L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East Fellowship 2018 is now open for applications

It’s time for Women in Science to Shine
Program to award fellowships worth EUR 84,000 to outstanding female scientists in the GCC and Yemen 

Dubai, 21 February 2018 –   L’ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East Fellowship is once again looking for worthy candidates for this year’s program. The annual initiative, in partnership with Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates and under the patronage of H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, President of Zayed University, aims to recognize and promote women pursuing science in the region. 

The initiative supports Arab women scientists and researchers in the region to pursue scientific research by awarding valuable fellowships. This year fellowships of EUR 84,000 will be given to 6 Arab female scientists either holding a PhD degree or are currently PhD students in the fields of Life Sciences or Physical Sciences and working in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. 

“Started 20 years ago, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science was the first-of-its-kind initiative with a firm belief that the scientific community needs more women to actively pursue new horizons. In our region, the initiative was launched in 2014; and since then fellowships worth AED 1.5 million have been given to 18 remarkable women scientists from the region; four of whom were recognized at an international level. Our primary focus is to enable women to pursue an education and a dynamic career in science in the GCC and Yemen,” said Remi Chadapaux, Managing Director of L’Oréal Middle East. 

Supporting women in the research field since 1998, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science has recognized and honored 2,800 exceptional female scientists from 115 countries. The foundation has honored 97 awards laureates for excellence in science, including two women who went on to win the Nobel Prize.

Through the initiative, 2,723 promising young women scientists received fellowships to pursue their research projects. in 2017, out of the 9000 applications received worldwide, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science awarded 275 fellowships to the most deserving women scientists. The program involved insights and support from over 43 high-level global scientific institutions; and the selection process was carried out by 353 scientists, including 31 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Laureates. 

By providing them with fellowships at crucial points in their careers, it also aims to break the barriers of gender stereotypes and dated notions; and therefore, helps promote gender equality for women working in scientific fields. 

All applications will be evaluated by a Pan Arab panel of eminent scientists, chaired by Prof. Mouïn Hamzé President of the Jury & Secretary General of the National Council for Scientific Research – Lebanon (CNRS-L).