5 female scientists awarded 2025 L’Oréal–UNESCO International Prize

On Monday, five female researchers specializing in green energy, air quality, data security, and the understanding of the laws of the universe received the L’Oréal–UNESCO International Awards "For Women in Science," which are being awarded for the 27th time.

These annual awards, granted to one scientist from each of the five major geographical regions of the world, aim to promote women's participation in science and empower them to contribute to knowledge advancement, according to a joint statement issued by UNESCO and the L’Oréal Foundation.

According to the joint statement from L’Oréal and UNESCO, among the 137 recipients of the award since its inception, seven have gone on to win Nobel Prizes in science.

UNESCO data shows that women currently represent just over one in three researchers globally. The statement also noted that "women occupy only a quarter of senior scientific positions in Europe, and only 4% of Nobel Prizes in science have been awarded to women."

The North America prize went to Professor Barbara Finlayson-Pitts (University of California) for "her foundational research that revolutionized our understanding of how air pollution forms."

Priscilla Baker, a chemistry professor at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), won the award for Africa and the Arab world for her contributions to developing highly sensitive electrochemical sensors capable of detecting environmental pollutants.

Professor Xiaoyun Wang of Tsinghua University (China), who received the award for the Asia-Pacific region, "revolutionized the science and mathematics of cryptography," leading to the development of encryption methods now used for bank cards, computer passwords, and e-commerce.

Claudia Felser, a professor of solid-state physical chemistry in Dresden, Germany, won the award for Europe for her role in discovering and developing "new magnetic materials with potential for future green energy technologies."

For Latin America and the Caribbean, the award went to María Teresa Dova, a professor in the physics department at La Plata University in Argentina, for "bringing about a fundamental shift in our understanding of high-energy physics."

What are the L’Oréal–UNESCO “For Women in Science” Awards?

The L’Oréal–UNESCO “For Women in Science” Awards are among the most prominent global initiatives aimed at promoting the role of women in scientific fields, providing opportunities for female researchers to actively contribute to scientific knowledge and innovation.

A-H 

ANHA