Q&A: Break vicious cycle that deters girls in science
Channel: Science & Development Network
Date: 2022-04-08

Internationally acclaimed African scientist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim served as the first female president of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018.
Before venturing into politics, she enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education, including as pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Mauritius from 2004 to 2010.  
She has won several awards such as the 2007 L’Oréal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science, the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science in 2009, and six honorary doctorates.
Gurib-Fakim talks to SciDev.Net about her life as a scientist, and what influenced her academic and political careers. 
As a young girl, did you envisage becoming a scientist, let alone president of your country?

I had motivated teachers who demystified science and I did well in science because of that demystification. 
When it came to the final decision to further studies, I met the career guidance officer. He saw in me a little girl walking through the door. When I told him that I wanted to study science, he asked why I wanted to do science because that is for boys. 
He told me that there would be no jobs in the sciences as this remains a male domain. I went home and told my father what the career officer had said. I said to my father that I would be following my heart. I went ahead and studied chemistry.