L'ORÉAL AND UNESCO CELEBRATE FEMALE SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE IN UK & IRELAND WITH THE 2024 RISING TALENTS AWARDS

• The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme aims to support a strong talent pipeline of women in STEM and recognises the vital importance of women being part of solving the challenges of tomorrow
• Gender inequality in STEM remains a critical challenge as a new survey from L'Oreal has found that despite incredible female talent in STEM, women still face barriers
• 65% of women in STEM have experienced feelings of 'imposter syndrome'
• 67% have felt like they didn't belong in the STEM community when compared to their male counterparts

LONDON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme has today announced the recipients of the 2024 Rising Talents Awards which recognise exceptional early careers women scientists in the UK and Ireland.

Currently, women still make up less than a third of the UK STEM workforce.^[1] A new survey, commissioned by L'Oréal, has looked into the barriers that still exist and identified the prevalence of 'imposter syndrome' amongst women in STEM and how the majority (65%) at some point during their career have felt that they simply do not belong in the field.

The survey found that three quarters (75%) of women in STEM have felt overlooked in their career, or throughout their journey to get to where they are, with more than a third (37%) of those surveyed feeling like they have not been awarded the same opportunities as men. Two thirds (67%) have felt like they didn't belong in the STEM community when compared to their male counterparts.

L'Oréal has been committed to promoting gender equality and supporting women in STEM for over 25 years through the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science partnership which recognises the vital importance of women being part of solving the challenges of tomorrow.

Through the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science partnership each of the winners will receive flexible grants to encourage the contribution of women pursuing their STEM research careers with this year's L'Oréal UNESCO For Women In Science Awards taking place on 18th March in the House of Commons, spotlighting the next rising stars in STEM. This year's winners included:

Sustainable Development: Dr Reem Swidah currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology. Her goal is to harness the exceptional evolutionary abilities of synthetic yeast strains to develop innovative and cost-effective technologies to produce biofuels. She believes that these advancements hold the potential to combat climate change.
Highly Commended: Dr Naomi Farren

Mathematics & Computing: Dr Giulia Laura Celora is an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow at the Department of Mathematics at University College London. Her research is in the field of mathematical biology and aims to develop mechanistic mathematical models to understand the multiscale dynamics of cell collectives in development and cancer.
Highly Commended: Dr Ellen Luckins

Physical Sciences: Dr Ann Njeri is a postdoctoral research associate in Extragalactic Astrophysics at Newcastle University. Her current research work involves the use of wide-field and high-resolution radio imaging to probe the nature of hidden supermassive black holes in galaxies, for a better understanding of how they influence the formation and evolution of galaxies (including our own Milky Way Galaxy) and stars through cosmic time.
Highly Commended: Dr Aisha Bismillah

Engineering: Dr Sara Keller is a Glasstone Research Fellow in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. Her research involves developing ultrasound molecular imaging probes for the rapid diagnosis of bacterial infections with the aim of creating new tools for image-guided interventions.
Highly Commended: Dr Liyun Ma

Life sciences: Dr Océane Seudre is a postdoctoral research fellow at Queen Mary University of London. Her current interdisciplinary research aims to uncover the developmental regulatory basis of phenotypic plasticity in tropical butterflies. Her long-term goal is to integrate epigenetic mechanisms into our understanding of resilience to changing ecosystems. Océane received her PhD in evolutionary and developmental biology from Queen Mary University of London.
Highly Commended: Dr Angelika Zarkali, University College London and Dr Mie Wong, University College London

Thierry Cheval, L'Oréal UK and Ireland, Managing Director said: "As a company founded by a scientist over 100 years ago, L'Oréal, together with UNESCO, is committed to driving gender equality in STEM and recognising the exceptional work of female scientists who are vitally contributing to solving the challenges of tomorrow.
"Congratulations to this year's Fellows who are a true inspiration for generations to come."

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee & sponsor the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme commented: "Congratulations to this year's L'Oréal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women in Science Rising Talents fellows. Giving a platform and visibility to women scientists is everyone's responsibility, Government, civil society, and business, because if you cannot see it, you cannot be it. Neither the UK, nor the world, can successfully respond to the pressing environmental and societal challenges without unleashing the knowledge and capability of women scientists."

Professor Anne Anderson, Chair of the UK National Commission for UNESCO's Board of Directors: "Congratulations to the 2024 Rising Talents. As we stand at a pivotal moment in time for scientific advancement, UNESCO continues to highlight the importance of true gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the vital role women play in a more equitable scientific society.
"The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO is proud to support these young women in STEM from the UK & Ireland and celebrate their achievements as researchers paving the way for a brighter global future."

ABOUT L'ORÉAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE

The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science global partnership has been established for 26 years; supporting over 250 talented women researchers from 110 countries annually.

In the UK the programme is a partnership between L'Oréal UK & Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society.

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