Nominations Open for 2016 Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World

AMSTERDAM, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Nominations for excellence in research in the field of biological sciences are accepted through September 1, 2015 

Nominations opened today for the Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World, a high-profile honor for scientific and career achievements by women from developing countries in five regions: Latin America and the Caribbean; the Arab region; Sub-Saharan Africa; Central and South Asia; and East and South-East Asia and the Pacific. In 2016 the awards will be in the biological sciences, covering agriculture, biology, and medicine. Nominations will be accepted through September 1, 2015.

The awards are sponsored and organized by The Elsevier Foundation, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS). The competition will be judged by a distinguished panel of international scientists; one winner from each region will be announced mid-February 2016 at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington D.C. The five winners will each receive a cash prize of US$5,000 and all-expenses paid attendance at the AAAS meeting. The winners will also receive one-year access to Elsevier's ScienceDirect and Scopus.

The Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists rotate annually between disciplines (biological sciences; engineering sciences; and physical sciences) to ensure optimal exposure and networking synergies. Previous winners say the awards have had a powerful impact, enhancing the visibility of their research and creating new opportunities for the future.

"When you receive an award, especially an international award, you are empowered and energized to do more," said Dr. Mojisola Adeniyi, Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and 2015 Award Winner.

Dr. Rabia Salihu Said, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs of Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria, and 2015 Award winner, added, "I was very excited to have a chance to meet all these people. I felt very honored to receive this award - it was beyond my dreams."

Nominations for the 2016 awards will be accepted for early-career women scientists working in the fields of biological sciences who have received their PhDs within the past 10 years and live in one of the 81 scientifically lagging countries as defined by TWAS. All nominations will be reviewed by a committee of eminent researchers in the biological sciences discipline, and representing the five regions, including members of TWAS and OWSD, and chaired by OWSD President Fang Xin of China.

"Each year I am so impressed with the women who receive these awards. They are, by definition, exceptional and very deserving of the visibility and international connections that the award brings," said Fang Xin, OWSD President, China. "This year's award is in biological sciences and I know there are many hardworking women who have made a real difference to this field of research even when they have had few resources and little encouragement. I hope we receive many nominations, especially from the poorest, smallest countries, where women's work in science is so important."

Romain Murenzi, TWAS Executive Director, said, "These awards are very important to the advance of science in the developing world. By recognizing excellent research, the awards encourage early-career women researchers to aim for the stars. And for the winners, international recognition provides visibility and credibility that will help them to make even greater contributions in their labs and classrooms, and in their nations."

"International recognition matters for a scientific career; these awards consistently find women scientists who are highly deserving of such recognition," said David Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation. "It's particularly gratifying to see how well the award winners and their work are received when they have an opportunity to present it to an international audience."

For more information go to: Elsevier Connect

Download the 2016 EF Awards nomination form here.

Notes to editors 

The award nomination form can be downloaded from the OWSD website and submitted through September 1, 2015 to info@owsd.net

About TWAS 

The World Academy of Sciences works to advance innovation and sustainable prosperity in the developing world through research, education, policy and diplomacy. TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel Prize winner. Today, the Academy has some 1,150 elected Fellows from 90 countries; 15 of them are Nobel laureates. Throughout its history, its mission has focused on supporting and promoting excellence in research in the developing world and applying science and engineering to global challenges. TWAS receives core funding from the Government of Italy. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) administers TWAS funds and personnel. The Academy is based in Trieste, Italy. http://www.twas.org

About OWSD 

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated with TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, and their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to bridge the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD promotes leadership and provides networking opportunities for women scientists as well as exploring and improving strategies for increasing female participation in science. http://www.owsd.net

About the Elsevier Foundation 

The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to institutions around the world, with a focus on support for the world's libraries and for scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 80 grants worth millions of dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. The Elsevier Foundation is funded by Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. http://www.elsevierfoundation.org

About Elsevier 

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com

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Public Information Officer
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elempinen@twas.org

Elsevier Foundation
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Program Director, Elsevier Foundation
+31-6-23982359
newsroom@elsevier.com