists In America and Europe.
Alawa spent early years of her life living in Japan, where her father studied as an engineer, after moving from her original birthplace, Denmark - her mother's native land. As a child, Alawa then moved to the United States with her five younger siblings and two parents. The Alawa family moved from upstate New York to Berkley, Massachusetts following the events of 9/11. Alawa's mother was an educated woman with a degree in pedagogy, and chose to homeschool her children. She eventually received her American citizenship in 2015.
Alawa is a practicing Muslim woman and has remarked on the struggles she has faced experiencing Islamophobia. She has remarked, " I've grown up as a visible Muslim, with people spitting on me, yelling at me, harassing me."

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