Just like every year, the L’Oréal Foundation, in partnership with UNESCO, awards awards to experienced researchers. The ultimate objective is to recognize their efforts in research and science. Here is the prize list. In its 17th edition, the For Women in Science Morocco Prize, coinciding with the 10th FWIS (For Women in Science) Maghreb edition, once again awarded 5 young women. The winners are women who are pursuing careers in various disciplines of engineering and technology. A need for women in global science Beyond this award, women still remain too little present in scientific research today. They represent, according to the initiators, only “33.3% of researchers worldwide”. In addition, they encounter “difficulties in pursuing their scientific career and gaining the recognition they deserve”. “Similarly, less than 4% of scientific Nobel Prizes have been awarded to women in the world,” says the same source. However, scientific advances and discoveries help to make us more resilient, more adapted and more creative. “To achieve this, science needs all contributions. The mobilization of all scientific talents has never been so vital. Excluding or minimizing the role of women in science immediately slows down our ability to win the battle,” add the foundation and the international organization. A selection of 63 North African women The L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO reaffirm their commitment alongside women scientists, in order to support them, make them visible and support their research. Indeed, 63 candidates (doctoral and post-doctoral students) were selected in the Maghreb, among 92 eligible applications, by a jury of excellence composed of 5 Maghreb researchers, chaired by Professor Benjouad, vice-president of the Research & Development department of the International University of Rabat and professor of biology. “Coming from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, and from very diverse fields of research, these promising scientists were awarded an endowment of €10,000, which provides them with specific support at a pivotal moment in their scientific career,” adds the same source. In addition, the prize will help them continue their research work and transmit their passion for science, in order to inspire the scientists of tomorrow. About this prize, Laila Benjelloun, general director of L’Oréal Maroc, reveals: “Since the launch of the program in Morocco 17 years ago, expanded to the Maghreb 10 years ago, 85 scholarships have been awarded.” According to her, “the foundation continues its commitments to greater inclusion in research and we encourage young girls to pursue scientific careers.” “We are convinced that women advance science and science advances the world. This conviction is nourished by our own history. L’Oréal having been founded by a chemist more than 110 years ago, research is in our DNA and innovation is at the heart of our strategy,” she adds. For his part, Eric Falt, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb, indicates: “Over the past decades, the Maghreb as a whole has made considerable progress in supporting the scientific education of young girls, facilitating access for women in the region to higher-level scientific studies and supporting them in their professional careers.” In this context, the program that UNESCO and L’Oréal are leading together in the Maghreb aims, in his opinion, to reward and encourage five brilliant young scientists from the region and to establish them “as models for other women”. 2023 winners The 2023 Maghreb Young Talents Prize for women and science is awarded to Meroua Safa Mechouche for her research: “Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles and design of lectin nanoconjugates for a targeted therapeutic approach”. For its part, Wafa Babay was rewarded for its “Highlighting the microbial environment of ovarian cancer: new biobrands for early detection and therapeutic strategies”. For her part, Nisrine Nouj won this recognition for her “Ecological treatment of wastewater using fishing co-products by bio coagulation – bio sorption and treatment of sludge by vermicomposting”. In addition, Fatima-Zahra Azar was awarded the prize for her “Development of a new process for extracting essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants”. As for Hanane Yaagoubi, she won for her “Optimization of additive manufacturing processes”.
source: dhui.ma
