17th edition of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards
AN EVENING TO CELEBRATE WOMEN AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF SCIENCEPARIS, MARCH 18th 2015. Five leading women scientists and 15 promising young researchers
were honored tonight by the 17th L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Ceremony in thehistoric Grand Amphitheatre of the Sorbonne University in Paris, before an audience of 700
experts and opinion leaders (scientists, institutional representatives, media…). The event wasopened by Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO and Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman andCEO of L’Oréal and Chairman of the L’Oréal Foundation.
Irina Bokova quickly set the tone of event: « We don’t celebrate « women scientists », wecelebrate exceptional scientists who happen to be women. »A long-term commitment to empower women in science
In 1998, the L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO joined forces to fight for a better representationof women in science, a field still largely dominated by men. “Today still, only 30% of theworld’s researchers are women. Prejudice and misconceptions still exist and overshadow
women in science” explained Jean-Paul Agon in his opening speech.
For 17 years, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program has encouraged,promoted and honored women scientists all over the world. Each year, the program
recognizes 5 leading women scientists, from each world region, who have madeextraordinary discoveries in their fields, and grants fellowships to 236 researchers. Since thecreation of the program, over 2,250 greatly talented women have been distinguished in over
110 countries.
“With our L’Oréal-UNESCO partnership we constantly pursue the same dream: freeing thecreative force of half of humanity,” said Jean-Paul Agon.

Five laureates awarded for their ground-breaking discoveries in the physicalsciences“This evening, we celebrate five exceptional scientists, who are rewriting the story of science,
who are inspiring other women to follow their path, to shape how history is made,” said Irina
Bokova.
True role models for the next generations of scientists, the Laureates of the 2015 For Women inScience Awards impressed the jury and the public by their passion, determination andcreativity. Their work has not only broken new ground in the physical sciences, it could also
have great impact on our lives.

-Laureate for Africa and the Arab States, Prof. Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli. High Energy
Physics and Nuclear Physics. Professor, Mohammed V- Agdal University, Rabat,MOROCCO.
She is honored for her key contribution to the international effort that led to thedetection of the Higgs Boson, the particle responsible for the creation of mass in theuniverse.

-Laureate for Asia-Pacific, Prof. Yi Xie. Inorganic Chemistry. Professor, University ofScience & Technology of China, Hefei, CHINA
She is honored for her significant contributions to creating new materials a few atoms
thick with promising applications in conversion of heat or sunlight into electricity.

-Laureate for Europe, Prof. Dame Carol Robinson. Physical Chemistry, Mass
Spectrometry. Professor, University of Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
She is honored for creating a revolutionary method for studying how proteins function,
particularly membrane proteins, which play a vital role in many life processes.

-Laureate for Latin America, Prof. Thaisa Storchi Bergmann. Physics and Astronomy.
Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, BRAZIL
She is honored for her outstanding work leading to the understanding of how massive
black holes form in the centers of galaxies, evolve and shape them.

-Laureate for North America, Prof. Molly S. Shoichet. Polymer Chemistry. Professor ofChemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomaterials &Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, CANADA
She is honored for her pioneering approach to biomaterial development toregenerate damaged nerve tissue and for her development of a new method todeliver drugs to the spinal cord and brain.

Prof. Dame Carol Robinson / Prof. Thaisa Storchi Bergmann / Irina Bokova / Jean-Paul Agon /Prof. Molly Shoichet / Prof. Cherkoui El Moursli / Prof. Yi Xie(copyright Stéphane Cardinal)15 promising young scientists whose work could change the world are encouraged
in their researchStarting this year, the L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO take their commitment one stepfurther, by also rewarding 15 “International Rising Talents” chosen from among the 236 fellows
recognized by the program in 2014.
During the ceremony, Sara Ravella, CEO of the L’Oréal Foundation and Flavia Schlegel,Assistant Director-General for the Natural Sciences, personally awarded the Fellows theirInternational Rising Talent Grants that will help them advance their careers and offer theminternational visibility. These 15 high-potential scientists represent the most talented young
women researchers in the world.
Africa and the Arab States:- Dr. Nourtan Abdeltawab, EGYPT. She is being honored for her studies on the effects ofhost genetics on the outcomes of a new triple therapy for Hepatitis C in the Egyptianpopulation.
- Dr. Sanaa Sharafeddine, LEBANON. She is being honored for her project towards
optimizing smart grid network design and operation in developing countries.
- Adriana Marais, SOUTH AFRICA. She is being honored for her project on the quantumorigins of life: a description of the emergence of life from inanimate matter.
Asia-Pacific:- Dr. Kathryn Holt, AUSTRALIA. She is being honored for her project on tackling anemerging drug-resistant superbug.
- Dr. Chan Yoke-Fun, MALAYSIA. She is being honored for her project on thedevelopment of novel therapeutic peptides targeting host autophagy machinery
against enterovirus A71 infection.
- Dr. Phuong Ha-Lien Tran, VIETNAM. She is being honored for her project on thedevelopment of fucoidan-based polymeric micelles for cancer treatment anddiagnostic.
Europe:- Dr. Signe Normand, DENMARK. She is being honored for her project on tundra change
at the dawn of drone ecology.
- Dr. Aurore Avarguès Weber, FRANCE. She is being honored for her project on cracking
the neurobiological mechanisms of visual cognition in a miniature brain.
- Dr. Eva Pellicer, SPAIN. She is being honored for her project on advanced nanoporous
materials for highly efficient hydrogen production.
Latin America- Dr. Ariela Vergara, CHILE. She is being honored for her project on the exploration ofthe structural basis of membrane transporter mechanisms through computational
methods: one step closer to understanding neuropathological conditions.
- Dr. Matilde Jimenez Coello, MEXICO. She is being honored for her project on theexpression and validation of potential cardiac biomarkers in an animal model
infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (DTU I and VI) during acute and chronic phases ofChagas disease.
- Dr. Carolina Horta Andrade, BRAZIL. She is being honored for her project on multitarget drug discovery for leishmaniasis using integrated strategies in medicinal
chemistry.

North America- Dr. Mary Caswell Stoddard, USA. She is being honored for her project on avian
eggshell engineering: evolutionary innovations in color and structure.
- Dr. Vanessa D’Costa, CANADA. She is being honored for her project on themechanisms that allow Salmonella to escape the immune system.
- Dr. Bhama Ramkhelawon, USA. She is being honored for her project on how Hypoxia
sustains low-grade inflammation by inducing Netrin-1 expression in adipose tissue
resident macrophages in obesity.

International Rising Talents (from left to right) :Dr Bhama Ramkhelawon / Dr Nourtan Abdeltawab / Dr Carolina Horta Andrade /Dr Vanessa D’Costa / Dr Ariela Vergara-Jaque / Dr Aurore Averguès-Weber /Dr Phuong Ha-Lien Tran / Dr Kathryn Holt / Dr Matilde Jimenez Coello /Dr Mary Caswell Stoddard / Dr Adriana Marais / Dr Saana Sharafeddine / Dr Eva Pellicer /Dr Signe Normand / Dr Yoke-Fun Chan
(copyright Stéphane Cardinal)Additional information and visuals are available on:-www.loreal.com/medias/press-releases.aspx - www.discov-her.com/mediacenter

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PRESS CONTACTS
Agence MATRIOCHKA for the L’Oréal Foundation
Caroline Grangié / +33 (0)6 24 49 28 14 / caroline@mtrchk.com
For the L’Oréal Foundation
Catalina Gonzales Decker/+33 (0)6 13 03 11 65 / Catalina.GONZALESDECKER@loreal.com
For UNESCO
Sue Williams / +33 (0)1 45 68 17 06 / s.williams@unesco.org
Agnès Bardon /+33 (0)1 45 68 17 67 / a.bardon@unesco.org

ABOUT THE L’ORÉAL FOUNDATIONThe L’Oréal Foundation is committed to two main causes, that of Women in Science and Beauty for a Better Life.
Based on values of excellence, generosity and creativity, science is at the core of the Foundation’s commitments,
most particularly its commitment to supporting women researchers through its For Women in Science program, aworldwide initiative in partnership with UNESCO. As well, rooted in the belief that beauty care is an essential needmet by passionate professionals skilled in creating human relationships, the Foundation has launched several
programs anchored by a vision of beauty as a path toward a fairer and more generous society. The Foundation iscommitted to assisting the economically disadvantaged and those suffering from physical and mental ailments inregaining their sense of self-esteem through beauty care and training in beauty care professions.
www.fondationloreal.com
ABOUT UNESCO
Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO has pursued its mission of promoting science at the service of sustainable
development and peace. It stresses policies and the reinforcement of capacities in science, technology andinnovation, science education, sustainable management of freshwater, ocean and terrestrial resources, theprotection of biodiversity and addressing the issue of climate change. The Organization also has an overarching
objective to eliminate all forms of discrimination and promote equality between men and women, especially inscientific research.