L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards

Scientific award

The L'Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, created in 1998, aim to improve the position of women in science by recognizing outstanding women researchers who have contributed to scientific progress. The awards are a result of a partnership between the French company L'Oréal and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and carry a grant of $100,000 USD for each laureate. This award is also known as the L'Oréal UNESCO Women in Science Awards. Each year an international jury awards five laureates, selecting one from each of the following regions:
Africa and the Arab States. Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Latin America and the Caribbean
North America (since 2000)
Eligibility requirements alternate every other year based on scientific discipline with laureates in life sciences recognized in even years and laureates in physical sciences, mathematics and computer science recognized in odd years (since 2003). The same partnership awards the UNESCO L'Oréal International Fellowships, providing up to $40,000 USD in funding over two years to fifteen young women scientists engaged in exemplary and promising research projects. The Fellowship awards began in 2000 with a one year award of US$20,000 and offered ten awards until 2003. In 2003, the number of awards increased to 15 and then in 2006, the grant period extended to two years and the amount of the award increased to US$40,000. In 2015, the name Rising Talent Grants was implemented. As of 2023, 6 L'Oréal UNESCO laureates have won also a Nobel Prize, these are: Elizabeth Blackburn in Physiology or Medicine (2008), Ada Yonath in Chemistry (2009), Emmanuelle Charpentier in Chemistry (2020), Jennifer Doudna in Chemistry (2020), Katalin Karikó in Physiology or Medicine (2023) and Anne L'Huillier in Physics (2023).

On the 25th anniversary of the award (2023), a special tribute was given to three researchers in exile, who were or had been forced to interrupt their scientific career in their home country and have pursued their career abroad. A financial reward and a medal of honor was awarded to Mursal Dawodi (artificial intelligence) from Afghanistan, Ann Al Sawoor (mathematics) from Iraq, and Marycelin Baba (molecular biology) from Nigeria.

From 2000 to 2014, fellowships were awarded yearly to doctoral and post doctoral women to allow them to pursue their research in host laboratories outside their home countries. Established in 2015, the International Rising Talent Grants are awarded annually to 15 PhD students and post doctoral Fellows. They replace the former International Fellowships.

Each year, the International Rising Talents programme selects the 15 most promising women scientists among the 275 national and regional fellows of the L’Oréal UNESCO For Women In Science programme. These young women are the very future of science and recognizing their excellence will help ensure that they reach their full potential.

Among the 275 national and regional fellowship winners supported each year, the For Women in Science programme selects the 15 most promising researchers for this international recognition.