Five remarkable women scientists to receive 2009 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Award

Paris, 2 March

• © Micheline Pelletier/Abacapress
• Eugenia Kumacheva (top left), Tabello Nyokong (top right), Beatriz Barbuy (bottom left), Akiko Kobayashi (center) and Athene M. Donald (bottom right)

Fifteen women post-doctoral researchers will be presented with the two-year UNESCO-L’ORÉAL International Fellowships for Women in Science in a ceremony on 4 March at UNESCO Headquarters. On the following day, 5 March, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura and L’ORÉAL Chairman Lindsay Owen-Jones will present the 2009 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science to five outstanding women researchers from five continents in recognition of their work in physical sciences (Room I, 7 p.m.).

The UNESCO-L’ORÉAL International Fellowships for Women in Science supports 15 young women post-doctoral students helping them pursue research outside their country of origin with two-year fellowships worth up to US$40,000 each.

The L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science - US$100,000 each - recognize five laureates annually, one each from five parts of the world. They alternate yearly between life sciences and physical sciences, recognizing work that addresses major challenges in modern science.

The 2009 Laureates are:

Professor Akiko KOBAYASHI (Japan), Laureate for Asia-Pacific;
Professor Eugenia KUMACHEVA (Canada), Laureate for North America;
Professor Athene M. DONALD (Great Britain), Laureate for Europe;
Professor Beatriz BARBUY (Brazil), Laureate for Latin America;
Professor Tebello NYOKONG (South Africa), Laureate for Africa and the Arab States

Laureates were nominated by a network of nearly 1,000 members of the international scientific community. Diverse in origin, determined in nature, and extraordinary in intellect, the 2009 Laureates reflect the programme's mission: change the face of science and support the advancement of women in the scientific field.

They were selected by an International Jury of 17 leading scientists, presided this year by Ahmed Zewail, laureate of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

More than 500 women researchers worldwide have benefited from the L’ORÉAL-UNESCO “For Women in Science” programme, since it was launched in 1998. One hundred and thirty-five International Fellowships and more than 500 National Fellowships have been awarded to female doctoral and postdoctoral students. A total of 57 women scientists will have received L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards to date.

Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO has been dedicated to promoting development through building and sharing knowledge. It has an overarching objective of eliminating all forms of discrimination and promoting equality between men and women. As well as developing educational programs in science particularly designed for girls, UNESCO has established a series of academic chairs creating networks of women in science around the world.

• Author(s):Media Advisory N°2009-10
• Source:UNESCOPRESS
• 02-03-2009