Washington, DC, February 13, 2019 -- Five researchers have been named winners of the 2019 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World for their research in the biological sciences. The winning scholars from Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Gambia, Nepal and Palestine are being recognized for their accomplishments in environmental microbiology, ethnobotany, clinical pediatrics and epidemiology. The prize also acknowledges the scientists’ commitment to leading and mentoring young scientists, and to improving lives and livelihoods in their communities and regions.
“These scientists are performing ground-breaking international-level science, often in circumstances where the deck has been stacked against them,“ said Jennifer Thomson, President of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). “They deserve to be honored and celebrated for their dedication not only to their research, but to creating a better world for people to live in.”
The five researchers are:
“Each year, it is inspiring to find out just how much of the research undertaken by our winning scientists focuses on crucial challenges addressed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals: creating sustainable bioplastics in Bangladesh; preserving traditional plant knowledge in Bolivia; reducing disease transmission to newborns in Africa; removing arsenic from water in Nepal; and investigating the health care system response to gender violence in Palestine," said Ylann Schemm, Director of the Elsevier Foundation. "In addition, working with OWSD and the AAAS to celebrate the success of these talented women scientists is both an honor and a joy.”
First awarded in 2011, the awards are given in partnership by OWSD and the Elsevier Foundation . OWSD chairs a panel of distinguished scientists to select the winners, and the Elsevier Foundation supports a cash prize for each winner of USD $5,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), this year in Washington, D.C., February 13-17, 2019. The five winners will be honored on February 16 at a special breakfast ceremony during the AAAS meeting.
Past OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award winners have been recognized by their country’s presidents and celebrated by local, national and international media. They have received other prestigious awards and fellowships including L'OREAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowships and the British Council Award.
Read more :
About the Awards: https://owsd.net/awards/awards
About recent Awardees:
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Notes for editors
The awards ceremony will take place on February 16, 2019 during the Minority and Women Scientists and Engineers Networking Breakfast from 7:00-9:00 AM in Washington, D.C. at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting.
Reporters wishing to attend the ceremony may contact Domiziana Francescon at +31 610215901 or d.francescon@elsevier.com .
The 2019 winners are:
Reference sheets for each award winner with a more extensive biography and description of their work are also available upon request.
About OWSD
The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) provides research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists throughout the developing world. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 7,000 members and runs various programmes, including a PhD fellowship programme with over 250 successful graduates from Least Developed Countries and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as an Early Career Women Scientists fellowship programme launched in December 2017. OWSD is the first international forum to unite women scientists from the developing world with the objective of strengthening their role in the development process and promoting their representation in scientific and technological leadership. OWSD is affiliated with The World Academy of Science (TWAS), a programme unit of UNESCO, and is based in Trieste, Italy, with national chapters throughout the developing world. http://www.owsd.net
About The Elsevier Foundation
The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a sustainability focus on innovations in health information, diversity in STM, research in developing countries and technology for development. Since 2006, the Foundation has awarded more than 100 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 a corporate not-for-profit 501(c)(3), funded by Elsevier, a global information analytics business. http://www.elsevierfoundation.org
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals advance healthcare, open science and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support and professional education, including ScienceDirect , Scopus , SciVal , ClinicalKey and Sherpath . Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell , more than 38,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy . Elsevier is part of RELX Group , a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com
Media contact
Domiziana Francescon, Program Officer
Elsevier Foundation
+31 610215901
d.francescon@elsevier.com
Erin Johnson, Communications Officer
OWSD
+39 040 2240 387
ejohnson@owsd.net