Quarraisha A.Karim, Lihadh Al-Gazali, Faiza Al-Kharafi, Kristi Anseth, Najat Aoun Saliba, Frances Ashcroft,
Amy Austin, Jillian Banfield, Zhenan Bao, Marcia Barbosa, Beatriz Barbuy, Bonnie Bassler, Zohra Ben
Lakhdar, Thaisa Storchi Bergmann, Agnes Binagwaho, Tatiana Birshtein, Pamela Bjorkman, Elizabeth
Blackburn, Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni, Cecila Bouzat, Alejandra Bravo, Margaret Brimble, Thressa
Campbell Stadtman, Mee-Mann Chang, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Hualan Chen, Rajaâ Cherkaoui El
Moursli, Joanne Chory, Françoise Combes, Suzanne Cory, Pascale Cossart, Lourdes Cruz, Ingrid Daubechies,
Dame Caroline Dean, Anne Dejean, Eugenia Maria Del Pino Veintimilla, Alicia Disckenstein, Athene Donald,Jennifer Doudna, Mildred Dresselhaus, Rashika El Ridi, Karimat El-Sayed, Ana Belén Elgoyhen, Ayse Erzan,
Adeyinka Gladys Falusi, Jill Farrant, Elaine Fuchs, Pratibha Gai, Andrea Gamarnik, Ligia Gargallo, Laurie
Glimcher, Shafi Goldwasser, Jennifer Graves, Marianne Grunberg-Manago, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Maria
Guadalupe Guzman Tirado, Karen Hallberg, Edith Heard, Hailan Hu, Kayo Inaba, Nancy Ip, Deborah
Jin, Katalin Kariko, Maki Kawai, Segenet Kelemu, Niveen Khashab, Brigitte Kieffer, V. Narry Kim, Akiko
Kobayashi, Belita Koiller, Eugenia Kumacheva, Reiko Kuroda, Anne L’Huillier, Dominique Langevin, Johanna
Levelt Sengers, Fang-Hua Li, Susana López, Ana Maria Lopez-Colom, Philippa Marrack, EsperanzaMartinez-Romero, Anne McLaren, Nagwa Meguid, Abla Mehio Sibai, Lucia Mendonça Previato, Valerie
Mizrahi, Gloria Montenegro, Indira Nath, Jane Catherine Ngila, María Angela Nieto Toledano, Kyoko
Nozaki, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Tebello Nyokong, Tuneko Okazaki, Francisca Nneka Okeke, Grace
Oladunni Olaniyan-Taylor, Esther Orozco, Mary Osborn, Christine Petit, Firdausi Qadri, Carol Robinson,
Janet Rossant, Maria Tle Ruiz, Margarita Salas, Myriam Paula Sarachik, Ingrid Scheffer, Molly Shoichet,Michelle Simmons, Nicola Spaldin, Joan Steitz, Jennifer Thomson, Shirley Tilghman, Silvia Toress-Peimbert,
Christine Van Broeckhoven, Claire Voisin, Mariana Weissmann, Yi Xie, Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Ada Yonath,
Fumiko Yonezawa, Myeong-Hee Yu, Heather Zar, Mayana Zatz, Quarraisha A.Karim, Lihadh Al-Gazali,
Faiza Al-Kharafi, Kristi Anseth, Najat Aoun Saliba, Frances Ashcroft, Amy Austin, Jillian Banfield, ZhenanBao, Marcia Barbosa, Beatriz Barbuy, Bonnie Bassler, Zohra Ben Lakhdar, Thaisa Storchi Bergmann,Agnes Binagwaho, Tatiana Birshtein, Pamela Bjorkman, Elizabeth Blackburn, Habiba Bouhamed
Chaabouni, Cecila Bouzat, Alejandra Bravo, Margaret Brimble, Thressa Campbell Stadtman, Mee-Mann
Chang, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Hualan Chen, Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli, Joanne Chory, Françoise
Combes, Suzanne Cory, Pascale Cossart, Lourdes Cruz, Ingrid Daubechies, Dame Caroline Dean, Anne
Dejean, Eugenia Maria Del Pino Veintimilla, Alicia Disckenstein, Athene Donald, Jennifer Doudna, Mildred
Dresselhaus, Rashika El Ridi, Karimat El-Sayed, Ana Belén Elgoyhen, Ayse Erzan, Adeyinka Gladys Falusi, Jill
Farrant, Elaine Fuchs, Pratibha Gai, Andrea Gamarnik, Ligia Gargallo, Laurie Glimcher, Shafi Goldwasser,
Jennifer Graves, Marianne Grunberg-Manago, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Maria Guadalupe Guzman Tirado,
Karen Hallberg, Edith Heard, Hailan Hu, Kayo Inaba, Nancy Ip, Deborah Jin, Katalin Kariko, Maki Kawai,
Segenet Kelemu, Niveen Khashab, Brigitte Kieffer, V. Narry Kim, Akiko Kobayashi, Belita Koiller, Eugenia
Kumacheva, Reiko Kuroda, Anne L’Huillier, Dominique Langevin, Johanna Levelt Sengers, Fang-Hua Li,
Susana López, Ana Maria Lopez-Colom, Philippa Marrack, Esperanza Martinez-Romero, Anne McLaren,
Nagwa Meguid, Abla Mehio Sibai, Lucia Mendonça Previato, Valerie Mizrahi, Gloria Montenegro, IndiraNath, Jane Catherine Ngila, María Angela Nieto Toledano, Kyoko Nozaki, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard,
Tebello Nyokong, Tuneko Okazaki, Francisca Nneka Okeke, Grace Oladunni Olaniyan-Taylor, Esther Orozco,
Mary Osborn, Christine Petit, Firdausi Qadri, Carol Robinson, Janet Rossant, Maria Tle Ruiz, Margarita
Salas, Myriam Paula Sarachik, Ingrid Scheffer, Molly Shoichet, Michelle Simmons, Nicola Spaldin, Joan
Steitz, Jennifer Thomson, Shirley Tilghman, Silvia Toress-Peimbert, Christine Van Broeckhoven, Claire
Voisin, Mariana Weissmann, Yi Xie, Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Ada Yonath, Fumiko Yonezawa, Myeong-Hee
Yu, Heather Zar, Mayana Zatz, Quarraisha A.Karim, Lihadh Al-Gazali, Faiza Al-Kharafi, Kristi Anseth, Najat
Aoun Saliba, Frances Ashcroft, Amy Austin, Jillian Banfield, Zhenan Bao, Marcia Barbosa, Beatriz Barbuy,
Bonnie Bassler, Zohra Ben Lakhdar, Thaisa Storchi Bergmann, Agnes Binagwaho, Tatiana Birshtein,
Pamela Bjorkman, Elizabeth Blackburn, Habiba Bouhamed Chaabouni, Cecila Bouzat, Alejandra Bravo,
Margaret Brimble, Thressa Campbell Stadtman, Mee-Mann Chang, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Hualan
Chen, Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli, Joanne Chory, Françoise Combes, Suzanne Cory, Pascale Cossart,
Lourdes Cruz, Ingrid Daubechies, Dame Caroline Dean, Anne Dejean, Eugenia Maria Del Pino Veintimilla,
Alicia Disckenstein, Athene Donald, Jennifer Doudna, Mildred Dresselhaus, Rashika El Ridi, Karimat ElSayed, Ana Belén Elgoyhen, Ayse Erzan, Adeyinka Gladys Falusi, Jill Farrant, Elaine Fuchs, Pratibha Gai,
Andrea Gamarnik, Ligia Gargallo, Laurie Glimcher, Shafi Goldwasser, Jennifer Graves, Marianne GrunbergManago, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Maria Guadalupe Guzman Tirado, Karen Hallberg, Edith Heard, Hailan
Hu, Kayo Inaba, Nancy Ip, Deborah Jin, Katalin Kariko, Maki Kawai, Segenet Kelemu, Niveen Khashab,Brigitte Kieffer, V. Narry Kim, Akiko Kobayashi, Belita Koiller, Eugenia Kumacheva, Reiko Kuroda, Anne
L’Huillier, Dominique Langevin, Johanna Levelt Sengers, Fang-Hua Li, Susana López, Ana Maria LopezColom, Philippa Marrack, Esperanza Martinez-Romero, Anne McLaren, Nagwa Meguid, Abla Mehio Sibai,
Lucia Mendonça Previato, Valerie Mizrahi, Gloria Montenegro, Indira Nath, Jane Catherine Ngila, María
Angela Nieto Toledano, Kyoko Nozaki, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Tebello Nyokong, Tuneko Okazaki,
Francisca Nneka Okeke, Grace Oladunni Olaniyan-Taylor, Esther Orozco, Mary Osborn, Christine Petit,
Firdausi Qadri, Carol Robinson, Janet Rossant, Maria Tle Ruiz, Margarita Salas, Myriam Paula Sarachik,Ingrid Scheffer, Molly Shoichet, Michelle Simmons, Nicola Spaldin, Joan Steitz, Jennifer Thomson, Shirley-1Tilghman, Silvia Toress-Peimbert, Christine Van Broeckhoven,
Claire Voisin, Mariana Weissmann, Yi Xie,
Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Ada Yonath, Fumiko Yonezawa, Myeong-Hee Yu, Heather Zar, Mayana Zatz.

25th

OF L’ORÉAL-UNESCO
FOR WOMEN IN
SCIENCEWelcome to this edition of the L’OréalUNESCO For Women in Science
International Awards. This is a special
milestone, as we are celebrating
25 years of promoting gender equality
and empowering women in science.
Join us in recognizing and rewarding
the outstanding researchers who
are this year’s winners. As we honour
their achievements and our collective
progress in breaking the glassceiling in science, let us rememberthat there is still a long way to go.
We remain committed to promoting
women in science, as we renew ourefforts to create a world where girls
and boys can fulfil their dreams tobecome scientists who contributeequally to solving humanity’s greatest
challenges.

INTRODUCTION – A FOCUS ON 25 YEARS

P.2

A WORD FROM JEAN-PAUL AGON

P.5

A WORD FROM AUDREY AZOULAY

P.7

25 YEARS OF EMPOWERING WOMEN IN SCIENCE

P.8

THE 2023 LAUREATES

P.16

THE 2023 JURY

P.38

25 th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL TRIBUTE

P.40

ABOUT US: THE FONDATION L’ORÉAL

P.42

ABOUT US: UNESCO

P.43

SUMMARY-2--3-

A word from

Jean-Paul Agon
CHAIRMAN OF L’ORÉAL,PRESIDENT OF THE FONDATION L’ORÉAL

Some 25 years ago, L’Oréal chose to engage inthe fight for equality in science.
A fundamentally necessary fight, in a world that
had been used to rendering invisible and hindering
women for centuries – just because they dared toinvest in science.
So it was a pioneering fight. Well before people
demanding real equality in all spheres of society
had finally been heard.
An obvious fight in our eyes, which drewnourishment from our own history and values.
Because L’Oréal was founded by a chemist,
research is written in our genes. Because equality
and inclusion sit at the heart of our commitments.
To lead this fight, we joined forces with UNESCO.
For a quarter of a century, our partnershiphas been based on the confidence and theunwavering will to give female scientists the place
they deserve.
The figures speak for themselves. Only a thirdof researchers in the world are women. This
proportion falls by nearly half at a senior level.
And less than 4% of women have been awardeda Nobel Prize for Science.
In 25 years, the time of a generation, the For
Women in Science program has contributed tocreating a transformation.
We are proud to have supported more than
4100 researchers throughout the world,
recognising eminent scientists each year witha prize for excellence – such as those whom
you’re going to discover in these pages – and by
giving young promising scientists doctoral andpost-doctoral bursaries in more than 110 countries.
We are proud to have raised the profile ofwomen representing every continent and aheadof every field.

-4-

We are happy to have begun and contributed
to establishing a community of female scientists
who are ever more united and influential. They all
agree that the first rate training, networking andexchanges to which they have access, thanks toour efforts, are career accelerators and confidence
boosters.
After 25 years of commitment, the number offemale scientists has progressed in the world,
but far too slowly. Our determination is greaterthan ever.
We are convinced that we must intensify ouractivities for more impact.
In particular, among the new generations, byinvesting in the education of young girls andpromoting scientific careers, in order to help themdevelop or pursue a dream of science and assure
them that they have a place there.
But also among institutions, partners, publicauthorities, the scientific and academic world,
in order to promote a real cultural change
throughout society. We must all take our part in
the responsibility of staying vigilant, as the rights
women have obtained remain fragile.
This fight for inclusion overtakes the question ofgender. Through their exceptional discoveries,
the impact these extraordinary women have on
the world is immense. Scientific and technicalprogress, and progress in itself, which we so need,
won’t be achieved without them.
Alongside all women in science, today andtomorrow, the Fondation L’Oréal will continue tobe fully active so that they have the opportunity
and the capacity, on equal terms, to build a betterworld, for all women and men.
More than ever, the world needs science andscience needs women.

-5-A word from

Audrey Azoulay
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNESCO

This year, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in
Science Program celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Although real progress has been made, as
underlined in UNESCO’s 2021 Science Report,much remains to be done when it comes towomen in science. Indeed, according to this same
report, just one in three researchers is a woman.

Twenty-five years represents 127 female scientistsof 42 different nationalities who have received
the L’Oréal-UNESCO International Awards,
including five who have also received the Nobel
Prize. It represents around 4000 young women
researchers, entrepreneurs and inventors,
at least half of whom are from developing
countries, who have been supported andaccompanied early in their scientific careers.
It represents 25 years of joint efforts to ensurethat the role of women is fully recognizedin mathematics, in biology, in neuroscience,in physics, in medicine, in agronomy – in all
scientific fields and their applications.

We must therefore step up our efforts to promote
access to science for all women worldwide andencourage them to take up careers in this field.
At UNESCO, where gender equality is a transversal
priority, we have committed to supporting inclusive
scientific policies, as well as scientific education
for girls and women.
We must also continue to combat stereotypes
and affirm that scientific excellence has no genderor nationality, by supporting women in theirscientific careers, and by honouring both promising
young researchers as well as accomplishedscientists – who offer new role models, newperspectives, to all girls dreaming of science.

We have everything to gain from making thesciences more open – not only to women but also
more generally. Because when science is open,
it is more effective and more relevant. Closing off
science, preventing it from opening up to othergoals, other methods and other perspectives,
impedes scientific innovation. This is the convictionthat underpins UNESCO’s recommendation on
Open Science, adopted by our Member Statesin November 2021. It is also the conviction at
the heart of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Womenin Science Program.

-6-

That is the aim of this program, led for the past
25 years by UNESCO and the Fondation L’Oréal,
which I thank.
Together, let us continue to celebrate female
scientists, to uphold this simple but powerful
message: the world needs science and scienceneeds women. Long live women in science!

-7-

For 25 years, the Fondation L’Oréal
and UNESCO have worked together
to promote women in science throughthe For Women in Science InternationalAwards, and Young Talents Programs,
putting female scientists in the
spotlight and contributing to breaking
the glass ceiling in science.

2022 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony

Celebrating 25 years of empowering women inscience

CELEBRATING
25 YEARSEMPOWERINGWOMENIN SCIENCE

Understanding the gender equality challenge
Women are still highly underrepresented in science,
yet we need their talents and perspectives morethan ever to deliver gender-balanced solutions
to the great social, economic and environmental
challenges we face today. When the L’Oréal–
UNESCO For Women in Science program
started 25 years ago, most countries were notcollecting gender-disaggregated statistics on
researchers. Today, the majority of countries are
doing so. In 2013, women accounted for 28%
of researchers. Today, they account for 33%.
This is an improvement but we are still far fromgender parity. Women pursuing scientific careers
still face numerous challenges and only a small
proportion hold leadership positions, preventing
women from determining and directing importantscientific research programs and projects
and from serving as role models for younger
generations. For example, only 18% of seniorscientific roles are occupied by women in Europe,
only 12% of the membership of national science
academies globally are women and just 4%of Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry andphysiology and medicine have been awarded
to women since 2011.

For 25 years, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO
have worked together to empower and promotewomen in science through the For Women in
Science program. This visionary partnership has
placed the issue of gender equality in sciencefirmly on the international agenda by highlighting
the work of many outstanding female scientists,
accelerating women’s pathways to leadershipin science, and inspiring the next generationof female researchers. This forms part of the
Fondation L’Oréal’s longstanding commitment tosupporting women’s rights and fighting for genderequality and has contributed to the advancementof gender equality as a global UNESCO priority.

1998 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony

-8-

-9-

to advance their careers. “I gained significant
visibility in Canada and internationally, which
opened more doors in science,” explains Professor
Molly Shoichet, Laureate of the 2015 InternationalAward for North America.

I can affirm
that the prize
has been the
catalyst of myscientific career.

Winning the award has also raised the alumnae’s
self-confidence at work. According to Dr Lucie
Barblu-Levast, who was recognized as a young
talent by the For Women in Science France
program in 2018: “This award came at a key
moment in my life, which allowed me to build
confidence in myself and continue in the worldof research.”
Recipients of the award have discovered more
professional opportunities. For example, Professor
Marie Abboud, 2009 International Fellow
from Lebanon, has affirmed that “the prize
has been the catalyst of my scientific career”.
2018 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony

What impact has the L’Oréal-UNESCO For
Women in Science program had on women inscience over the years?
The program has supported and raised the profile
of more than 4100 women through research
grants for young female scientists. The L’OréalUNESCO International Awards have celebrated
and recognized 127 Laureates for the excellenceof their research and their positive impact on theadvancement of scientific knowledge.

The program has established a network of 52
national and regional programs covering morethan 110 countries. It has mobilized some 500
scientists and forged partnerships with 50
scientific institutions around the world to selectthe most promising female scientists.

For many alumnae, the For Women in Science
program has provided a source of inspirationand drive to create positive change for the next

generation of female scientific leaders. Some
88% of respondents have felt more engaged insupporting this cause since winning the award.
“I am part of many women’s associations
and I am leading a group of girls in researchunder my supervision,” says Dr Soupi Nkeutcha
Marietta Solange, 2010 International Fellow from
Cameroon.

According to a recent survey of the alumnae of the
For Women in Science network, the program has
contributed to retaining female talent, with 97%
of alumnae still working in science-related fields.
The same study also showed that the program
has increased these women’s visibility, helping

I gainedsignificant visibility
in Canada and…
internationally,
which opened more
doors in science.
2003 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony- 10 -

2000 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony- 11 -

KEY FIGURES

MORE THAN

4100

FEMALE SCIENTISTSSUPPORTED

52

PROGRAMS
COVERING OVER110

NEARLY

50

COUNTRIESPARTNER SCIENTIFICINSTITUTIONS
2000 For Women in Science International Awards Ceremony

The For Women in Science community is ready toplay a major role in bringing about positive change.
Created in 2021, a dedicated online platform
uniting the alumnae of the program is alreadyconnecting more than 2000 female scientists;
it continues to provide leadership training
and real opportunities for women to advance
personally and professionally. It enables women
to share their experiences and research, develop
new collaborations, learn about professional
opportunities and become ambassadors of the
program to attract more female scientists.
What does the future hold?
Inclusion is the only way forward to deliver
solutions to the pressing challenges of our time
– from resource scarcity and climate change tosocial inequality, pandemics and the negative
effects of the steep rise of artificial intelligence.
Much remains to be done to advance genderequality in science. A systemic change is required toempower women, in order to close the gender gap
in science and factor gender into the outcomes

I am part of many women’s
associations, and I am leadinga group of girls in researchunder my supervision.
of science, technology and innovation. Above all,as a society, we must invest in the education ofgirls and encourage them to aspire to become
scientists – to know that this is possible and that
it will lead to a meaningful and fulfilling career.
We want to catalyse a cultural transformationand shape a world where both girls and boys havethe right to pursue science to the highest level.

MORE THAN

500

127

SCIENTISTS INVOLVED
EACH YEARLAUREATES REWARDEDFOR THE EXCELLENCE
OF THEIR WORK

5OF WHOM HAVE RECEIVEDA NOBEL PRIZE FOR SCIENCE

By continuing to promote women’s rights andsupport a more equitable representation of
women in science, we remain committed toachieving the goal of gender equality in science
for the benefit of both female scientists worldwide
and science itself.

- 12 -- 13 -

KEY MOMENTS- 1998 LAUNCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE SCIENCES AWARD- 2000 LAUNCH OF THE YOUNG TALENT AWARDS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENT- 2003 THE AWARD IS EXTENDED TO PHYSICAL SCIENCES,
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PIERRE GILLES DE GENNE,NOBEL PRIZE WINNER AND PRESIDENT OF THE JURY

- 2006 LAUNCH OF THE AIRPORT CAMPAIGNS- 2009 ADA YONATH, 2008 LAUREATE, RECEIVES THE NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY,ELIZABETH H. BLACKBURN, 2008 LAUREATE, RECEIVES THE NOBEL PRIZES IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE- 2018 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, LAUNCH OF THE INITIATIVE MEN FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE,LAUNCH OF THE WOMEN IN SCIENCE ACADEMY- 2019 THE AWARD IS EXTENDED TO MATHEMATICS
AND COMPUTER SCIENCE- 2020 EMMANUELLE CHARPENTIER AND JENNIFER A. DOUDNA, 2016 LAUREATES,RECEIVE THE NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY

25 YEAR- 2021 LAUNCH OF THE FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE COMMUNITY PLATFORM
AND ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS,
1st FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE FESTIVAL ON YOUTUBE- 2023 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY- 14 -- 15 -

Each year since 1998, the Fondation
L’Oréal and UNESCO have honoured
five brilliant female scientists,
promoted their work globally andempowered them to act as role models
for aspiring female scientists and for
future generations. The laureatesare recognized for their scientificachievements and remarkable
contribution to advancing research
on a global scale. To support womenled scientific excellence in addressing
societal needs worldwide, one Laureate
from each of the five major regionsof the world is recognized: Africa
and the Arab States; Asia and thePacific; Europe; Latin America and the
Caribbean; and North America.
The Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO
are honored to announce the five 2023
laureates selected by an independentjury chaired by Professor Artur Àvila* forthe 25th L’Oréal-UNESCO InternationalAward For Women in Science in the
categories of Physical Sciences,
Mathematics and Computer science.

2023

LAUREATE FOR AFRICA AND THE ARAB STATESProfessor Suzana Nunes
Professor, Chemical and Environmental Science and Engineering,
Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia.
Awarded for her outstanding work in developing innovative membranefilters to achieve highly efficient chemical separations with a lower carbon
footprint. Her research has proven to be particularly beneficial to the water,
petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries in achieving a more sustainable
environment.

LAUREATE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Professor Lidia Morawska
Distinguished Professor, School of Earth Sciences and Climate,
Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
Awarded for her excellent research in the field of air pollution and its impact
on human health and the environment, with a specific focus on atmosphericparticulate matter. Her extraordinary dedication and impact have built abridge from fundamental science to real-world policy and practice to provide
clean air for all.

LAUREATE FOR EUROPE

Professor Frances Kirwan
Savilian Professor of Geometry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Awarded for her exceptional work in pure mathematics combining geometry
and algebra in order to develop techniques to understand the classification ofgeometric objects. These techniques have been used by theoretical physicists
searching for mathematical descriptions of our universe. Her recent work
has the potential to help scientists to extract crucial information from large
complex data sets.

LAUREATE FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Professor Anamaría Font
Professor of Physics, Central University of Venezuela.
Awarded for her important contributions in theoretical particle physics, inparticular to the study of String Theory. Her research has resulted in a greater
understanding of the consequences of the theory for the structure of matterand quantum gravity, relevant also for the description of black holes andthe first moments after the big bang.

LAUREATE FOR NORTH AMERICA

Professor Aviv Regev
Executive Vice President and Global Head of Genentech Research and Early
Development, Genentech/Roche, San Francisco, United States of America.
Awarded for her pioneering work applying mathematics and computerscience to revolutionize cell biology. Her research enables scientists to discoverand characterize the trillions of cells within the body and enhances theirability to decipher and target the mechanisms that cause disease, in orderto develop better diagnostics and therapies.

* Professor at Institute of Mathematics University of Zurich, Switzerland, Extraordinary Researcher at IMPA (Instituto de Mathematica Pura e Aplicada)- 16 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Fields medal winner in 2014- 17 -

L A U R E AT E F O R A F R I C A A N D T H E A R A B S TAT E S

Professor
Suzana Nunes
CHEMISTRY

Breaking new ground in energy efficient
separation processes for industry
Professor Suzana Nunes is rewarded for her
outstanding work in developing innovative
membrane filters to purify or separate valuable
resources, such as water, oil, or pharmaceuticalcompounds more efficiently and using significantly
less energy than traditional methods.

Professor, Chemical and Environmental Science and Engineering,
Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs, King Abdullah Universityof Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia- 18 -

Working at the intersection of chemistry, chemicalengineering, materials science and environmental
science, her research leads to the creation of highprecision membranes. Her group synthesizes newpolymers and uses them for the manufacture offlat-sheets and hollow fibers with highly controlled
pore sizes in the submicron or sub-nanometerlevel (down to a millionth of a millimetre). The
membranes have selective layers able to separate
pharmaceutical compounds from a complex
mixture or specific hydrocarbons from crude oil.
Some 50% of the energy currently consumed
by the chemical industry is used to separate

chemicals. In developing specific filters for eachtype of separation, Professor Nunes is helping to
revolutionize conventional approaches with viable,
sustainable, large-scale solutions, lowering theindustry’s carbon footprint.
“To help create a fully sustainable society, I am
harnessing membrane technology as a lever totransform the chemical industry by achieving zero
emissions and eliminating waste,” she explains.
“Ultimately, I want to help prevent global warming
and protect our planet’s biodiversity for future
generations.”
A lifelong passion for scientific discovery
Professor Nunes has always enjoyed mathematics
and science. On her seventh birthday, she wasgiven a chemistry set, prompting her life-long loveof chemistry. At fourteen, she joined a specialist
chemistry high school, following her calling tobecome a scientist. It was at university that she
determined to study the behaviour of bigger
and more complex macromolecules. One of her- 19 -

Eureka moments occurred soon after her moveto Saudi Arabia when she made a breakthroughin understanding the mechanism of pore
formation of block copolymer membranes using
electron microscopy. This led to the publicationof her first paper in the country and enabled her
to replicate the findings on different materials
and for different applications. Her subsequentdiscoveries have brought her many accolades,
including membership of the Royal Society ofChemistry since 2015.
An international journey to promote environmental
sustainability and inspire women
Professor Nunes has worked on three continents,
including her native South America, Europe andin the Middle East, collaborating with scientists
in multiple disciplines. When she arrived at
the King Abdullah University of Science andTechnology in Saudi Arabia in 2009, it was toaddress environmental challenges and inspire
women to study engineering. The university
was a brand-new venture that was creating acentre of academic learning almost from scratch.
Importantly, it was the country’s first co-education
university and the first to offer high-level chemicalengineering programs to girls. The opportunity to
attract more women into science appealed to hereven more than the intellectual challenge andpromise of research excellence and international
collaboration. Holding administrative roles, such
as Associate Dean and Vice-Provost, have further
enabled her to fulfil this purpose.

Breaking the glass ceiling
Professor Nunes was fortunate to have supportiveparents and teachers and to be born in a country
where women had the opportunity to study
and have role models in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM). She started
her academic career in Brazil and continued toflourish at Helmholtz Research Centre in Germany.
When her freedom of research and access toresources started to wane and the glass ceilingstarted forming, despite her being a leader of a
successful research group, she moved to the King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology
where she found the support and conditions
needed to excel. “More support must be directed
towards enabling and assisting senior female
scientists to navigate the challenging journey toleadership”, she believes.
She encourages girls and young women interested
in science to follow their hearts and natural
inclination to pursue a career in science. “Nevergive up – the path to success is not always smoothand straight – persevere and success will come.”

In addition, she has helped to lead international
workshops and symposia encouraging women to
pursue chemistry and engineering. “Saudi Arabia
is changing rapidly, especially in the last few years,
and I dare to believe that our work in education
has been contributing to this evolution,” Professor
Nunes highlighted.

- 20 -

Ultimately,
I want to
help prevent
global warming
and protect ourplanet’s
biodiversity
for future
generations.

- 21 -

L A U R E AT E F O R A S I A A N D T H E PA C I F I C

Professor
Lidia Morawska
E A R T H A N D E N V I R O N M E N TA L S C I E N C E SHarnessing air quality science to inform public
policy and save lives
Professor Lidia Morawska is recognized for her
outstanding contribution to understanding andimproving indoor and ambient air quality, and inparticular, the impact of air pollution on humanhealth and the environment. Her leadership hasenabled policymakers in the public health sector
to develop pathways for improving air quality andprompted discussions on better building designand operation.

Distinguished Professor,
School of Earth Sciences and Climate,
Queensland University of Technology, Australia- 22 -“Nothing is more fundamental than the air webreathe,” says Professor Morawska. “In modern life,
we mostly breathe indoors, however, the internal
atmosphere is highly complex and variable.
Through my research, I am helping to redefine
the science of air pollution and transform the way
in which society can mitigate and prevent relatedrisks, linking science with real-world practice andpolicy. My dream is that science should inform
decisions that protect the Earth and contribute
positively to society.”

Delivering in-depth insights on air pollution
With a focus on particles suspended in the air,
Professor Morawska’s work delivers in-depth
insights into the sources of air pollution,
relevant physico-chemical processes and thetransformation of airborne particles, alongwith the fate of pollutants. This knowledge
can be harnessed to reduce exposure to pollution
and risks. Among her most important research,she detects ultrafine particles in the air, explores
combustion as a source of ambient urban air
pollution, investigates virus-laden particles andpromotes a better understanding of indoor air
quality. Professor Morawska has produced morethan one thousand publications highlighting
the risk to human health of exposure to indoor
pollutants, chemical substances and biologicalagents, together with gas and particulates
within multiple environments, including urban
areas and major indoor environments suchas homes, schools, sports facilities and public
transportation.

- 23 -

Innovating ahead of her time

A woman of conviction

Professor Morawska’s interest in science beganat an early age. She was keen to understandthe wonders of the world around her, fromplanetary systems to the intricacies of pollinationand interactions between insects, plants andthe environment, and enjoyed mathematical
puzzles. At primary school, with the support ofher teachers and parents (who encouraged her tobelieve she could achieve anything she wanted),she decided to become a nuclear physicist, a feataccomplished through studies culminating in her
physics doctorate in 1982. Her career interests
gradually evolved towards atmospheric, building
and human exposure science. What has remained
a constant throughout her life and career is her
desire to lead research with purpose.

During the pandemic, Professor Morawska
gathered nearly 240 scientists from around theworld to raise awareness of the risks ot healthof SARS-CoV-2 airborne particles, prompting theWorld Health Organization and some national
authorities, such as the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, to update their advice on
airborne transmission, thereby preventing millions
of infections and saving lives. In 2020, she joined
a working group publishing in The Lancet which
explored safety at work, school and during travel,with a particular focus on transmission risk factors
in buildings. Her determination and conviction in
influencing and collaborating with scientists tohighlight risks to public health define her vision
as a scientist.

She describes her Eureka moments as being
those moments when she recognizes a particularscientific problem. For example, discovering highconcentrations of ultrafine airborne particles incentral Toronto as a post-doctoral researcher
prompted her to explore their source and impact
on health and the environment. This knowledge
can be harnessed to reduce pollution, exposureand risks. She convened 20 scientists from four
countries to explore the impact of ultrafine
particles from traffic emissions on children’s
health, proving that they were associated withsystemic respiratory inflammation. In 2015, thisprompted the World Health Organization and anumber of countries to review national norms, inorder to protect children and reduce their exposure
to ultrafine particles.

To girls and young women considering science
as a career path, she says: “Pursue your interestsand dreams and don’t think for a moment that
there is something you cannot achieve.” Balancing
the pressures of research and motherhood has
proved challenging, yet not insurmountable. She
has overcome conventional perceptions of how aleader should spend their time, feeling proud of
devoting time to her family, while accepting thedelay this brought to certain achievements. She
believes more flexible structures should be madeavailable to young scientists, who should “never
have to choose between family and a career.”

In recognition of her pioneering work, Professor
Morawska was listed in 2021 by TIME 100 among
the hundred most influential people in the world.
She is also a member of the Australian Science
Academy, a Vice-Chancellor Fellow of the Global
Centre for Clean Air Research University of Surrey,
United Kingdom, and an adjunct professor at
the Environmental and Climate Institute of the
University of Jinan in Guangzhou, China.

- 24 -

Nothing
is morefundamental
than the air
we breathe.
- 25 -

L A U R E AT E F O R E U R O P E

Professor
Frances Kirwan
P U R E M AT H E M AT I C SHarnessing mathematics to shine a light oncomplex questions
Professor Frances Kirwan is rewarded for her
exceptional work in pure mathematics and, more
specifically, for her studies of the algebraic andtopological properties of geometric objects. She
explores classification in algebraic geometry,
which leads to the study of the so-called moduli
spaces that help us understand the relationships
between shapes and how they change and areused to represent objects and classify space. Whatis now called the ‘Kirwan map’ helps to describe
the topology (i.e. the shape) of these moduli
spaces. Her research has been used by theoreticalphysicists in the search for mathematicaldescriptions of the Universe.

Savilian Professor of Geometry,
University of Oxford, United Kingdom- 26 -

Potential applications of her more recent work
could help scientists to illustrate the shape oflarge, complex data sets, a research area known
as topological data analysis.
“Algebraic geometry has a long and rich history
going back to the ancient Greeks,” Professor

Kirwan says. “It builds on many other areas ofmathematics, with diverse interactions withother sciences. The flow of ideas from algebraic
geometry to practical applications has often
been very slow, with the real scientific impact
only becoming apparent over time. In recent
years, however, the process has been accelerating,with the new research area of applied algebraic
geometry developing fast.”
Finding inspiration in mathematics
One of her first mathematical memories is of her
father explaining a proof to her that the angles ofany triangle add up to 180 degrees. The idea thatsomething like this (or the theorem of Pythagoras)
could be proved to be always true was very
appealing. In her childhood, the Apollo missions
to the moon and the possibility of mathematicaldescriptions of the movement of the planets andstars caught her attention. Although she was alsointerested in history and classical languages, atuniversity, Professor Kirwan dedicated her studies
to mathematics, keen to deepen her knowledgeof this fascinating discipline.

- 27 -

One Eureka moment happened when she wascollaborating with the Canadian mathematician
Lisa Jeffrey to prove a famous physicist’s formula;while she was bathing her children one evening, apotential mathematical argument occurred to her
and it turned out to complete the proof they wereseeking. The collaboration with Professor Jeffrey
was critical to building momentum in Professor
Kirwan’s career and many other subsequentlocal and international collaborations have beenequally important.
Diversity and collaboration in science is the way
forwardProfessor Kirwan has been fortunate to havesupportive teachers and colleagues throughout
her career. During her time as a graduate student
and later as a faculty member in Oxford’s
Mathematical Institute in the 1980s, there were
ten women with permanent faculty positionsin the department, enabling her to have both
female and male mentors and role models. She
is fully supportive of greater gender diversity inscience. “It’s very important to have diverse rolemodels ,” she says, noting that this is particularly
crucial in areas such as mathematics, theoreticalphysics and computer science. She believes in theimportance of the flow of ideas between different
scientific disciplines, which requires the hard workof many individuals working across traditionalboundaries to transform mathematical discoveries
into game-changing practical applications. Whenshe began her research career, she was excitedby the emerging interactions between algebraic
geometry and theoretical physics and, more
recently, she has observed important connections
with biological sciences. Indeed, collaboration
with diverse scientists has enabled her to build
significant momentum on her own scientificjourney.

Empowering women to enter science andmathematics
Supporting more women wishing to embark
on a career in mathematics is a passion forProfessor Kirwan, and she has devoted much ofher time and resources to encouraging girls andyoung women into mathematics at the national,
European and international levels. Through theLondon Mathematical Society and the United
Kingdom Mathematics Trust (whose Councils she
chaired at different times), she was involved in
the organization of enriching activities for girls
at secondary school level, such as a mathematics
competition called the European Girls’ Mathematical
Olympiad. For some time, she was deeply involved
with the European Women in Mathematics
association, through which she helped tocoordinate the first international conference of
women mathematicians in Hyderabad, India,
in 2010, organized in partnership with theInternational Congress of Mathematicians. She
is the recipient of multiple accolades, including
being the first woman elected to one of the oldest
and most prestigious mathematics chairs at
Oxford University (Savilian Professor of Geometry),
established in 1619.
Professor Kirwan believes that many womenmathematicians are committed to helping
achieve a societal or environmental benefit
through their research. “I would wholeheartedly
recommend a career in mathematics. There
are so many interesting areas to explore andopportunities to collaborate with scientists frommultiple disciplines towards discoveries that could
help to transform our world for the better.”

Beyond this, her dream is that “science in general
will provide solutions to the climate crisis thatpoliticians worldwide will be willing to adopt
in time to protect the environment for future
generations”.

- 28 -

It’s very importantto have diverserole models, womenin particular, butalso other sorts
of diversity.

- 29 -

L A U R E AT E F O R L AT I N A M E R I C A A N D T H E C A R I B B E A N

Professor
Anamaría Font
PHYSICS

Pioneering theories to uncover the structure of
the universe
Professor Anamaría Font is recognised for her workin theoretical particle physics, with a particularfocus on the theory of superstrings. This theory
seeks to describe the fundamental building blocksof the Universe, suggesting that, at the mostfundamental level, everything in the Universe,
including particles and forces, is composed of tiny,
vibrating strings rather than point-like particles.
Her research has provided deeper knowledge ofthe consequences of superstring theory for the
structure of matter and quantum gravity, which
are also relevant to the description of black holes
and the first moments after the Big Bang.

Professor of Physics,
Central University of Venezuela- 30 -

One of the significant aspects of string theoryis that it postulates the existence of additional
dimensions beyond the four dimensions withwhich we are familiar (time, length, width andheight). Professor Font’s research has contributed
to our understanding of how extra dimensions
could exist.

Through her groundbreaking research, She has
also influenced scientific developments that led
to the second-string revolution in 1995.
A life of dedication to science and education
Explaining the world around us has been a lifelong
interest for Professor Font. As a child, she enjoyedmixing substances and watching the reactions.
She was fascinated by chemistry and physics atsecondary school, where she had highly supportiveand enthusiastic teachers, most of whom were
women. “I found it amazing that one could
explain nature with formulas and universal laws,”
she says. “I vividly remember this desire to learn
and discover.” And as a senior scientist, she has
been active in continuing the tradition of scientifictuition, teaching mathematics and physics in
Venezuela and other Latin American countries,
while also co-organising various scientific activities
for students and early career scientists.
“Science and education are the basic pillars ofsustainable development and I feel proud to havedevoted my career to both endeavours,” she says.

- 31 -

“I would like to solve unanswered questions suchas the origin of the different masses of elementary
particles, as well as the nature of the dark matterand energy that make up most of the Universe –and ultimately, to develop a theory that underlies
all physical phenomena. I am convinced of thevalue of this research and its potential to lead tofuture applications.”
Professor Font always relishes building compellingarguments, fitting details into place, finding
solutions arising from systematic analysis anddiscovering powerful mathematics behind thephysics. The Nobel prize winner Steven Weinberg,
whose classes she attended while studying for her
PhD, is a great inspiration to her.

Stronger policies to break the glass ceilingThanks to her resilience, research strengths
and overall professional merits, Professor Font
progressed steadily towards her professorshipat the Central University of Venezuela without
facing any particular obstacles as a woman.
However, she believes the glass ceiling exists due
to a “mixture of prejudices and injustices,” withconscious and unconscious biases, discriminatory
practices and a lack of support for women thatstill hinders their fair representation in science.
Stronger policies are needed to promote genderequality, together with encouragement andaccess to high quality education for girls, andgreater visibility and recognition for the scientificcontributions made by women.

Rising above challenging circumstances
Life as a scientist in Venezuela is not easy. When
Professor Font began her career, the country was ina strong position scientifically. However, economic
uncertainties have since created daunting
challenges. In particular, state universities facefunding shortages and deficient infrastructure,including poor computing and communications
facilities. Scientists often struggle to conduct
experimental or theoretical work, while earning
low salaries and coping with soaring inflation.
Yet, despite the difficulties and opportunities fora position abroad, Professor Font has remainedcommitted to doing research in her country oforigin. “I kept applying for funds to acquire, renew
or repair equipment but had to make do with few
resources, which required more time and energy,”
she says. “Luckily, I also had ingenious colleagues
who were always ready to help.”

Diversity will be central to achieving thecomplementary visions, approaches and insights
required to advance the innovative science weneed to address the great challenges facing
humanity.
“The greatest accomplishment in this regard will
hopefully be made by a young girl, somewhere
out there, who is now getting ready to become abrilliant scientist despite the hardships inherent
in her journey,” she concludes.

International collaborations have been vital in
supporting Professor Font’s career, enabling her
to remain at the forefront of her evolving fieldand champion the cause of science in Venezuela
and beyond.

- 32 -

Science andeducation are
the basic pillarsof sustainable
development.

- 33 -

L A U R E AT E F O R N O R T H A M E R I C AProfessor
Aviv Regev
B I O I N F O R M AT I C S

Leveraging mathematics and computation to
revolutionize understanding of human cells

Executive Vice President and Global Head of Genentech
Research and Early Development, Genentech/Roche,
San Francisco, United States of America- 34 -

Professor Aviv Regev is rewarded for her pioneering
work in single cell genomics, the study of individual
cells. Her innovative experimental methods
combine mathematics and computer science
to enable scientists to discover and characterize
the trillions of cells within the body. Importantly,
this enhances our ability to decipher and target
the mechanisms that cause disease, whiledeveloping better diagnostics and therapies.
Her own laboratory has discovered previously
unknown cells that play roles in healthy tissue
or diseases including cancer, ulcerative colitis,
Alzheimer’s disease, cystic fibrosis and Covid-19.
In 2016, she co-founded the Human Cell Atlas,a global open initiative. It now counts morethan 2500 member scientists from 86 countries,
and has profiled more than 100 million cells acrossthe body, establishing itself as an importantbiomedical reference tool.
“The basic unit of life is the cell – the challenge
is that we don’t know the full identities andcharacteristics of all the cells that exist, let alone

how they function individually or collectively intissues,” she says. “Leading the Human Cell Atlas
has been an amazing journey - it is very humbling
to be part of the great science and team work ofour research community.”
In 2020, Professor Regev became one of the first
women to lead the research and development
division of a major pharmaceutical company,
Genentech. Prior to joining Genentech, she
served as the founding director of the Klarman
Cell Observatory and was Chair of the Faculty at
the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT) and Harvard University, as wellas Professor of Biology at MIT.
A ground-breaking journey
As a child, she showed a particular interest inmathematics, physics, languages and reading,
supported by her family of science and engineering
enthusiasts. Her first inclination was always
towards mathematics and computer sciences,
but she later became fascinated by genetics
and evolutionary biology, leading to a PhD incomputational biology.

- 35 -

Recognizing the benefits of leveraging
mathematical approaches to a better knowledgeof human cells with an unprecedented level ofprecision and scale, Professor Regev has since
dedicated her laboratory work to innovative
research. She has not been afraid to experiment,
pioneering new and unexpected concepts.
Together with her team, she has invented diverse
methods of measuring the expression profile (or‘calling card’) of each cell individually (i.e. cell
activity and reactions in different situations) – fortens of millions of cells. And to make sense of thissubstantial amount of data, she has developed
computational algorithms, including from machinelearning, to identify patterns and discover different
types of cells and their properties. Her methods
allow scientists to determine where cells residewithin tissues, the molecular circuits controllingthem, and how they maintain our tissues in healthor malfunction in disease. Her methods can also
be used in clinical trials to characterize patients’specimens, for example in response to a drug, or
to engineer cells that can be used as therapies.

The importance of female role models
Professor Regev recognizes that she has been
fortunate in her career, with superb mentors,
talented collaborators and sufficient fundingfor her ideas. However, she also recognizes thehard fight led by her predecessors to pave theway for her own path in science. This includes
scientist Nancy Hopkins, whose report on thestatus of women at MIT in 1999 made waves at
the university and at the national level. Professor
Regev is determined to give back by supporting
future female scientists, including by acting as arole model and mentor.
“I am optimistic [about the glass ceiling] but
also realize that a lot remains to be done andwe cannot take anything for granted, not evenour current gains,” she says, adding that “women
have made some of the greatest discoveries ofthe past century, changing our world, developing
new scientific fields, training new generations ofscientists, leading institutions, curing patients andmuch more”.

Interdisciplinarity in science is the way forward
Professor Regev highlights the need to combine
different scientific disciplines to solve biomedical
questions. “In academia, we can do great
biology, amazing chemistry and ground-breaking
computer science, but we haven’t traditionally
put these things together in a way that delivers
real benefits for patients” she explains, adding:“I want science – biology, chemistry, medicine andcomputer science – to provide clear solutions,making more and better medicines, using thebest quality tools and at a lower cost to society.
And I believe we, as a scientific and medical
community, are closer to realizing this dream than
we’ve ever been before.”

To future generations of women, she says: “It’simportant to feel empowered to do what you thinkis best, even if it seems unorthodox – you can be
your own role model. And don’t feel obliged toconstrain yourself to one discipline – combining
all the areas that inspire you is incredibly fun andrewarding.”

Professor Regev believes that creating greater
diversity in science starts with encouraging girls
to study science at school and continues with
developing effective career paths and tackling
unconscious bias and other prejudices in science,along with providing effective infrastructure
for scientists with children. She also sees a
responsibility for scientists to make science clear,accessible and part of everyday conversations inorder to avoid disinformation.

- 36 -

It’s importantto feelempoweredto what you
think is best,
even if it seems
unorthodox.
- 37 -

P H Y S I C A L S C I E N C E S , M A T H E M A T I C S A N D C O M P U T E R S C I E N C E​

I am honoured to be part of the jury for the2023 edition. Awarding this prize of excellence
to these five brilliant women proves to us,
more than ever, that we need to show to oursociety an inclusive science where the questionof gender equality will no longer arise.

PRESIDENT OF THE JURYProfessor
Artur Àvila​
MATHEMATICS

Professor at the Institute of Mathematics University of
Zurich, Switzerland, Extraordinary Researcher at IMPA(Instituto de Mathematica Pura e Aplicada), Rio deJaneiro, Brazil, 2014 Fields Medal

PROF. ARTUR ÀVILA, PRESIDENT OF THE JURYProfessor
Rajaâ Cherkaoui​​DoctorFrederic Leroy​​

PHYSICS​PHYSICS

Professor of Nuclear Physics at the Faculty of Science,
Mohammed V University, Morocco, L’Oréal-UNESCO
Laureate 2015

Expert in Analytic Physics & Chemistry and former
Director, Strategic Foresight, at L’Oréal Research andInnovation, France

Professor
Ingrid Daubechies​

Professor
Catherine Ngila​

MATHEMATICSCHEMISTRY

Professor of Mathematics and Electrical and Computer
Engineering at Duke University, United States of America,
L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureate 2019

An international, highly respectedscientific jury selected the fivelaureates from more than 350
nominees from 79 countries, inrecognition of their distinguishedachievements on a global scale.

Interim Executive Director of the African Foundation for
Women & Youth in Education, Sciences, Technology andInnovation, Nairobi, Kenya, L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureate
2021

Professor
Gil Kalai​​

Professor
Fernando Quevedo​

COMPUTER SCIENCE​

2023

PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY​

Professor of mathematics at the Einstein Institute ofMathematics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University ofCambridge, Department of Applied Mathematics andTheoretical Physics, United Kingdom

Professor
Maki Kawai

Professor
Alaa SalemCHEMISTRY

EARTH SCIENCES​

President of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences,
Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, Japan,
L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureate 2019

Professor at the Department of Earth Sciences, Facultyof Sciences, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt

Professor
Eugenia Kumacheva​

Professor
SilviaTorres-Peimbert​

CHEMISTRYASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE

Professor of chemistry and Canada Research Chairin Advances Functional Material at the University ofToronto, Canada, L’Oréal-UNESCO Laureate 2008

- 38 -

Professor at the Institute of Astronomy, National
Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, L’OréalUNESCO Laureate 2011

- 39 -

Special Tribute
For the 2023 edition of the L’OréalUNESCO For Women in Science
International Awards, to mark the 25th
anniversary, the Fondation L’Oréal
and UNESCO will, in addition to thefive laureates, honour three female
scientists with a special tribute.

There is a growing number of female researchers who
are obliged to leave their home countries to continue
their scientific careers due to threats to their lives andcareers, such as war, conflict or verbal and physicalthreats. In recognition of their courage, resilience anddetermination to overcome the challenges they had toface in pursuing their scientific careers, the Fondation
L’Oréal and UNESCO have chosen to honour three
women scientists, by paying them a Special Tribute on
the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the For Womenin Science program.

25th

SPECIAL TRIBUTE- 40 -- 41 -

ABOUT THE

ABOUT

Fondation L’Oréal

UNESCOThe Fondation L’Oréal supports and empowers women
to shape their future and make a difference in society,focusing on three major areas: scientific research andinclusive beauty and climate action.

Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) has worked to create the conditions for
dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples,
based on respect for common values. UNESCO’s
mission is to contribute to the building of peace, theeradication of poverty, to sustainable development
and intercultural dialogue through its unique expertisein education, science, culture, communication andinformation. The Organization has two global priorities:
Africa and gender equality.

Since 1998, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science
program has worked to empower more female
scientists to overcome barriers to progression andparticipate in solving the great challenges of our time,
for the benefit of all. For 25 years, it has supported
more than 4100 women researchers from over 110
countries, rewarding scientific excellence and inspiring
younger generations of women to pursue science asa career.
Convinced that beauty contributes to the process of
rebuilding lives, the Fondation L’Oréal 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 16,000 people have access to these freetreatments every year and more than 35,000 people
have taken part in professional beauty training, since
the beginning of the program.
Finally, women are affected by persistent genderbased discrimination and inequalities, exacerbatedby 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’Oréal supports, in particular, women
who are developing climate action projects addressing
the urgent climate crisis and raises awareness of theimportance of gender-sensitive climate solutions.

- 42 -UNESCO is the only United Nations specialized
agency with a specific mandate in the sciences,
symbolized by the «S» in its acronym. Through its
science-related programs, UNESCO contributes
to the implementation of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals, helps developing
countries build their scientific and technical capacities
and supports Member States in their efforts todevelop science policies and scientific programs, aswell as effective public policies that integrate local andindigenous knowledge systems.
UNESCO promotes scientific research and expertise indeveloping countries. The Organization leads several
intergovernmental programs on the sustainable
management of freshwater, ocean and terrestrial
resources, biodiversity conservation and the useof science to address climate change and reduce
disaster risk.

- 43 -

The Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO would like to express
their gratitude to their partners JCDecaux and Paris Aéroport
for the support to the For Women In Science program.
A powerful promotional display campaign raising awareness on the importanceof women in science is running throughout June around the streets of Paris,
as well as in ten major airports around the world (Boston, Dubaï, Frankfurt, London,
Los Angeles, Paris, Riyadh, São Paulo, Shanghai and Sydney).

All media resources for the
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program are available on
WWW.FONDATIONLOREAL.COM
Follow the program L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science on@4WOMENINSCIENCE@FONDATIONLOREAL#FWIS#FORWOMENINSCIENCE#FONDATIONLOREAL#UNESCO

Linkedin: Fondation L’Oréal
Linkedin: UNESCO- 44 -