The outstanding female scientists receive gifts from the award organiser. — VNS Photo Thu Trang

HÀ NỘI — The L’Oréal – UNESCO Science Award For the Development of Women in Science on Monday afternoon celebrated 15 years in Việt Nam with a mission of honouring and promoting Vietnamese women in science.

The celebration recognised 38 outstanding female Vietnamese scientists who received the L'Oréal - UNESCO Science Award For the Development of Women in Science from 2009 to 2023.

In the context of cooperation between UNESCO and the L'Oréal Foundation, the award was established to honour outstanding female scientists and promote gender equality in scientific research.

This is also a way to boost the sciences and human resources in scientific fields in order to address major challenges in this new era.

The annual award brings together outstanding female Vietnamese scientists, whose pioneering research contributes to changing the world through new scientific applications and studies in areas such as health, food security and the environment, among many others.

Since its launch in Việt Nam in 2009, the programme has awarded scholarships to 38 talented young female scientists, including three who were awarded the International Young Talent Award in 2015, 2018 and 2022 for their outstanding contributions in the fields of life sciences and materials sciences.

The programme has supported them to continue pursuing their passion for science and further their research, narrowing the gender gap in science.

These awards recognise the tireless efforts of outstanding female scientists and honour the new achievements they have made, promoting sustainable development in Việt Nam and globally.

Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative in Việt Nam, said: “We respect the remarkable achievements of 38 female scientists in Việt Nam, some of whom have made an impact beyond their national borders. I hope that through this programme, together with female scientists, we will further narrow the gender gap in science in the country.”

Benjamin Rachow, General Director of L’Oréal Việt Nam, said: “L’Oréal Việt Nam has always been strongly committed to the mission of supporting women in the field of science. The research work of these outstanding female scientists not only plays an important role in solving the challenges of the time, but also inspires the next generation of young female scientists to continue scientific research.”

During the event, representatives attended an exhibition about the research of previous award winners since they received their scholarships and listened to presentations on six new areas of study. — VNS