L’Oréal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science
London, 25th April 2023 – The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme has today announced the recipients of the 2023 Rising Talent Awards which recognise exceptional early careers women scientists in the UK and Ireland.
The programme offers flexible grants to promote, enhance and encourage the contribution of women pursuing research careers in the UK or Ireland. Grants are awarded to five women across Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, Physical Sciences and Sustainable Development.
L’Oréal and UNESCO have worked together globally for 25 years to celebrate the scientific excellence of women scientists and empower more women to participate equally in solving the world’s challenges.
Thierry Cheval, L'Oréal UK and Ireland, Managing Director said: “Through our long-standing partnership with UNESCO, we seek to support more women to achieve scientific excellence and champion gender equality in STEM. Congratulations to the 2023 recipients who are at the forefront of scientific excellence, while inspiring future generations of women scientists.”
Anne Anderson, Chair of the Board of Directors of the UK National Commission for UNESCO, said: “Congratulations to the 2023 Rising Talents, it is a privilege to able to support these outstanding researchers on their journey. Women are vital to the future of science and whilst we still have progress to make to achieve true gender equality in STEM, these awards are just one way in which we can recognise and promote the achievement of women scientists and support them in pursuing long-term careers.”
The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science 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.
Congratulations to the 2023 grant recipients:
Engineering
Dr Amparo Güemes González (University of Cambridge)
Dr Amparo Güemes González is a postdoctoral 1851 Research Fellow at the Bioelectronic Lab at the University of Cambridge and her current interdisciplinary research aims to develop advanced algorithms and neurotechnology to be integrated into a closed-loop platform to improve glucose control for people with type 1 diabetes. Amparo received her PhD in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College London.
Life Sciences
Dr Khushboo Borah Slater (University of Surrey)
Dr Khushboo Borah Slater is a scientist working in tuberculosis and leprosy infectious diseases at the University of Surrey. Her goal is to innovate fluxomic technology (a particular omics-based scientific approach) for studying human metabolic reprogramming during infection that could lead to the development of new therapeutics for better clinical outcomes. She has a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Oxford.
Mathematics and Computer Science
Dr Jane Ivy Coons (University of Oxford)
Dr Jane Ivy Coons is an early career fellow at St John’s College, Oxford and an affiliate researcher at the University of Oxford’s Mathematical Institute. Her research is in the field of algebraic statistics, meaning she uses algebra, combinatorics, and other branches of theoretical mathematics to explain the geometry of statistical models. She has a PhD from North Carolina State University.
Physical Sciences
Kara Lynch (University of Manchester)
Dr Kara Lynch is a nuclear physicist and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Manchester, where she is using laser spectroscopy (the study of the electronic energy levels of the atom) and decay spectroscopy (the study of the radioactive decay of the nucleus) to understand the structure of exotic nuclei. Kara received her PhD from the University of Manchester as a CERN Doctoral student.
Sustainable Development
Sophie Nixon (University of Manchester)
Dr Sophie Nixon is a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) David Phillips Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, where she is studying life in the deep subsurface (below ground), and other extreme environments. Her long-term goal is to harness microbial community metabolism to solve environmental problems. Sophie has a PhD in Astrobiology from the University of Edinburgh.
