Paris, November 13th 2017 – The L‘Oréal Foundation and UNESCO announce the names of five outstanding women scientists who will receive the 2018 L‘Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards in life sciences on March 22nd 2018 in Paris.

THE 2018 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS

Women are still under-represented in various fields, including Science, where the glass ceiling is still a reality. Nowadays, barely 28% of researchers are… women. In addition, all of the 9 Nobel Prizes in Science have been awarded to men in last October. Since the creation of the Nobel Prizes in Science, less than 3% have been awarded to women.

Yet, eminent women in science are numerous. For almost 20 years, the L’Oréal Foundation, in partnership with UNESCO, has celebrated each year 5 exceptional female researchers and has been committed to promote diversity between women and men in Science.

THE LAUREATES OF THE 2018 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS

The 5 women scientists celebrated by the 2018 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards have been selected by an independent jury. This jury was comprised of ten high-profile members of the international science community, chaired this year by Professor Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Laureate of the 2008 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award and of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

Each Laureate will receive €100,000 in prize money for her outstanding contribution to advances in science. They will be celebrated in a ceremony that will be held on March 22nd 2018 in Paris, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme.

AFRICA AND ARAB STATES

Professor Heather ZAR - South Africa

Professor, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital

Director Medical Research Council Unit (MRC), University of Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA

Medicine and Health Sciences/Pediatrics

“For establishing a cutting-edge research program in pneumonia, tuberculosis and asthma, saving the lives of many children worldwide.”

ASIA / PACIFIC

Professor Meemann CHANG - China

Professor, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology

Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, CHINA

Biological Sciences/Paleontology

“For her pioneering work on fossil records leading to insights on how aquatic vertebrates adapted to live on land.”

EUROPE

Professor Caroline DEAN - United Kingdom

Professor, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, UK

Biological Sciences/Molecular biology

“For her groundbreaking research on how plants adapt to their surroundings and climate change, leading to new ways for crop improvement.”

LATIN AMERICA

Professor Amy T. AUSTIN - Argentina

Professor, Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology Research Institute (IFEVA) - CONICET, School of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

Ecology and Environmental sciences

“For her remarkable contributions to understanding terrestrial ecosystem ecology in natural and human-modified landscapes.”

NORTH AMERICA

Professor Janet ROSSANT - Canada

Senior Scientist, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, CANADA

University Professor, University of Toronto, CANADA

President, Gairdner Foundation, CANADA

Biological Sciences/Developmental biology

“For her outstanding research that helped us to better understand how tissues and organs are formed in the developing embryo.”

CONTACTS

L’Oréal Foundation

Ludivine DESMONTS-MORNET / [email protected] / +33 (0)6 10 57 41 74

Alix BONNET / [email protected] / +33 (0)6 99 45 86 45