UNESCO, cosmetics company to honor five outstanding women scientists

UNESCO, cosmetics company to honor five outstanding women scientists

2010-11-10 06:15:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the French cosmetics manufacturer L'Oréal on Tuesday announced the five outstanding women scientists who will be honored for their significant research an work.

The five women researchers in the Physical Sciences were selected as the 2011 Laureates by the International Awards Jury, comprised of 16 eminent members of the scientific community and presided by Professor Ahmed Zewail, awarded with the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

More than 1,000 scientists from around the world took part in the nomination of candidates for the award. The five winners were selected for their pioneering projects that contribute to finding solutions to significant challenges for the planet.

Faiza Al-Kharafi, professor of chemistry at Kuwait University will be honored for her work on corrosion, a problem of fundamental importance to water treatment and the oil industry.

Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, professor of chemistry and energy at the University of Hong Kong will be recognized for her work on light-emitting materials and innovative ways of capturing solar energy.

Professor Emeritus Silvia Torres-Peimbert of the Institute of Astronomy at Mexico City's UNAM will receive the award for her work on the chemical composition of nebulae, which is fundamental to the understanding of the origin of the universe.

Anne L'huillier, professor of atomic physics at Lund University in Sweden, will be recognized for her research on the development of the fastest camera for recording events in attoseconds – a billionth of a billionth of a second.

Jillian Banfield, professor of Earth and Planetary Science, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, will be honored for her research on bacterial and material behavior under extreme conditions relevant to the environment and the planet.

Each of the five scientists will receive $100,000 in recognition of their contribution to science. The awards ceremony will take place on March 3 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. L'Oréal and UNESCO joined forces 13 years ago to support the cause of women in science.

"The women scientists from all over the world who are receiving the L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards make it possible for us to hope for a better future," Professor Ahmed Zewail said.

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