PR ABLA MEHIO SIBAI

MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Professor of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Population ageing is transforming the face of the 21st century society. People are now living 30 years longer than their ancestors just 100 years ago, and for the first time in human history, older adults over 65 have outnumbered children under 5, worldwide. This demographic phenomenon brings with it profound health, social, political and economic challenges, including a growing burden of chronic diseases and limited family resources available for elderly care. In a region where population ageing coincides with chronic political instabilities and economic turmoil, prospects for older Arab men and women to remain active and preserve quality of life as long as possible, is even more challenging. Professor Abla Mehio Sibai is addressing these questions through interdisciplinary, collaborative research that aims to advance our understanding of the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among older adults in underprivileged and post-war communities. She also seeks to influence a shift in the way we view elderly people’s right to enjoy a meaningful, fulfilling life. Through her globally recognized work,

she has built an international reputation in the field of gerontology and the epidemiology of NCDs, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and wellbeing across the life course. “As a researcher and public health activist, my work aims at understanding the context and factors that delay the decline as we age and promoting initiatives that tap into the benefits we bring with longer life,” explains Prof. Mehio Sibai.

“I hope to inspire a paradigm shift in the way we relate and act towards age and ageing.” Referring to her L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, she says: “This award is for all public health scholars working to make the world a better place for older people, especially those who are too often marginalised and ‘left behind’, whether they are women caregivers in India, smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa or older refugees in the Arab region.”

As a child, Prof. Mehio Sibai was inspired by mathematics.

“I enjoyed playing with numbers and riddles that required equations,” she recalls. However, she initially studied pharmacy, and her ultimate research interests were shaped by witnessing the impact of the Lebanese civil war from 1975 to 1990 on relatives and friends, and above all on the vulnerable older population. “My father was one of those severely affected when he lost a vibrant business and was forced into early retirement,” she explains. “I learnt from his resilience and ability to turn calamities into opportunities, but moreover, it was these experiences that instilled in me the passion for research on ageing and the importance of a human-centred approach to science.” The violence in Lebanon had also brought an abrupt end to her nascent pharmacy career and saw her become a full-time housewife and mother for the next ten years. However, she knew in her heart that only scientific research would enable her to achieve fulfilment and contribute fully to society.

Prof. Mehio Sibai returned to her studies, leveraging her lifelong love of mathematics and commitment to social justice to pursue PhD studies in epidemiology. Her early research focused on documenting the major demographic and epidemiologic transitions in Lebanon and was directed towards developing a better understanding of their respective implications on health and quality of life among older adults. It focused in particular on cardiovascular disease among the country’s ageing post-war populations. She co-led the country’s first ‘Global Burden of Disease’ project in 2001, and its first nation-wide World Health Organization ‘Non-Communicable Disease and Risk Factors Survey’, informing public health policy in Lebanon and globally. In a region that hosts one of the highest refugee populations in the world, she has also addressed challenges surrounding end of life care and clinical management of NCDs in primary care settings within refugee settlements. Prof. Mehio Sibai’s exploration of existing NCD research in Arab countries, where NCDs represent nearly 60% of the disease burden, highlighted the disconnect between research and policy, and the pressing need to optimize research in resource-scarce countries. This included examining and critiquing routine sources of data such as death certification processes and the overuse of cardiac catheterisation in her country. She also spearheaded the three mapping reviews of policies and programmes on ‘Ageing in the Arab region’ (2007, 2012, 2017), and is proud to be leading the development of the ‘National Strategy for Older Persons’ in Lebanon, for the country’s Ministry of Social Affairs. Beyond the comfort zone of her university setting, Prof Mehio Sibai is the director of Lebanon’s ‘Center for Studies on Aging’, which she co-founded in 2008. The centre leverages scientific research in Lebanon and the Middle East and acts as a catalyst for policy, advocacy and positive change. In 2010, she co-founded the ground-breaking ‘University for Seniors’ (UfS) lifelong learning programme at the American University of Beirut, providing older adults with “opportunities to remain intellectually energised, physically active and socially connected,” through education. UfS is run by seniors as lecturers and committee members on a volontary basis, and now offers more than 100 lectures, courses and workshops to more than 550 members annually. It has achieved international recognition as “an innovative and empowering initiative” and is even ‘prescribed’ by health professionals for its contribution to delaying cognitive decline. Prof. Mehio Sibai sees the socio-cultural barriers that prevent women from breaking the glass ceiling in research as very similar to those that combine to perpetuate ageism. “It is first and foremost a question of justice,” she says, asserting that

“we must speak up, advocate and act to challenge longstanding practices and stereotypes”.“And then it is a question of excellence,” she continues. “Science must harness the untapped energy of women, the other 50% of the population”.

While women are gradually claiming their space in academic spheres and asserting their voices in public life, there is still much to do. She concludes: “Every young female student has the right to pursue her passions and make the most of her talents.

More funding and improved policies that promote a greater work-life balance are vital to keeping the talent of women scientists alight across the world.”

DR FIRDAUSI QADRI

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Senior Scientist, Head Mucosal Immunology and Vaccinology Unit,

Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Globally, over 800,000 children die of diarrhoea each year, and 56% of children in low-income countries do not receive the recommended treatment.1 In Bangladesh, cholera and typhoid are both major causes of enteric diseases, yet many people lack the knowledge or means to prevent these debilitating, even life-threatening, conditions. Expanding access to vaccination and promoting early diagnosis are fundamental to decreasing the country’s disease burden and helping to ensure that more children and adults lead longer, healthier lives. Dr Firdausi Qadri is leading pioneering work to understand the microbiological and immunological basis of bacterial diseases and treat infectious enteric (gastro-intestinal) and diarrheagenic diseases affecting children in Bangladesh and beyond, optimizing vaccines for young children suffering from malnutrition. Her scientific excellence and passion to help others have led to major studies of an oral cholera vaccine among nearly a million people at risk in vulnerable Bangladeshi communities – with a vaccine due to be launched imminently. To promote the rapid diagnosis of cholera and typhoid, she has also developed innovative diagnostic tools and successfully overseen their journey from the laboratory to a practical, commercially viable reality.“The suffering of thousands of diarrhoea patients is due to poor living conditions and highly contagious, contaminated food and water,” she says.

“Staying close to my roots [in Bangladesh] has enabled me to better understand people’s needs and find life-changing solutions.”

As a scientist at the unique International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dr Qadri has used biochemical, immunological and molecular approaches to research the bacteria behind cholera (Vibrio cholerae) and typhoid (Salmonella typhi), as well as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). She explores the capacity of mucous membranes to protect themselves against these pathogens and investigates the respective bacteria at a genetic level to better understand their infectious characteristics. This builds on her longstanding interest in understanding Vibrio cholera as well as ETEC and their potential to cause cholera epidemics in Bangladesh. “I knew I wanted to find a diagnostic method and work towards a prevention mechanism,” she recalls. Dr Qadri’s ground-breaking work on cholera vaccinations has had a positive ripple effect, advancing progress on vaccines against diseases including cholera, typhoid and ETEC diarrhoea. In particular, she is working on a typhoid vaccine in the urban slums of Dhaka, and both this and her cholera vaccine studies are being replicated in Asia, Africa and Haiti. “I would like to see our work scaled up to treat many more people globally, as they struggle with the risk of disease linked to humanitarian crisis and climate change,” she says. In 2014, Dr Qadri founded the Institute for developing Science and Health initiatives (ideSHi) to help develop novel approaches to diagnosing genetic disorders and train biomedical scientists and clinicians in immunology and molecular biology-based research.

Under her leadership, ideSHi also conducts humanitarian and research programmes to identify pragmatic solutions to public health challenges in Bangladesh, and participates in health discussions at a global level. Dr Qadri is active in fostering a supportive national culture for biotechnological innovations, and acts as an expert adviser nationally and internationally, working with the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, for example. Her interest in life sciences began at an early age. “I felt that knowing the biochemical and immunological mechanisms of the living being was extremely important,” she recalls. “I’ve been amazed by the way microorganisms grow and help humans to live on this planet.

But I’m also alarmed by their capacity to endanger peoples’ lives.”

Dr Qadri’s family was a real source of inspiration and support for the early stages of her scientific journey, encouraging her to reach ever higher in her ambitions. Yet life as a scientist in Bangladesh has not always been easy. To overcome the lack of funding, resources and researchers and fight entrenched cultural expectations and gender prejudice, she has leveraged courage and determination, and achieved excellence through rigorous multi-tasking and a superb team of scientists. “I dream that in countries like ours, we will develop state-of-the-art, self-sustaining facilities to support the mentoring and capacity building of young people, especially women, in scientific research.” Importantly, she sees international collaborations as “the building blocks of my achievements.” These have included partnerships with leading researchers in the US, Sweden, France, the UK, Republic of Korea and India. Balancing the demands of scientific research with family life remains the greatest challenge Dr Qadri perceives for women in science today. Ultimately, she believes that women scientists must play a dual role in the quest to further the cause of science –both succeeding in their field and serving as role model for future generations. Beyond this, achieving gender balance in science means instilling the wonder of science in girls and boys, and encouraging them to embrace its potential to change the world.

1 - World Health Organization

https://www.who.int/maternal_child_

adolescent/documents/9789241598415/en

PR EDITH HEARD

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, Chair of Epigenetics and Cellular Memory at the Collège de France, Paris, France, and former Director of the Genetics and Developmental Biology Unit at the Institut Curie

“Curiosity in research is fundamental to advancing life and science, and solving some of the great challenges we face as a society,” says Professor Edith Heard. This biologist has made fundamental discoveries surrounding the epigenetic mechanisms governing X-chromosome inactivation (whereby one of the two X chromosomes in females is silenced), a vital process for proper gene expression. In particular, her research could have relevance to diseases such as cancer, where epigenetic processes are disturbed, as well as autoimmune syndromes that are more prevalent among women. She is also profoundly influencing epigenetics as a whole and forging connections throughout the scientific world to uncover new, interrelated areas of research. “Epigenetics seeks to explore how the blueprint of life, the genome, can be used in multiple ways during development, and how this leads to stable, memorable changes in gene expression,” Prof. Heard explains. “I hope that our research on epigenetic regulation of X-chromosomal genes will enable further advances in health, including improved medical treatment for women in the future.” Prof. Heard attributes her most meaningful explorations into the genetic and epigenetic changes that occur in cancer to her 20 years at the Institut Curie in Paris, France, where she nurtured her research in a clinical setting. In particular, she explored the extent to which epigenetic changes – which are present in all cancerous cells – are influential in the development of the disease or can deactivate genes capable of suppressing tumours.

As Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, she continues her own research, while working to ensure EMBL utilises its global reach to promote the precious nature of fundamental research and harness technologies to answer major questions, “addressing biology on all scales, from atoms to ecosystems”. This could include exploring how the microbiome reacts to drugs, how an embryo develops from a fertilised egg, or how a viral protein can be targeted by vaccines. And importantly, her ambitions for the EMBL extend beyond humans to planetary health. “In order to protect life, we must first understand it,” she says. “The molecular basis of life on earth is still a great mystery. It’s our duty as scientists to push the frontiers of research to support life in all its forms and help address pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, catalysing a new era of research.”

Indeed, Prof. Heard is passionate about European research remaining a beacon of scientific excellence and upholding the vital cross-border collaboration that enables major breakthroughs and attracts talented scientists. Researchers should also continue to play an increasingly important role in “bridging the gap between science and society”. She has been heartened by the support from across Europe for her goal to bring scientists across different disciplines together to tackle some of the world’s most important problems. Already an avid scientist as a school pupil, Prof. Heard never imagined any barriers for women, only professional success. Encouraged to pursue her interest in science by both her women teachers and her family, she studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, where she experienced the first of many ‘Eureka’ moments, when she realised that biology was her true calling. “It was the power of genetics, the elegance of development, the beauty of evolution that inspired me,” she recalls. Her quest to answer longstanding questions on X inactivation builds on the pioneering discoveries of the British geneticist Mary Lyon in 1961, and has contributed significantly to illuminating this important topic. For example, she and her team combined imaging techniques such as fluorescence in-situ hybridisation with molecular genetics techniques to follow the expression of the chromosome in individual cells through development. “We went on to uncover the way the X chromosome is folded in 3D space and therefore how structure can influence the way it is expressed,” she explains. She was also the first to show that X inactivation is a highly dynamic process during embryogenesis (the process through which the embryo forms and develops), and involves multiple chromatin changes. Chromatin is a mass of genetic material composed of DNA and proteins within the nucleus of a cell. When cells divide, chromatin condenses to form chromosomes. In 2012, Prof. Heard led the discovery of a new level of chromosome organisation, known as Topologically Associating Domains, which tidy the DNA like woollen threads into many balls of wool, each of which plays a role in the regulation of gene expression and the X inactivation phenomenon. Although Prof. Heard has not personally experienced gender prejudice, she says: “I didn’t realise there was a glass ceiling until I’d slipped through it and noticed I was a rare specimen. I quickly realised that many women do have to try harder, speak louder, stay calmer and identify male allies”. However, she remains confident in the power of novel results and scientific discovery to override gender, and feels humble following in the footsteps of iconic women scientists such as French-Polish physicist and chemist, Marie Curie, and Mary Lyon, whose power of conviction and intel l igence enabled them to succeed against all the odds. “Women and men should be equally represented at every level,” she says. “Once we achieve a critical mass, it will be easier to attract more women and this will create a butterfly effect. Mentorship, support and identifying pathways to create a more balanced work-family life will be critical. More than anything, women should follow their heart and nurture their passion for science.” “I dream of the day when people won’t even notice how many women or men there are in a laboratory or in an institute,” she concludes. “Science will be for any gender, nationality or culture.”

PR ESPERANZA MARTINEZ-ROMERO

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Professor of Environmental Science at the Genomic Science Center,

National University of Mexico, Mexico

Empowering smallholder farmers to raise productivity by adopting sustainable practices sits at the heart of feeding the world’s rapidly growing population. Professor Esperanza Martínez-Romero is addressing this challenge by harnessing the power of beneficial bacteria to promote plant health.

Her significant discoveries in understanding the role of local nitrogen- fixing bacteria in increasing crop yields, particularly in cereal and legume crops, stand to support global food security and improve smallholders’ livelihoods. They could even lead to a reduction in the use of synthetic fertilisers, helping to protect the environment and safeguard biodiversity. “We all live in symbiosis with microbes, but they have typically been neglected in all ecosystems,” explains Prof. Martínez-Romero. “It’s only recently that the impact of microbiome research has changed.”

Nitrogen is essential for healthy plant growth and abundant in the atmosphere, however, in order for plants to ‘digest’ it efficiently, this life-giving element needs to be transformed by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The resulting partnership, or symbiosis, between plants and bacteria enables the plant to maximise the benefits of the nitrogen. With its wealth of plant diversity,

Prof. Martínez-Romero’s home country of Mexico has provided ample material for her studies. She has focused in particular on two of the country’s most important crops: beans and maize, exploring the interaction between plants and bacteria at a molecular level.

For example, she has shone a light on the symbiotic relationship between the bacteria Rhizobia and host legume plants, such as beans, whereby bacteria gain nourishment from the plants’ roots, while delivering nitrogen via the root nodules.

Prof. Martínez-Romero is intrigued by understanding the bacteria’s genome expression, in order to gain a complete view of their genome.

She also researches the evolutionary implications of the process of ‘lateral transfer’, whereby bacteria exchange genes. In 1991, she discovered that the strain Rizobium tropici could deliver high levels of nitrogen to legumes, the most widely consumed plants globally, even under stress due to soil acidity, metal content, or high temperatures. Thanks to her research, Rizobium tropici has become the inoculant of choice among farmers in many countries. Indeed, during her distinguished career, Prof. Martínez-Romero has made significant efforts to help smallholder farmers adopt biofertilisers, including by publishing a practical manual and giving multiple lectures. Prof. Martinez-Romero’s was inspired to become a scientist by her parents. Her mother, a director at an elementary school in Mexico City, propelled her daughter towards her studies, while her father shared his zoology books with her from an early age, instilling in her a love of nature. She determined to dedicate her academic studies to biomedical research and began her current journey at the National University of Mexico’s Nitrogen Fixation Research Institute, becoming fascinated by the beneficial effects of bacteria on plants.

Her ‘Eureka’ moment came when she realised the parallels of human gut microbiota and root microbiota. “I realised that human and plant evolution has been driven by pathogens, that roots are a valuable food source for their associated microbes, and bacterial phenotypes are not good taxonomical markers,” she recalls.

“I was able to look beyond nitrogen fixation as an ecological service and consider how probiotic bacteria could be harnessed to promote plant and insect development.”

Prof. Martínez-Romero describes her scientific dream as “finally obtaining bacteria that are successful in promoting plant growth and controlling insect or fungal pests in agricultural fields”, noting the difficulties in successfully transferring laboratory experiments to the field. She has also extended her research interests to understanding the symbiotic relationships between certain bacteria and native Mexican insects such as the carmine cochineal, whereby the bacteria both fix nitrogen and enable their hosts to produce more vitamins and essential amino acids. Beyond this, “I would love to see animals such as fish, fixing nitrogen,” she says. “This would be a more cost-effective way to produce fish with higher levels of protein, beneficial for human health.” Many collaborations have enriched her work, including her first collaboration with Leuven University in Belgium, which won her substantial funding and sparked a longstanding student exchange programme. She is currently working with researchers at the Universidad Agraria la Molina in Peru to help address rural poverty and raise yields in both countries through a collective journey to advance knowledge on mutually beneficial relationships between bacteria and host plants. While gender prejudice in the workplace has not held Prof. Martínez-Romero back, she recognises the challenge of male-dominated conferences, decision-making groups and awards committees. “Women in science are highly dedicated, intuitive and very bright,” she says. “Whenever I am part of a steering committee for congresses, we always seek to create a gender balance among the speakers.” She is keen to encourage more young women to build a career in science, highlighting that “in the laboratory, there is no difference between women and men scientists whatsoever”. In particular, she coordinated a university’s undergraduate programme in Genomic Sciences for six years, supporting both her female and male students, and is proud of the outstanding successes of her women graduates, both in Mexico and internationally.

“The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards renew my enthusiasm for research and I very much hope it will encourage more girls to enter science,” she concludes. “Gender discrimination should no longer play a part in determining who progresses in scientific research. Science is wonderful and should be open to everyone.”

PR KRISTI ANSETH

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Distinguished Professor, Tisone Professor and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado, Boulder, United States

One of the United States’ most distinguished engineers, Professor Kristi Anseth is leading the way in fusing engineering with biology to develop responsive biomaterials to stimulate tissue regeneration and drug delivery. She and her team are exploring materials and approaches to help regenerate cartilage, encourage bones to heal faster, and deepen understanding of cardiac disease. Beyond the laboratory, Prof. Anseth has also co-founded a business to produce materials that promote wound healing. In the future, she envisions engineering miniature organoids or complex tissues to further illuminate complex diseases and discover new treatment pathways. Her ultimate scientific dream is to alleviate, or even eliminate, the debilitating effects of ageing. «We’re increasingly optimising the design of biomaterials to direct healing, target cells or release drugs on demand,” she explains. “I hope that some of the biomaterials we’re developing will lead to better medical products that not only improve quality of life, but save people’s lives.”

Passionate about leveraging her engineering skills to impact human health, Prof. Anseth has made a profound contribution to advancing biomaterials by operating at the interface of cell biology, chemical engineering and medicine. Her work has reinforced the value of multi-disciplinary research in solving societal challenges, and seen her become one of few engineers to be elected to all three US National Academies of Engineering, Medicine, and Sciences. Through her early research, Prof. Anseth used hydrogels to grow human tissues, cultivating and observing cells in these gels to help engineer biomaterials that can optimise the delivery and efficacy of a medicine within the body. Formed primarily of water, hydrogels are highly compatible with human bodies, non-toxic and offer a similar flexibility to our own natural tissues, enabling the body to better accept medicine ‘hidden’ within the gel. She recalls an early moment of enlightenment when she began using light microscopy to explore cells in 3D biomaterials and track their functions in real time. “I was struck by the unique opportunity to develop chemistries that could be conducted in the presence of living cells,” she says. Today, she and her team harness a wide range of light wavelengths to create and modify their materials in 4D. “It’s amazing and insightful to watch how cells respond to changes in the surrounding biomaterials scaffold [a support made of hydrogel]. This helps us design better biomaterials to interface in the body.” In the context of tissue regeneration, a patient’s cells are fused together with a hydrogel support. As the cells multiply, they can be manipulated to form different types of tissues (from skin to bones to muscle or cartilage), before being placed at a precise point in the body. In 2003, Prof. Anseth and her team were the first to use light-activated chemistry to engineer an injectable, biodegradable material that could regenerate cartilage. Her work in developing photopolymers (hydrogels that are sensitive to light) has been instrumental in creating biomaterials with properties that can be changed on demand (so that they degrade or soften, for example), as tissues begin to regenerate naturally. It is also revealing new ways to help tissues heal more rapidly. Prof. Anseth’s pioneering journey has its roots in the “collaborative spirit” of the western United States, with its rich history of intrepid explorers, prospectors and frontier families in search of a brighter life. Descended from a family of Scandinavian settlers, she learnt the value of “hard work and education” from her grandparents and great grandmother, who homesteaded as a single woman in North Dakota in the early 20th century. It was here that Prof. Anseth witnessed the solar eclipse that first made her wonder at the universe. “I have vivid memories of that moment”, she recalls. “It was amazing to have a front rowseat… I was fascinated by the universe around me.” Inspired by a school chemistry teacher to pursue science, and mentored by a university professor whose faith in her abilities strengthened her resolve to specialise in bioengineering,

Prof. Anseth is convinced of the power of mentorship. She has a deep commitment to supporting the more than 300 students in her laboratory, more than half of whom are women, well above the 20% national average for engineering students. And she sees a key role for scientists in encouraging more girls to study science in the United States, particularly by highlighting its positive impacts in society.

Popular culture, too, should raise awareness of leading women scientists, she believes, celebrating women such as her colleague Frances Arnold, the first US woman to win a Nobel Prize for Chemistry, and Margaret Hutchison Rousseau, the first woman to receive a PhD in chemical engineering. “When asked to name a scientist or engineer, my goal is that any child or adult would first name and visualize a successful young woman,” she says. As a woman in science, Prof. Anseth was initially hesitant to pursue leadership positions, conscious of the perceived need to prove herself, regardless of her many awards and accolades. Despite this, she encountered relatively few obstacles as she rose through the ranks, and felt supported along the way by a “great network of friends and advocates”. With multiple studies confirming that diversity catalyses major discoveries, new ideas and superior solutions, Prof. Anseth is determined that there should be “a concerted effort to recruit, encourage, and assist women and underrepresented individuals to pursue careers in science and engineering.” Importantly, empowering more women scientists to become leaders will help to ensure a more balanced approach to defining the value of research and advancing science that benefits men and women. «Women are talented, brilliant, and exceptional community builders,” she says. “They’re open to creative ideas, respectful, bold and decisive, quick to ensure that the right people receive recognition, and committed to purpose-led research. I look forward to playing a more visible role in advocating for the next generation of women scientists, and helping to ensure that girls see no limits to their future in science.”

Pr Serge Abiteboul

Senior Researcher Inria, ENS

"The cause of Women in Science is essential because we can not do without their talents, and it concerns us all, men and women, of course."

Serge Abiteboul obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, and a State Doctoral Thesis from the University of Paris-Sud. He has been a researcher at the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique since 1982, Directeur de Recherche CE since 01/01/2004, in a research team located at Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, since 2016. He is Distinguished Affiliated Professor at Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan . He was a Lecturer at the École Polytechnique and Visiting Professor at Stanford and Oxford University. He has been Chair Professor at Collège de France in 2011-12 and Francqui Chair Professor at Namur University in 2012-2013. He co-founded the company Xyleme in 2000. Serge Abiteboul has received the ACM SIGMOD Innovation Award in 1998, the EADS Award from the French Academy of sciences in 2007; the Milner Award from the Royal Society in 2013; and a European Research Council Fellowship (2008-2013). He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 2008, and a member the Academy of Europe in 2011. He has been a member of the Conseil national du numérique (2013-2016) and Chairman of the Scientific board of the Société d'Informatique de France (2013-2015). He is, since 1917, Chair of the Stretegic Council of the Blaise Pascal Foundation. His research work focuses mainly on data, information and knowledge management, particularly on the Web. He founded and is an editor of the blog binaire.blogs.lemonde.fr.

Serge Abiteboul also writes novels, essays, and is editor and founder of the Blog Binaire. He was scientific curator of the exhibiti "Terra Data" at the Cité des Sciences in 2017-2018.

Pr Paul Anastas

Founding Director of the Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering at Yale

Scientific advances will never reach their full potential to do good for humanity if half of the population’s insights and wisdom continues to be ignored and under-valued by the scientific enterprise. The “Male Champions for Women in Science” initiative is the simple recognition that any man truly interested in advancing science needs to be truly dedicated to women in science.

Paul T. Anastas is a scientist, inventor, author, entrepreneur, and public servant from the United States.

Dr. Anastas has served in three U.S. Presidential Administrations including the appointment by President Barack Obama as the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development at the US Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Presidents Clinton and Bush. Known as the ‘Father of Green Chemistry’ he is credited with establishing the field of green chemistry in 1991 and is has been internationally recognized for his advancement of the field.

Professor Paul T. Anastas currently holds the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Chair in Chemistry for the Environment at Yale University and is the founding Director of the Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering at Yale. Dr. Anastas has appointments at Yale’s School of Medicine/School of Public Health, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Department of Chemistry, School of Management, and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Trained as a synthetic organic chemist, Dr. Anastas received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University, co-founded the not-for-profit Green Chemistry Institute and 4 companies based on sustainable technologies.

Dr. Anastas has published widely on topics of science through sustainability including over 150 research papers and 14 books, such as Benign by Design, Designing Safer Polymers, Green Engineering, and his seminal work with co-author John Warner, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice.

Yvon Berland

President of Aix-Marseille University

Yvon Berland was re-elected President of Aix-Marseille University on 5th January 2016. A university professor and hospital practitioner, he has been at the head of the university since its creation in January 2012. He was previously President of the University of the Mediterranean (Aix-Marseille 2) since 2004.

Re-elected Chairman of the CPU Health Commission (Conference of University Presidents) on 15th December 2016 (elected in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014), Yvon Berland was Vice Chairman of the CPU from December 2010 to December 2012. He also chaired the PRES Aix-Marseille University for one year (September 2008-September 2009).

An intern in Marseille’s hospitals, he obtained his doctorate in medicine in 1979. He was appointed university professor and hospital practitioner in 1988 and took over as head of the hemodialysis nephrology department at the Sainte-Marguerite Hospital. Then, in 2000, he becomes the head of the renal nephrology, dialysis and transplantation department at the Conception Hospital. He has also been the coordinating doctor of the Marseille clinical investigation centre since 1995.

Dean of the Marseille Faculty of Medicine in 1998, he was vice-president of the conference of medical deans in 2002. He is also Chairman of the Biomedical and Health Research Committee of the Marseille Public Hospitals (AP-HM). Since 2002, he has been producing regular reports on the demographics of the health professions for the Ministry of Health. He has chaired the ONDPS (national observatory for health professions) since 2003.

Yvon Berland is a knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour, a knight in the National Order of Merit, an officer in the Order of Academic Palms, a gold medal for Youth and Sports and a gold medal for the Hôpitaux de Marseille.

Pr Gilles Boeuf

Professor, Pierre et Marie Curie University, Sorbonne

"A commitment for women: they are more than half of humanity and not respected as they should! And even often, little girls do not go to school! Women have a perception and sensitivity that are often more relevant than men. They also have solutions we do not have. So let's restore the original justice and help them fully express their qualities!"

Gilles Boeuf is professor at the University Pierre et Marie Curie/Sorbonne Université (UPMC) where he carries out his research within the research team « Integrative biology of marine organisms » at the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls (OOB), in the Pyreneans, on the Mediterranean Sea. He spent 20 years at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) in Brest, then he was director of OOB, the Arago Laboratory (Pierre & Marie Curie University and French National Center for Scientific Research “CNRS”, OOB), then director of the research team «Models in cell and evolutionary biology» for 4 years. From 2009 to 2015 he was chairman of the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris. He was also invited to teach «Sustainable Development, energies, environment and societies» at the Collège de France for the academic year 2013-2014, devoting his lessons to the subject of « Biodiversity and its interrelationship with humankind ». In 2015-2017, he was scientific advisor for life and wildlife sciences, climate and ocean for Ségolène Royal, minister of environment, energy and sea (MEEM). Presently, he is the chairman of the Scientific Board of the French Agency for Biodiversity.

Pr Khaled Bouabdallah

Since July 2015, Khaled Bouabdallah has been President of the Université de Lyon, the second most important scientific hub in France, that encompasses universities, prestigious higher education institutions and research bodies in Lyon and Saint-Étienne site and is composed of 12 member institutions and several associated institutions.

University professor, economist, Khaled Bouabdallah is a specialist in labor market micro-economics and territorial economic development. He was head of the Higher Institute for Economy, Administration and Management (IAE Saint-Étienne) from 2003 to 2006, as well as the technological research team on "territorial engineering", from 2001 to 2010.

President of the Université Jean-Monnet from 2007 to 2015, he was at the same time re-elected Vice-President of the CPU (Conference of university presidents) in 2014.

Representative of the CPU on the board of directors for Campus France, he is also a member of the AUF (Francophone University Association) board of directors, and of the supervisory committee for the law on the reform of the French public school system.

Honors: Knight of the French National Order of Merit, Knight of the French Legion of Honor.

Pr Jean Chambaz

President, Sorbonne Université

"To advance science and advance society, we need more women to get involved and promoted in science. In higher education, as everywhere else, we need to take action to value their potential and promote their achievements. "

Jean Chambaz is President at Sorbonne Université. He became President of Pierre and Marie Curie University (UPMC) in March 2012. In March 2016, he was reelected for a second term that concluded on December 31, 2017.

A Professor of Cellular Biology at Pierre and Marie Curie Faculty of Medicine, Jean Chambaz was head of Endocrine Biochemistry at La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. In 1999, he created a joint INSERM-UPMC research unit in the field of Metabolism and Intestinal Differentiation, which in 2007 merged with the Cordeliers Research Center, of which he became deputy director.

In 2005, he created the Institute of Doctoral Education at UPMC. From 2008 to 2011, he presided over the Council for Doctoral Education of the European University Association (EUA). He was elected to the EUA board in 2015. Since November 2014, he has been President of the Coordination of French Research-Intensive Universities (CURIF).

Pr Mark Ferguson

Director General, Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland

"Diverse workforces enhance productivity , creativity and profitability. To that end creating the conditions for many more talented women to join and remain in scientific research is a priority."

Professor Mark W.J. Ferguson commenced as Director General of Science Foundation Ireland in January 2012 and as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland in October 2012. Professor Ferguson is a founding member of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative, was Chair of the eHealth Ireland Committee, (2015 – 2017) and a member of the EU High Level Expert Group on Horizon 2020 Impact (2017) and has been involved in a number of international reviews of R&D systems, including Hungary and Canada. Previously he was Professor in Life Sciences at the University of Manchester (since 1984) and co-founder, CEO and Chairman of Renovo Group plc (1998-2011).

He is the recipient of numerous international research awards including the 2002 European Science Prize (jointly), and is the author of 327 research papers and book chapters, 60 patent families and author / editor of 8 books.

Mark graduated from the Queens University of Belfast with degrees in Dentistry (BDS 1st class honours), Anatomy and Embryology (BSc 1st class honours, PhD) and Medical Sciences (DMedSc), holds Fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Ireland (FFD), and Edinburgh (FDS) and is a Founding Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). He is a member or Fellow of a number of learned Societies, and was made a “Commander of the British Empire” (CBE) by the Queen in 1999 for services to Health and Life Sciences.

Pr Alain Fuchs

President, Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL) University

"Gender equality is not a women’s issue, it is a human issue and a civilization issue."

Professor Alain Fuchs is the president of Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL) University in Paris, France. He studied chemistry at EPFL, Lausanne and received his PhD in physical chemistry at the University Paris-Sud, Orsay France in 1983. After a postdoctoral stay at the University of Edinburgh, he was appointed as a research fellow at the french Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). He became Professor of chemistry at Université Paris-Sud in 1996 and director of the École de Chimie-Paris, a graduate school of chemistry and chemical engineer, in 2006. He was appointed in 2010 as the President and CEO of CNRS. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the Academia Europea. His research activity is devoted to the modelling and theory of fluids confined in nanoporous materials.

Pr Jean-Marc Gambaudo

President of the University of Côte d'Azur

Jean-Marc Gambaudo was elected President of the Université Côte d'Azur on 25th September 2015 by the unanimous vote of the members of the Board of Directors.

Jean-Marc Gambaudo, CNRS Research Director, had been commissioned by the UNS, the CNRS and the PERSAN association to coordinate the establishment of the COMUE (Community of Universities and Establishments) Côte d'Azur University and the launch of the IDEX (Initiatives of Excellence) application project, of which UCA was to be the project leader. He was the provisional administrator of COMUE "UCA" since last March 6.

"My immediate objectives are clear and are a direct extension of the mission I have been entrusted with until now," says the President. First, he wishes to confirm the selection of the IDEX UCA Jedi project by continuing the collaborative work of building a solid file; and also to set up the UCA structures described in the project and which should allow both the realization of UCAjedi if it were definitively labelled and also build this new form of university, which is the only one to apply for major national and European funding.

"In this process of creating an increased research university, with strong international visibility and strong roots in its territory, I intend to contribute as much as possible to the development of each of its members. The structuring of this diversity is our major asset. I am therefore convinced that the best way to work on this common dynamic is to respect the specificities and interests of each of its components."

To know more about Jean-Marc Gambaudo:

He joined the CNRS in 1984 and his research focuses on the theory of dynamic systems. He created and then directed the Institut de Mathématique de Bourgogne in Dijon for 4 years. During this same period, he developed an interaction with industry by becoming a co-author of an IBM patent and by creating the "Interface des Mathématiques" team within the Dijon Institute. In 2006, the Scientific Direction of the CNRS has called him he then held the following positions:

2006-2007: Project manager in the MPPU Department (Mathematics, Physics, Planet and Universe) for Mathematics

2007-2009: Deputy Scientific Director in the MPPU Department for Mathematics;

2008-2009: Project Manager to the Director General of the CNRS, he created and set up the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and their Interactions

From 2009 to 2011, he resumed his full-time research activity at the J. A. Dieudonné Laboratory in Nice. In 2012, he took over the management of the Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, a laboratory that he had helped create in the 1990s.

He is the author of about sixty articles in international peer-reviewed journals and obtained the PES (Scientific Excellence Award) in mathematics in 2010 and physics in 2014.

Pr Mouin Hamze

Secretary General, National Council for Scientific Research – Lebanon (CNRS-L)

“Sustainable development is only possible if we rely on all contributing members of our community; making it our moral and ethical responsibility to provide equal opportunities for both men and women. Believing also that scientific research is the main engine for building a knowledge economy and a community free of violence, extremism, and discrimination.”

M. Hamzé obtained his “Doctorat d’Etat - Es Sciences” from the University of Montpellier, France. He started his academic career at the Lebanese University where he established the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and acted as Dean of the faculty from 1985 to1997. He was acting concurrently as Chairman of the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute.

In 1998, M. Hamzé was appointed Secretary General of the National Council for Scientific Research – Lebanon (CNRS-L). He has since given special attention to launching and enhancing new programs including: the Ph.D. Scholarship Program, the Grant Research Program, and the Associated Research Units Program; as well as established the CNRS-L Lebanese Science Journal and acts as its editor-in-chief. In 2011, he established the CNRS-L Annual Research Excellence Award, which recognizes scientists who excel in conducting research in different scientific disciplines in Lebanon. M. Hamzé has also developed and implemented a fundamental science policy programme (Science Technology & Innovation Policy –STIP). While in 2016 he has lead an initiative to develop the Charter of Ethics and Guiding Principles of Scientific Research in Lebanon (signed by 19 universities and adopted as an integral part of all CNRS-L Programmes) for defining basic principles of ethics and regulations for a responsible conduct of research in the different disciplines of science. The charter was also recently confirmed as a basis for a regional Arab charter.

In recognition of his work, M. Hamzé received two Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Haute Alsace and from the University of Montpellier and was distinguishly awarded from France and Italy.

François Houllier

CEO of IFREMER

François Houllier has been CEO of the IFREMER (The French Institute for Sea Research and Exploitation) since September 2018. After graduating from the Ecole Polytechnique and getting a PhD in forest biometrics, François Houllier began his career as project manager in forest resources assessment at the IFN (National Forest Inventory). He then became professor at the ENGREF (The National School of Rural Engineering of Waters and Forests) and later became director of the French Institute of Pondichery, India, from 1994 to 1997. He then took the head of the joint research center “Botany and bioinformatics of the plants architecture” (Cirad, CNRS, INRA, IRD and University Montpellier II) until 2002. He also held different leadership positions at the INRA (The National Institute for Agronomic Research) and then became CEO of the INRA from July 2012 to July 2016. François Houllier chaired the community of universities and institutions University Sorbonne Paris Cité and he held the “Université de Paris” excellence initiative, selected in March 2018.

Pr Etienne Klein

Director of the Research Laboratory on Matter Sciences at CEA (LARSIM)

Born in 1958, Etienne Klein is physicist at CEA, the French Atomic Energy Commission, at Saclay near Paris.

Since 2007, he is the Director of the Research Laboratory on Matter Sciences at CEA (LARSIM). His research interests include the foundations of physics, the interpretation of quantum mechanics, the question of time in physics and the relationship between science and society.

He is professor at Ecole Centrale de Paris, both in physics and philosophy of science. He is member of the French Academy of Technologies.

Pr Philippe Kourilsky

Professor Emeritus, Collège de France

Honorary Director General, Pasteur Institute

Philippe Kourilsky (born in 1942) graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris in 1964. He started research in biology in 1965. A member of CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), he joined the Pasteur Institute in 1972. His major scientific achievements are in the fields of molecular genetics and immunology. From 1998 to 2012, he held the chair of Molecular Immunology at the College de France. He has also been involved in biotechnologies and in the administration of research. In1981, he was the co-founder of Transgène, the first large french biotech company. From 1993 to 1996, he was the Director of Research of the Pasteur Mérieux Connaught vaccine company (now Sanofi-Pasteur). From 2000-2005, he was appointed Director General of the Pasteur Institute and chaired the International network of Pasteur Institutes. He has been sitting on several Boards of Directors (including those of Ecole Polytechnique and Veolia Environment). From 2006 to 2013, he has created and chaired the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN). In 2012, he created and currently chairs the NGO ‘RESOLIS’.

He is the author of close to 400 publications in international scientific journals and has written several books dealing with science and the public, (for example on the precautionary principle). He is a member of the French Academy of Sciences, and a Professor Honoris causa of several universities, and a ‘Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur’ and ‘Grand officier dans l’ordre national du mérite’.

Patrick Lévy

Rector of Grenoble Alpes University

« Science should be inspired and done by women in any country in the world. This is needed for science quality. It is critical for social and cultural development.”

Patrick Lévy, 64 year-old, is currently Rector of Grenoble Alpes University (2018-2019). He has been Rector of Joseph Fourier University (2012-2015) and of Grenoble University Community (2016-17). He is professor of Physiology, MD, respiratory physician, graduated with a Master degree in Animal Physiology (1986) and a PhD in Physiology (1989). He led the Pulmonary Function Test Unit, Sleep Lab (1988-2012) and Clinical Research Department (2000-2012) at Grenoble University Hospital. He has been the head of the Hypoxia Pathophysiology Laboratory (HP2) Grenoble Alpes Univ. and Inserm (2003-2015) and set one of the most active Research Laboratory on Obstructive Sleep Apnea worldwide. He is leading the project named Grenoble Alpes University – Initiative of Excellence, an ambitious vision for establishing a large research and multidisciplinary University in Grenoble and the Alps, reaching a critical mass and improving its international visibility. The project has been labelled in 2016. The new institution will be created on 2020 January 1st.

Pr Daniel Louvard

Honorary Director, Institut Curie

« Science is an international adventure without any borders, the same passion for research animates women and men which make ignorance step back”

Professor Daniel Louvard (born February 20 1948) was awarded his PhD in Biochemistry in 1973 and Physical Sciences in 1976 from the University of Marseille. From 1978 to 1982 he was head of a team at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany), after which he joined the Institut Pasteur, where from 1988 to 1990 he was the Director of the Molecular Biology Department, and since 1987 has been Professor. He was Director of Research CNRS (1986-2013) and Director of the Research Center of the Institut Curie (1993-2013). He is now Emeritus Director of Research CNRS, Honorary Professor Institut Pasteur , Honorary Director Institut Curie ,Advisor of the President of the Board of Directors of Institut Curie for International affairs. In 2014 and 2015 he was on sabbatical leave as a visiting scientist at Biogen (Cambridge,USA)

Prof. Louvard was also head of the Morphogenesis and Cell Signaling Laboratory Institut Curie / CNRS UMR 144(1995-2013). He served as member of numerous scientific committees of the CNRS and the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), ad hoc committees and scientific organizations such as EMBO and the Scientific Committee of the Human Frontier Science Program, ERC panel member for advanced grants.

Member of the French Academy of Sciences (2003), European Academy of Sciences (1995) ,Academia Europa (1997), the European Academy of Cancer Sciences(2013), Foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences(2014).

Pr Khaled Machaca

Associate Dean, Weill Cornell Medicine, Qatar

"It is unfathomable for us as scientists driven by rational reasoning not to fully support the advancement of women is science, as we would be giving away half of our collective brain power."

Khaled Machaca is Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and serves as Associate Dean for Research for the Qatar campus since 2008. In that capacity he oversees the academic, financial, operational and compliance aspects of the research department, which currently encompasses 25 active Labs and a staff of over 200 people. Khaled oversaw the establishment of the administrative and regulatory infrastructure; centralized core laboratories; and faculty recruitment. He also serves as the designated institutional official overseeing the animal research program and as the director of the imaging core. He leads and serves on multiple institutional, national and international committees.

The Machaca Lab is interested in intracellular signaling processes under physiological and pathological conditions with a focus on calcium signaling. Our goal is to better define these signaling pathway at the cellular and molecular levels to better define the underlying biology and identify potential therapeutic targets in various disease states. Our interest is focused on cell cycle regulation in the context of cancer, hypertension, and immune cell activation. Work from the Machaca Lab has been published in leading biomedical journals and garnered continuous extramural funding from NIH and the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).

Khaled serves of several editorial boards, reviews widely for scientific journals and has an extensive track record of training students and postdoctoral fellows.

PR. PIERRE MONSAN

Professor Emeritus

Professor Emeritus, INSA Toulouse

"I am particularly pleased to contribute to l'Oréal's initiative as my closest associate for many years, with whom I shared the leadership of the enzymatic catalysis and molecular engineering team and who succeeded me , was a woman: Professor Magali Remaud-Simeon. I want to pay tribute, through her, to the importance and impressive efficiency and creativity of women in the field of scientific research."

Pierre Monsan (69) is Professor Emeritus at the National Institute for Applied Sciences (INSA) of the University of Toulouse. He was elected member of the French University Institute (IUF) in 2003 and re-elected in 2008.

He is Founding Director of the pre-industrial demonstrator “Toulouse White Biotechnology (TWB)”, which was granted M€ 20 within the frame of the French National Program “Investissement d’avenir” in March 2011 (www.toulouse-white-biotechnology.com).

He has been active for 44 years in the field of enzyme catalysis (enzyme production, purification, immobilization and application, screening, structural characterization and molecular design). He authored more than 240 scientific publications, 3 books and 65 patents. His H-factor is 44.

He was involved in the founding of several start-up companies: BioEurope (1984), BioTrade (1996), Genibio (1998) and in the move of LibraGen from Lyon to Toulouse (2004).

He is member of the Scientific Advisory Board of several companies, founding member of the French Academy of Technology, member of the French National Academy of Agriculture, member of several Scientific Societies and member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). He is Chairman of the French Federation of Biotechnology (FFBiotech), member of the Executive Board of the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB).

Pr Gilles Pécout

Rector of the Académie de Paris and of the Région Académique d’Ile de France, Chancellor of the Parisian Universities, University Professor.

Gilles Pécout is the Rector of Paris and the Academic Region of Ile de France as well as the Chancellor of Parisian Universities since September 2016. Historian, with a special focus on Italy and the Europe-Mediterranean region, Gilles Pécout is a university professor at the Ecole normale superieure of Paris where he used to be at the head of the Department of History. Furthermore, he is also director of studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes-PSL.

He was for several years guest professor and researcher at the University of Geneva and at the New York University (Institut Remarque) but also at the Istituto per gli studi filosofici of Naples. He also coordinated the European PhD (Marie Curie European doctorate “Building on the past”) with nine other European Universities.

Gilles Pécout hold seats at the Boards of Directors of the Musée de l’Armée (Invalides) and of the Souvenir français. He also hold seats at the Scientific Board of the Italian Encyclopedia and at the Toscane Academy, Società di storia patria of Florence (foreigners section). He was a jury member of the international award Dan David Prize (Israël / Etats-Unis) and was or is still member of the Scientific or Editorial committee of the reviews Le mouvement social, Histoire et sociétés rurales, European History Quarterly, Journal of Modern Italian Studies, Bollettino di Italiamistica, Società e storia, Memoria e ricerca.

Scientific advisor for the Italian television ((RAI 3 – RAI Storia) and author for the TV show II Tempo e la Storia et Passato Presente for around forty shows, Gilles Pécout is also the award winner of the World Price “Erasme” – Fondation Anassilao et of the Cavallini Price.

Gilles Pécout is one of the three French redactor appointed by the president of the French Republic in January 2018 to produce the cooperation treaty between France and Italy called “Traité du Quirinal” and have just been appointed in 2019 as the president of the French mission for prefiguration of the future Franco-tunisian University for Africa and the Mediterranean area.

As the Rector and Chancellor of Parisian University, he advocates the creation of a House of Science for professors, which will have a displayed priority “Girls and Science”.

Gilles Pécout is a Knight of the Legion of Honour, the French National Order of Merit, Officer of the Academic Palm and Officer of the National Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Pr Antoine Petit

President and CEO of C.N.R.S

Antoine Petit obtained a Master Degree in Mathematics from University Paris Sud (1981) and then Agrégation de Mathématiques (1982). He received his PhD in Computer Science from Paris Diderot University (1985).

He joined University d’Orléans as « Assistant » in 1984, then University Paris Sud as « Maître de Conférences » in 1989. He became full Professor at ENS Paris - Saclay (formerly ENS de Cachan) in 1994 where he bas been head of the Computer science department from 1995 to 2001.

In 2002, he was appointed as Deputy director of the directorate of research of French ministry of research, in charge of mathematics and information and communication sciences. In 2004, he joined CNRS as Director of the Information and Communication Sciences and Technologies department and then as Regional Director for South West of France.

In 2006, he was recruited by Inria where he has been successively Director of the research center of Paris - Rocquencourt, deputy CEO in 2010 and then President and CEO in 2014.

Since January 2018, he is President and CEO of CNRS.

Antoine Petit is Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

Pr Pascal Picq

Paleoanthropologist, Collège de France

"Evolution is change in the feminine."

Pascal Picq is a paleoanthropologist at the Collège de France. His research focuses on the biological, social and technical evolution of the human lineage. After having introduced ethology in anthropology, he became involved in questions of society and ethics, for the defense of secularism, on politics and politics and innovation in relation to the entrepreneurial culture. His last essays are interested in the future of humanity between the collapse of diversities and the arrival of intelligent machines by analyzing the emergence of a new Anthropology in the Digital Age.

Pr Johan Rockström

Johan Rockström is an internationally recognized scientist for his work on global sustainability issues. He helped lead the internationally renowned team of scientists that presented the planetary boundaries framework, first published in 2009, with an update in 2015. The nine planetary boundaries presented in the framework are argued to be fundamental in maintaining a “safe operating space for humanity.” This framework has been embraced as an approach to sustainable development, and has been used to help guide governments, international organizations, NGOs, and companies considering sustainable development.

Before focusing on the planetary scale, Rockström’s research aimed to address building resilience in water scarce regions, and is an expert on water resources. After completing a PhD at Stockholm University’s Systems Ecology Department in 1997, he spent nearly two decades working on applied water research in tropical regions. He has also published research on with agriculture systems, land use, and ecosystem services.

Aside from his research helping to guide policy, Rockström acts as an advisor to several governments and business networks. He also acts as an advisor for sustainable development issues at noteworthy international meetings, such as the United Nations General Assemblies, World Economic Forums, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC, also known as COP).

Pr Augusto Rojas-Martinez

Professor, School of Medicine, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico

Science and scientific achievements are built from the discussion and confrontation of different ideas, sometimes opposed. There are no other human attributes, out of the diversity of opinion, the freedom of thought and the experimental demonstration, that are essential for the scientific development in any part of the world. As in any other human activities, scientific thinking should be cultivated from the early ages in schools and laboratories that should ensure the free access of women and men. Additionally, our society, universities and research centers should warrant equal development opportunities and leadership positions without any other condition than demonstration of excellence in a personal scientific career. Unfortunately, we still cannot overcome gender inequities that have limited the access of excellent girls and women to the academy and scientific activities in all parts of the world, as well as the objective evaluation of their scientific production. As a citizen and scientist of the 21st century and member of the scientific academy of a developing country, I pledge to to strongly promote and maintain the participation of women in science in Mexico and Latin America.

Full-time Professor and Leader of the Research Group in Human Genetics in School of Medicine and Health Science, Tecnológico of Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico. Dr. Rojas-Martínez pioneered the implementation of clinical trials of gene and cell therapy in Mexico and Latin America. In addition, he has contributed to the delineation of some genetic diseases and the implementation of GWAS for cleft lip and palate and colorectal cancer in the Mexican population, as well as pharmacogenomics projects in the same population. He belongs to the Mexican System of Researchers, the Mexican Academy of Sciences, the Mexican Board of Genetics, and the Mexican Association of Human Genetics, in which he served as President. Dr. Rojas-Martínez was also the Coordinator of the Mexican Node of the Human Variome Project (2012 – 2017). He is Past-President of the Latin American Network of Human Genetics (RELAGH). He currently serves as member of the Scientific Committee of the Latin American School of Human Genetics (ELAG, Brazil, since 2008), the External Scientific Advisory Committee of CIBER-ER (Spain, since 2016) and as jury member of the “For Women in Science” Award (L' Oréal -UNESCO, since 2015). Dr. Rojas-Martínez has published 92 scientific articles and has a granted patent.

Pr François Taddei

Director, Center for Research and Interdisciplinary

"Because science and society need to mobilize all intelligences and all eyes."

François Taddei is a researcher in evolutionary systems biology and an expert on the future of research and education. He has created bachelor, master & PhD programs in the Center for Research and Interdisciplinary in Paris in order to empower the new generations of change makers by training them through research at the frontiers of disciplines. He has taken the lead of the Institute for Learning Through Research that has been selected in March 2012 by the International Scientific Committee of the National Innovative Training Program (IDEFI) of the French ministry of research. He participates in various working groups on the future of research and education (« France 2025 », OECD report…). He holds the UNESCO Chair “Learning sciences”. In September 2016 the mission to organise and think the future of R&D for Lifelong learning was entrusted to François Taddei by French Minister of Education, Higher Education & Research.

Manuel Tunon de Lara

President of the University of Bordeaux

“An inclusive, responsible university, open to society, welcoming and committed to its home region…

thereby obliging us to set even higher standards in carrying out our missions.”

Manuel Tunon de Lara studied medicine, immunology, physiology and life sciences. He then carried out research into the cellular mechanisms of asthma. He was a clinician in the respiratory diseases department of Bordeaux University Hospital, of which he then became director. Manuel Tunon de Lara became involved in the institutional aspects of Bordeaux Segalen University and from 1998 he ran the “Aquitaine Euskadi Navarre” cross-border network. In 2001 he set up the Department of European Affairs and International Relations before becoming Vice-President of the university responsible for international relations in 2003. He was elected president of Bordeaux Segalen University in 2008, then reelected in 2012. During his terms of office, he contributed actively to the Campus Operation project, led the project to set up the Bordeaux University Foundation and coordinated “Investment for the Future” projects, including the excellence initiative (IdEx) that was among the first three such projects to be accredited in France. Championing the values of a large, multidisciplinary, internationally-recognized university, Manuel Tunon de Lara led his establishment towards a merger with two other universities in the city thus creating the University of Bordeaux with his counterparts. In January 2014, he was elected the first president of the new establishment and, together with his team, set up what has become one of France’s top universities. Under his leadership, the University of Bordeaux was definitively “excellence initiative” accredited by an international jury in June 2016, and continues to energetically pursue the objective of becoming a great European university, while remaining anchored in the Aquitaine region. Manuel Tunon de Lara was reelected president of the University of Bordeaux on 18 January 2018.

A man of commitment and conviction, he is an Officer of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, Chevalier of the National Order of Merit and Chevalier of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Cédric Villani

Mathematician - Lyon 1 University, 2010 Fields Medal, Member of French Parliament

"It is not acceptable that only men are in charge of giving birth to the world of tomorrow."

Cédric Villani is a french mathematician and a former student of the Ecole normale supérieure. He received a doctorate in mathematics and he is the winner of the Fields Medal in 2010 and of the Doob price in 2014. He is now professor at the University of Lyon. He has been the director of Institut Henri Poincaré in Paris from 2009 to 2017. He has held various visiting positions at several foreign universities. He is Member of the National Assembly for the Fifth Constituency of the Essonne and he is vice-president of the OPECST (parliamentary office for scientific and technological options assessment ). He is member of the Academy of Sciences and has published several books, including Alive Theorem, which has been translated in 12 languages.

Pr Tom Welton

Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London

"The time for men to realise that gender parity benefits everyone is long overdue. L’Oréal Foundation’s campaign will help to bring this about."

Professor Tom Welton, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London and the world’s first Professor of Sustainable Chemistry, began his academic career with a B.Sc. at the University of Sussex followed by a D.Phil., in the Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Ionic Liquids.

After research positions at the University of Sussex and the University of Exeter he joined the Chemistry Department at Imperial College London in 1993 as a Lloyd’s of London Tercentenary Fellow. In 2002 he was awarded a Readership in Catalysis and undertook the role of Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry. In 2004 he was promoted to Professor in Sustainable Chemistry. He was Head of the Chemistry Department from August 2007 to December 2014, during which time the Department achieved an Athena Swan Gold Award. He became Dean of the Faculty in January 2015.

Tom uses solvents to improve chemical processes. He has worked with ionic liquids throughout his career, in order to develop sustainable solvent technologies. The central academic aim of his research is to understand the role that the immediate chemical environments in which reacting species find themselves influence the reaction process. He also aims to use this understanding to provide more effective chemical processes by the matching of the reaction with its optimum solvent environment.

Tom is the author of over 100 papers, primarily on the structures and chemistry of ionic liquids and their solutes. He was the 2007 RSC Christopher Ingold Lecturer, the 2012 RSC Thomas Graham Lecturer, and the 2011 DFG Paul Walden Lecturer. He is an Honorary Member of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia. In June 2017 Tom was awarded an OBE for his services to diversity in education.

DR SABA AL HEIALY

HEALTH SCIENCES

Mohammed bin Rashid University for Medicine and Health Sciences

Asthma and obesity are increasing worldwide, as poor air quality and convenience lifestyles, characterised by unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, take their toll. Now, obesity is prompting a rise in the prevalence of asthma, with patients of this ‘responding poorly to conventional therapy, such as steroid treatment. Dr Saba Al Heilaly is researching the still relatively unknown mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, in order to help identify new therapies for patients. Recently, adipocytes (fat cells) are emerging as pro-inflammatory cells capable of secreting cytokines and hormones. Moreover, adipose tissue is infiltrated with large amounts of T cells. This potential immunomodulatory role of adipocytes has led her to explore the implications of the crosstalk between T cells- an essential part of the immune system - and adipocytes (fat cells) in producing steroid hyporesponsiveness in obese asthmatics. “Ultimately, the objective of my research is to contribute to the advancement in asthma research”, she says.

Dr Saba Al Heialy’s father, an accomplished researcher, was an important inspiration and mentor in her childhood, instilling in the young Saba “the core values and selfconfidence that have allowed me to become the researcher I am today”. At university, she gained valuable laboratory experience by taking ownership of an asthma and allergy project in the summer holidays, enjoying the sense of independence and deepening her curiosity in scientific research.

Despite her proven ability and enthusiasm, Dr Saba al Heialy has had to work doubly hard to overcome gender and age prejudice throughout her career. “For women to advance in science, we must challenge the perception that their work is in some way inferior to that of equally qualified male scientists”, she believes.

“Women could easily thrive in senior scientific roles – but they must be judged on merit and given equal opportunities in the workplace”, she says. To create change, young girls must be offered the opportunity to participate in practical, interactive science programmes, and be shown examples of successful women in the workplace. “I hope my story will inspire many girls and young women in the Middle East to pursue their scientific dreams and reach their full potential”, she concludes.

DNA

DR ZORHA DHOUAFLI

NEUROSCIENCE / BIOCHEMISTRY

Center of Biotechnology of Borj-Cédria

Alzheimer’s disease is considered to be the most common form of dementia globally, yet there is currently no cure for this devastating neurodegenerative disorder. Dr Zohra Dhouafli is researching the theory that the misfolding, aggregation and brain deposition of the amyloid-beta protein triggers the disease. Through her upcoming research project, she will use one of the most promising approaches - a natural antioxidant extracted from henna tree leaves (discovered through her previous research) to inhibit, interfere and counteract the aggregation process. Among the innovative aspects of the project, the team will seek to preserve the molecule’s stability and bioactivity, and optimise its passage through the blood brain barrier. In this way, Dr Zohra Dhouafli aims to catalyse the development of more potent compounds for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s.

“My dream is to find an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and improve quality of life for patients and their families”, she says.

Dr Zohra Dhouafli has always had an interest in biological sciences. Her longstanding focus on neurodegenerative diseases began during her first research experience in biochemistry at Sherbrooke University in Canada. Since then, she has participated in multiple international collaborations exploring the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in such diseases.

“Women should have just as much responsibility in promoting human development as men”, she says. “Their actions must go hand in hand”, she adds, pointing to the famous collaboration of Pierre and Marie Curie. She believes that women scientists have a complementary approach to that of their male counterparts, driven more by empathy, patience and a sense of social responsibility.

Having benefitted significantly from mentorship, Dr Zohra Dhouafli agrees that talented mentors stand to inspire many more young women scientists, reinforced by far greater public recognition women scientists’ achievements. “An equal gender balance would greatly enhance the quality of scientific research”, she concludes.

DR MENATTALLAH ELSERAFY

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY / GENETICS

Zewail City of Science and Technology

DNA is the blueprint for life. The valuable information it carries decides the fate of all organisms. Dr Menattallah Elserafy is researching DNA repair mechanisms to advance understanding of the fundamental processes in mammalian cells. She and her research team could identify new players that protect the cells from DNA damage. She aslo discovered that a protein in yeast cells is involved in preventing DNA damage caused by ribonucleotides misincorporation into the genome. Thereby, mutations in the human protein could be associated with diseases, neurological disorders and cancers. Her findings could help identify new disease-causing mutations, aid diagnosis and pave the way for personalised therapies according to the patient’s genetic background.

Dr Menattallah Elserafy early became passionate about molecular biology and genetics. “I wanted to create a positive impact in society”, she recalls. Today, she is convinced that raising research standards in Egypt could put her country “back on the map of scientific research”, and importantly, play a major role in solving pressing water, environmental and energy challenges.

According to her, gender equality should be a key focus for children’s education, with girls encouraged to “dream big and aim high”. Dr Menattallah Elserafy is inspired by many women scientists, including the first ever female doctor, an Egyptian woman living in 2700 BC, and Rosalind Franklin, the woman scientist who first presented an X-ray structure of the DNA molecule.

She herself is contributing to educating future generations of women scientists by supporting younger researchers in the laboratory. “I believe the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Rising Talents fellowship will give me even more opportunities to talk to young women scientists and inspire them to make a difference”, she says.

DR PRISCILLA KOLIBEA MANTE

NEUROSCIENCE

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Expanding access to affordable, high quality medical care in Africa is a major focus for sustainable development. Specialising in neuropharmacology and neuroscience, Dr Priscilla Kolibea Mante is researching alternative, plant-based therapeutic options to manage drug-resistant epilepsy and the neglected tropical disease, neurocysticercosis. She is currently exploring the anticonvulsant activity of the plant alkaloid cryptolepine and its solid-lipid nanoparticles in the management of neurocysticercosis-induced epilepsy.

By identifying a way to help cryptolepine permeate more efficiently into the central nervous system, the risk of convulsion should be reduced, helping the patient to manage their condition as effectively as possible.

“It’s very rewarding to know that my research could significantly alter complicated structures like the brain and positively affect people’s lives”, she says.

Dr Priscilla Kolibea Mante believes the biggest challenge for women in science is managing negative perceptions of ambition in women and overcoming gender stereotypes. Having faith in the future, she is convinced that her generation has been fortunate to receive strong support, and believe women can tap into that and spearhead our careers to higher levels. “The world will make room for us”, she says. “The more women push for senior roles, the harder it will be to ignore them.”

The expert guidance of both men and women throughout her career has been so important that Dr Priscilla Kolibea Mante now considers herself a “champion” of mentorship, regularly supporting younger scientists in pursuing their dreams. She concludes: “Sometimes it’s important to hold your mentee’s hand and guide them towards opportunities they never knew existed.”

DR SHERRY AW

NEUROSCIENCE

Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology

Neurodegeneration is a growing issue for an ageing global population. Dr Sherry Aw is conducting genetic experiments in fruit flies to understand the causes behind neurodegenerative diseases, and support the development of novel treatments. In particular, by exploring how certain cells become affected and the functional results of their degeneration, she and her team have been able to pinpoint movement dysfunctions that resemble the effects of Parkinson’s disease and Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 in humans. Her current goal is to understand how the tremor and other movement disorders experienced by sufferers of these diseases are generated at the physiological, cellular and molecular levels.

“So that we can start to develop rational treatments for these debilitating symptoms, and eventually cure these diseases”, she says.

Her passion for scientific research was sparked when one of her university tutors suggested that she gain some practical research experience. Since then, she has always had strong – male – mentors who encouraged her to recognise and believe in her abilities.

As a woman in science, Dr Sherry Aw says: “Society generally judges women more harshly than men, and I believe this is a major barrier to women achieving our maximum potential. Women face a lot of pressure from everyone, including from ourselves.”

To create the next generation of women scientists, girls must see women in science as a mainstream trend, Dr Sherry Aw believes. This starts with strong mentors and role models, and more exposure to women scientists in the media, including through initiatives such as the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme. “Only then will we be attracting the best and brightest minds, of both genders, to solve the world’s most important scientific problems”, she concludes.

DR MIKA NOMOTO

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY / PLANT PATHOLOGY

Nagoya University

When plants become infected with biotrophic pathogens (fungi that feed on the living cells of their hosts), host resistance proteins trigger an acute immune response, including the eventual death of the affected cell. The infected tissues also produce signals that spark the accumulation of immune hormone salicyclic acid and mobilise antimicrobial pathogenesis-related genes within the uninfected distal leaves. This plant-specific immunity is known as systemic acquired resistance (SAR). While it is effective in resisting biotrophs, it suppresses the plant’s resistance response to herbivores, thereby exposing it to damage from pests. Dr Mika Nomoto is researching how SAR is regulated at a molecular level in order to better understand its antagonistic interaction with herbivore resistance and help promote sustainable pest management.

“I realised that by elucidating the molecular mechanism of plant immunity, I would be able to contribute towards ensuring food security for the world’s population”, she recalls. “That’s why I decided to pursue a career in science.”

Growing up in southern Japan, Dr Mika Nomoto was surrounded by a rich and diverse natural environment. She loved to study plants, flowers and insects, and became intrigued by different plants’ reaction to mould and microbes. When she began her biology studies at Kagawa University, she was surprised to learn that plants possess sophisticated immune systems, like humans.

While she has not experienced the “glass ceiling” in her career, Dr Mika Nomoto agrees there is a pressing need for more women scientists. “I believe that science needs diversity and women are the key to advancing science”, she says. “It’s vital that we persuasively transform perceptions of women’s role in society through media and politics.”

Finally, mentorship is invaluable, Dr Mika Nomoto believes. She herself has gained a great deal of knowledge from her mentors, including how to establish a venture company and apply for patents, as well as conduct world-leading scientific research. “In the future, I’d be happy to mentor young researchers – both women and men”, she concludes.

DR JACQUILINE ROMERO

QUANTUM PHYSICS

University of Queensland

Dr Jacquiline Romero is a physicist working in the field of quantum physics, which explains the nature and behaviour of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level. In particular, she is exploring how an infinite number of possible shapes of photos - particles of light - can be used to encode information. Ultimately, this could lead to reliably secure communication, help conserve data privacy and guard against the growing risk of cyberattacks, and deliver more powerful computation.

Her journey to pushing the boundaries of quantum information began in the Philippines, where she was encouraged by her school teachers to pursue science, even participating in national physics competitions. “It was just beautiful to me, how the rules of physics can describe the natural world so powerfully”, she recalls. “I enjoy the creative and problem solving process. The fun I have is really the reward!” At university, Dr Jacquiline Romero joined an established optics research group, before identifying an opportunity to pursue an experimental quantum physics PhD at the University of Glasgow.

As part of a minority of women in quantum science, she believes improving the representation of women in science requires a fundamental cultural change, starting at school, where girls’ and boys’ sense of wonder and curiosity should be equally nurtured. In addition to mentorship, strong female role models at every stage of the scientific career path would send positive signals to aspiring women scientists, she suggests. Importantly, inclusivity and gender diversity should be framed in the context of productivity, with leaders creating the supportive environment that would help women scientists return to peak professional performance after having a child.

“Winning a L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship has given me a national platform to show that women, particularly mothers, can succeed in science”, she concludes. “People are inspired by stories and I think my journey is a story that could do so much to inspire young girls and young women scientists.”

If science could achieve anything, Dr Jacquiline Romero would like to scientific research to help solve the major social inequalities that exist in our world.

DR LAURA ELO

BIOINFORMATICS

University of Turku/Åbo Akademi University

Dr Laura Elo leads a multidisciplinary team of 30 scientists at the Turku Medical Bioinformatics Centre in Finland. Together, they develop computational data analysis tools and mathematical modelling methods to identify more reliable early indicators of complex diseases such as type 1 diabetes or cancer, and predict potential disease and treatment outcomes. She and her team have developed several powerful computational models to interpret molecular and clinical data in a robust way, working closely with experimental and clinical teams and unique sample biobanks. Her ultimate goal is to help improve disease diagnosis, prognosis and lead to new treatment strategies with high potential for breakthrough findings and wide impact on medical research. “I hope our research helps future patients to get the best possible treatments”, she says. “If we can improve the life of even a single patient, it is worth the effort.”

Among the challenges faced by researchers, she believes the extensive competition for funding can be both unhealthy for the field of scientific research and create barriers to progress. “Within my group, I hope to encourage enthusiasm for making new discoveries through openness and communication”, she explains.

As Research Director, Dr Laura Elo recognises the distinct benefits that diversity brings to any team, commenting that “a good mix of people with different backgrounds and ways of working ensures open-minded and innovative research”. Proving her worth as a woman scientist has seen her work harder than her male counterparts, she believes. Yet her achievements are undeniable: Dr Laura Elo became Head of Turku University’s Medical Bioinformatics Centre, Research Director and Vice Director of her research institute below the age of 40. Empowering more women to follow in her footsteps will require helping women build confidence, enabling an effective work-life balance, and ensuring strong mentorship throughout their careers.

On receiving a L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Regional Fellowship Finland, she says: “It’s a great honour. I’d particularly like to thank my enthusiastic and talented research group, our collaborators, and all our supporters.”

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DR BIOLA MARĺA JAVIERRE MARTĺNEZ

GENOMICS

Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute

The majority of interactions between the regulatory elements of a genome and the corresponding regulated gene are uncharted, a major missing link in understanding genome control. Dr Biola María Javierre Martínez is researching chromatin interactions (crucial to cellular health), to help improve knowledge of tumour processes and provide new opportunities for diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, she is exploring the physical interactions between gene and regulatory elements to connect blood cancer genetic alterations to putative target genes. This could help prioritising new diseasecandidate genes and pathways, reveal insights into the genomic regulatory mechanisms underlying cancer. It will also help to better predict patient outcomes and design improved and more personalised treatments.

Today, her dream is to help uncover more effective, gentler treatments for cancer, particularly for children.

As a scientist and mother, Dr Biola María Javierre Martínez often feels that she has insufficient time to give of her best in either capacity. Addressing this common challenge among women scientists and empowering more women to participate in science would mean re-educating the whole of society, she believes. Women must also develop greater self-belief and learn to present their work more confidently.

Dr Biola María Javierre Martínez sees mentors as essential on this journey, and is involved in a European Union project, the LIBRA Career Developmental Compass, to enable female postdoctoral fellows to become leaders through training and mentorship.

Commenting on the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme, she says: “It’s vital to encourage women who dream of being scientists to succeed and not to clip their wings. We are women, mothers and scientists, and all this must be compatible.”

DR KIRSTEN JENSEN

MATERIAL CHEMISTRY / STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

University of Copenhagen

Material chemistry has played a significant role in advancing technologies used to convert or store energy, such as batteries, solar cells and catalysts. Its strength is in forging an understanding of the relationship between material synthesis and the structure and properties of materials. Dr Kirsten Jensen is exploring the potential of tailoring nanomaterials to optimise the efficiency of energy technologies. This starts with determining their atomic structure on the nanoscale. She and her research group at the University of Copenhagen are achieving this by using the latest high energy x-ray and neutron scattering tools, helping to both advance sustainable energy and the field of nanoscience itself.

“Chemistry is everywhere”, she says. “I find it fascinating that by considering matter on an atomic level, we can understand the properties of everything around us and design molecules or crystal structures for new applications.”

Progressing from roles as PhD student and postdoc to assistant professor in 2015 brought huge responsibilities, but Dr Kirsten Jensen remained undeterred, adopting a positive attitude that enabled her to succeed. She acknowledges that she is fortunate to work in Scandinavia, where equal opportunities for men and women are fairly well established. However, the majority of her senior colleagues are still men, which she believes may be due to the challenges in balancing e.g. family life with the highly demanding nature of senior research roles, making more women seek careers outside of academia. Creating a better gender balance will mean re-imagining the system, promoting inclusive networking and cultivating strong mentors (male or female) who inspire and encourage young, talented female scientists.

As a women scientist who has never considered her opportunities as anything less than equal to her male counterparts’, Dr Kirsten Jensen concludes: “I don’t want to be seen as a female scientist, just as a scientist.”

DR URTE NENISKYTE

NEUROSCIENCE

Vilnius University

The complexity of the human brain has yet to be fully understood. Dr Urte Neniskyte is researching how our brains develop in early childhood (6 months to 6 years), with particular reference to anomalies that can lead to serious mental illness. She is currently exploring why excessive synapses sometimes remain, rather than being removed or “pruned” for optimum efficiency. Aberrations in this “synaptic pruning” process can result in neurodevelopmental diseases such as autism, schizophrenia and epilepsy. Dr Urte Neniskyte’s aims to uncover what determines which synapses should be maintained and which should be removed, and how the process could be modified to correct any errors, before a disease can develop.

“There is a philosophical question over whether a system, like the human brain, can understand itself”, she says. “We might not be able to capture everything, but I want to get as close as we can and I’m happy to be contributing to this endeavour.”

Born into a family of chemists, Dr Urte Neniskyte has viewed life through the prism of science from an early age. “The first images I saw of bacterial plates sparked my passion to be a researcher of living things”, she says.

As a mother of a young daughter and a neuroscientist,

Dr Urte Neniskyte is acutely aware of the importance of early childhood development. “We must raise our sons and daughters to take equal responsibilities in the home and value both women’s and men’s careers”, she says. This includes educating children on gender equality from an early age.

To increase the number of women in science, she believes women scientists must gain the public recognition they deserve for their discoveries. She is unequivocal: “We must stop living in “pink and blue” world and acknowledge that gender-based divisions arise from the traditions of the society rather than how the brain works.”

PR NURCAN TUNCBAG

BIOINFORMATICS

Middle East Technical University

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization*, and its prevalence is rising sharply. To address the inherent complexity and heterogeneity of cancer, developing personalised therapeutic strategies is crucial. Pr Nurcan Tuncbag is leading an interdisciplinary research project to deliver a “precision medicine” approach by leveraging sophisticated computational analysis to interpret the increasing volumes of data obtained with high-throughput technologies. Analysing this “big data” could help to identify potential synergies, and reveal how biological pathways are organised and altered at molecular level in cancer, as well as how these networks can be targetted to disrupt the abnormal signals for treatment.

The field of bioinformatics has allowed Pr Nurcan Tuncbag to combine her biological interest in diseases with her mathematical prowess and passion for engineering.

“I was lucky that all my mentors were supportive of gender equity in science”, she recalls. However, as a woman, she still comes across barriers within the scientific community, when she sometimes feels obliged to prove her expertise or knowledge to male attendees, despite being equally qualified.

To empower women scientists and help achieve the necessary diversity to advance engineering sciences,

Pr Nurcan Tuncbag believes that far greater emphasis should be placed on science, technology, engineering and mathematics at schools, starting from an early age.

“Throughout history, women have influenced society and changed the world through their scientific discoveries”, she concludes. “By enhancing the visibility of women scientists, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme will enable more women to contribute valuable discoveries to our world.”

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DR MARIA MOLINA

CHEMISTRY / MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

National University of Rio Cuarto

Antibiotics revolutionised medicine and have since saved many human lives, significantly slowing mortality rates associated with common infectious diseases. Yet the widespread overuse of these once powerful drugs has led to increasing bacterial resistance, creating a serious risk that people could once again lose their lives to common infections and minor injuries. In the race against time to uncover a solution, scientists including Dr Maria Molina are developing antimicrobial therapies as a potential alternative treatment for bacterial infections. Her work focuses on developing multifunctional nanogels capable of releasing antibiotics to bacteria (notably P. Aeruginosa) in synergy with a thermal effect created via electromagnetic radiation.

As a child, Dr Maria Molina dreamt of making a famous discovery that could solve a great human challenge, propelling her into the school text books. Committed to conducting research that improves people’s quality of life, she still dreams of scientists uncovering solutions to other pressing issues, including expanding access to safe water and life-saving medicines in developing countries.

Dr Maria Molina perceives that women scientists face an inherent inequality: to succeed at work while undertaking a disproportionate share of household responsibilities, they must be more efficient than men and naturally adept at multi-tasking. This becomes more problematic at the higher echelons of science, where heavy time commitments and inflexibility are the norm.

Empowering more women to undertake excellent scientific careers is vital. “The contribution of women scientists creates a diverse vision that is invaluable in addressing the great challenges facing humanity”, she says. Overturning social stereotypes and entrenched perceptions must begin at school, Dr Maria Molina believes. “Girls should be encouraged to follow their interests rather than conforming to what people expect”, she says. Strong female role models are important, as are programmes that promote women in science, such as the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme.

DR ANA SOFIA VARELA

CHEMISTRY / ELECTROCATALYSIS

Institute of chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico

Carbon capture stands to play an important role in fighting climate change. Dr Ana Sofia Varela is using electrocatalysis to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful products, in a process known as CO2 electroreduction. In generating this type of reaction, she uses electricity as a driving force and is exploring diverse catalysts, with a particular focus on new types of inexpensive catalysts comprised of abundant elements (carbon, nitrogen and transition metals). Affordability is central to the economic and technological viability of the process. Ultimately, CO2 electroreduction will allow the use of renewable electricity and waste CO2 to produce carbon-based chemicals (carbon and hydrocarbons).

“My dream is to help avert climate change and its negative impacts”, she says. “I hope that CO2 capture and utilisation will prove to be a key solution, alongside the development of clean energies and energy efficient technologies.”

Both Dr Ana Sofia Varela’s parents are chemists, and encouraged her childhood curiosity in the world, providing science-based answers to her questions. Years later, as a fully fledged scientist, Dr Ana Sofia Varela returned to Mexico, after completing her PhD and postdoctoral studies in Europe, to face the harsh reality of doing more with less funding. Nevertheless, she began her own research group and equipped her laboratory, an effort that has been significantly advanced by her L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Regional Fellowship.

While more women are undertaking scientific careers,

Dr Ana Sofia Varela believes they still risk not being taken seriously in a male-dominated field. “Women have to prove their value, while men’s is taken for granted, and take care not to overstep the boundary between assertive and aggressive, particularly in seeking senior roles”, she says. “This must change, as greater diversity in science will allow us to develop multiple approaches to the challenges facing humanity.”

DR JACQUELYN CRAGG

HEALTH SCIENCES

University of British Columbia

The global burden of neurological diseases has grown substantially over the past 25 years*, as the world population expands and ages. Dr Jacquelyn Cragg is using statistical algorithms to better understand the progression of such diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury. She is leveraging “big data” sources and machine-based learning to identify novel, reliable predictors of disease progression, and understand how diverse factors interact to predict long-term outcomes. She aims be a leader in neuro-analytics, helping to uncover innovative treatment strategies and therapies for people suffering with neurological diseases.

“Growing up, I had great teachers whose dedication and willingness to answer my questions allowed me to pursue my passion for mathematics and biology”, she says. Encouraged by teachers to enter mathematics competitions, explore lateral thinking at “Challenge Camps” and attend science fairs, Dr Jacquelyn Cragg developed a strong knowledge of maths, statistics and science, creating a robust foundation for her future career. She continued to benefit from supportive mentors at the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries in Vancouver, Harvard University and Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich.

Dr Jacquelyn Cragg perceives major challenges for women in science. Despite the evidence that men and women have the same inherent scientific ability, she believes there are clear differences in the way that raw ability is nurtured over time, with distinct gender biases creeping in. “Overcoming gender stereotypes and encouraging girls to grow their interest in science should start from an early age”, she concludes. “Girls and boys must know that everyone can do the same things.”