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For Women in Science Exceptional Edition 2022: We’re back in Paris!
For the first time since the pandemic, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO celebrated 45 eminent women scientists from over 35 countries and regions in the For Women in Science Awards Ceremony which was held on Thursday, June 23rd at UNESCO, in Paris. 15 exceptional STEM researchers received the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards in recognition of their outstanding scientific achievements in recent years, along with 30 young female scientists who earned the title of International Rising Talents. In this special edition, including all the winners from 2020, 2021 and 2022, Paris became the global meeting point for female scientific excellence.
What is For Women in Science?
The Fondation L'Oreal and UNESCO have been committed for more than 20 years to the promotion of women in science to make them more visible, to make their talent known and to inspire careers for future generations.
Each year, the Fondation L'Oreal and UNESCO celebrate the scientific excellence of five eminent women researchers, each from a major region of the world. Since the creation of the For Women in Science program in 1998, 122 Laureates and more than 3,900 talented scientists, PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, have been supported and honored in more than 110 countries and regions.
Why is this important?
While the number of women pursuing scientific careers is increasing slightly, they still represent only 33%1 of the research community globally. And the glass ceiling remains a reality in science: only hold 14% of senior academic positions in science in Europe2 and less than 4% of Nobel Prizes for Science have ever been awarded to women. The last three years have been some of the most challenging for science in recent history. And as a result, women have been on the frontline, addressing unparalleled issues related to climate change, lack of resources, diseases, and health crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Women scientists are essential to tackle today's urgencies, and yet, too often their contribution is not recognized.
1 To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive: excerpt from the UNESCO science report
2 She Figures, 201814%
The number of senior academic roles held by women in Europe
33%
Of the world's researchers are women
4%
of Nobel Prizes for Science have ever been awarded to women
“Science must be inclusive and must mobilize all its talents. The bottom line? The world needs science and science needs women.”
- Alexandra Palt, CEO of the Fondation L’Oréal
Follow Alexandra Palt on LinkedIn
The laureates of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 For Women in Science International Awards are:
2022
Professor Katalin Karikó – Biochemistry – Laureate North America, United States of America
Professor Agnès Binagwaho – Public Health and Pediatrics – Laureate Africa and the Arab States, Rwanda
Professor Hailan Hu – Neuroscience – Laureate Asia and the Pacific, China
Professor Ángela Nieto - Embryology – Laureate Europe, Spain
Professor Maria Guzmán – Infectious Diseases and Virology – Laureate Latin America and the Caribbean, Cuba
2021
Professor Shafi Goldwasser – Computer science – Laureate North America, United States of America
Professor Catherine Ngila – Chemistry – Laureate Africa and the Arab States, Kenya
Professor Kyoko Nozaki – Chemistry – Laureate Asia and the Pacific, Japan
Professor Françoise Combes – Astrophysics – Laureate Europe, France
Professor Alicia Dickenstein – Mathematics – Laureate Latin America and the Caribbean, Argentina
2020
Professor Kristi Anseth – Biomedical Engineering – Laureate North America, United States of America
Professor Abla Mehio Sibai – Epidemiology – Laureate Africa and the Arab States, Lebanon
Doctor Firdausi Qadri – Immunology – Laureate Asia and the Pacific, Bangladesh
Professor Edith Heard FRS – Genetics – Laureate Europe, France-United Kingdom
Professor Esperanza Martínez-Romero – Microbiology – Laureate Latin America and the Caribbean, Mexico
About the Fondation L’Oréal
The Fondation L'Oreal supports and empowers women to shape their future and make a difference in society, focusing on three major areas: scientific research and inclusive beauty and climate action.
Since 1998, the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science program has worked to empower more women scientists to overcome barriers to progression and participate in solving the great challenges of our time, for the benefit of all. For 24 years, it has supported more than 3,900 women researchers from over 110 countries, rewarding scientific excellence and inspiring younger generations of women to pursue science as a career.
Convinced that beauty contributes to the process of rebuilding lives, the Fondation L'Oreal helps vulnerable women to improve their self-esteem through free beauty and wellness treatments. It also enables underprivileged women to gain access to employment with dedicated vocational beauty training. On average, around 21,000 people have access to these free treatments every year and more than 27,000 people have taken part in professional beauty training, since the beginning of the program.
Finally, women are affected by persistent gender-based discrimination and inequalities, exacerbated by climate change. While they are on the frontline of the crisis, they remain under-represented in climate decision-making. The Women and Climate program of the Fondation L'Oreal supports, in particular, women who are developing climate action projects addressing the urgent climate crisis and raises awareness of the importance of gender-sensitive climate solutions.
Discover more about the Fondation L'Oréal