UNESCO Shines Spotlight on Women Scientists

Ambassador Killion with Dr. Elaine Fuchs and other L’Oreal-UNESCO prizewinners at the reception he hosted in their honor ©Cyril Bailleul

The five laureates of the 12th annual L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science received their prizes at a ceremony on March 4 at UNESCO, in the presence of Director-General Irina Bokova and Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, Chairman of L’Oréal and of the L’Oréal Corporate Foundation. Fifteen fellowships were awarded separately to doctoral and post-doctoral female students to pursue their research in laboratories outside their home countries.

Each of the five laureates received a $100,000 prize. Dr. Elaine Fuchs from Rockefeller University in New York was this year's North American prizewinner. Dr. Fuchs was recognized for "the discovery of stem cells and key processes involved in skin development, maintenance and repair.” Dr. Fuchs also received the American National Medal of Science presented by President Obama in 2009.

The other laureates came from France, Egypt, Mexico and the Philippines. An international network of nearly 1,000 scientists nominates the candidates for each year’s awards. This year’s jury was presided by Professor Günter Blobel, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1999.

Since 1998, the L'Oreal-UNESCO partnership has awarded prizes to 62 laureates and 864 women from 93 countries have received fellowships.

On March 3, Ambassador Killion hosted a reception for Dr. Fuchs and the other laureates, noting their contributions to science and the great importance the U.S. places on girls’ and women’s access to scientific education.