L’Oréal Brazil announces the seven winners of the 11th edition of its “For Women in Science Awards”, a Brazilian programme aimed at female scientists, carried out in partnership with UNESCO in Brazil and with the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC). 

The young winners come from various parts of Brazil. The research they conducted offers new solutions for many vital issues of humanity and focuses on areas such as health sciences, chemistry, physics and mathematics. The research themes vary from how climate change influences the risks of extinction to developing analgesics that combat headaches and pain in the extremities.

Three of the winners are from the South region of Brazil: Physicist Ana Chies Santos, mathematician Adriana Neumann de Oliveira, both from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and Gabriela Trevisan, from the Federal University of Santa Maria. Researchers Claudia Kimie Suemoto and Denise Morais da Fonseca, both from the University of São Paulo, represent the Southeast region. The North is represented by biologist Fernanda de Pinho Werneck of the National Institute of Amazonian Research, and the Northeast is represented by chemist Elisama Vieira Santos, from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. 

 ‘The award has a great social relevance since it shows how we women also contribute to advancing knowledge and, therefore, more women might feel encouraged to work in the field of science,’ affirms one of the winners, mathematician Adriana Neumann de Oliveira.

Each of the seven scientists will receive a fellowship of R$ 50 reais to help further their research. The awards ceremony will take place on 20/10/2016, at the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow), in Rio de Janeiro.

Meet the seven winning researchers:

PHYSICIST: Researcher Ana Leonor Chies Santos (UFRGS) studies old star groups – globular clusters – using data provided by large telescopes, aiming to bring clarity to great questions regarding star formation and the accumulation of matter in galaxies, from the Milky Way to the distant Universe. ‘Winning this award motivates me to keep moving forward, it makes me see that this beautiful profession I chose, albeit sometimes circuitous and uncertain, is taking me in the right direction,’ affirms this winner from the South.

MATHEMATICIAN: The study conducted by Adriana Neumann de Oliveira (UFRGS), also from the South region of Brazil, deals with the collective behaviour of particles in a physical system, in which particles move around, according to a probabilistic rule, from one vessel to another. ‘This achievement is a joyous one not only because my work has been acknowledged, but also because of the chance I get to expand my research,’ declares Adriana.

HEALTH SCIENCES: The study done by Gabriela Trevisan (UNESC and UFSM) investigates whether or not a protein found in the central nervous system could be provoking headaches and pain in the extremities, which are the most common painful symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. The goal is to develop analgesics to relieve such pain, providing a better quality of life to patients. ‘This award serves to propel me towards new forms of researching pain treatment.’

HEALTH SCIENCES: Denise Morais da Fonseca (USP) carries out research in the attempt to understand how a solitary episode of an acute infection might cause specific alterations to the intestine’s immunological system, creating a type of ‘scar’ and predisposing the individual to developing other diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

LIFE SCIENCES: With a degree in biological sciences this researcher from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), Fernanda de Pinho Werneck directs a study on the influence of climatic changes on the risks of extinction and on the adaptive capacity of species in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. The objective is to increase knowledge on the biological diversity of risk areas in order to provide results that are relevant for conservation. 

HEALTH SCIENCES: A scientist at USP, Claudia Kimie Suemoto was awarded for leading a study that attempts to better understand the risk factors associated with dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.  One of the reasons for the study is that various forms of dementia are among the main causes of mortality and morbidity in the world, even though its cure is yet unknown. 

CHEMIST: Professor Elisama Vieira Santos, from the UFRN, works on a project, in partnership with the University of Castilla La Mancha (Spain), whose initial objective was to treat soils that were contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals by employing electrochemical technology. ‘This award contributes towards the insertion of women into research development within diverse areas of operation, providing motivation to continue working in the scientific arena,’ states the researcher. 

PRESS CONTACTS FOR PHOTOS OR MORE INFORMATION:

Approach Integrated Communication – L´Oréal Brazil Press Agent

• Camila Alvarenga–camila.alvarenga@approach.com.br , (21) 3461-4616 r. 169

L’Oréal Brazil

• Camila Lopes – CSLOPES@br.loreal.com , (21) 2131-6236 
• Danielle Nunes – dnunes2@br.loreal.com, (21) 2131-6262 

UNESCO in Brazil

• Ana Lúcia Guimarães – a.guimaraes@unesco.org, (61) 2106-3536
• Fabiana Pullen - f.sousa@unesco.org, (61)2106-3596