UNESCO “For Women in Science Award” 2025

 L’Oréal UNESCO Award “For Women in Science” 2025

Four young female researchers receive highly endowed award in Düsseldorf: “For Women in Science” Award

UNESCO is committed to equal opportunities and gender equality in education, science, culture, and communication worldwide (English, Deutsch)

Düsseldorf. "On September 18, 2025, L’Oréal, the German Commission for UNESCO, and the German Humboldt Research Network will once again honor four outstanding female scientists for their research contributions with the “For Women in Science” Award. This year, the award ceremony will take place for the first time at the NRW Forum in Düsseldorf, and the award will be presented for the 19th time. This year's award winners conduct research at institutes in Frankfurt, Jülich, Karlsruhe, and Münster.

 

SZ-Zeppelin, Foto: Helga Waess (Cover Kunst-Kultur-Blog)

Under the motto "The world needs science – and science needs women,"

the L'Oréal Foundation and UNESCO have been committed to promoting excellent women in research since 1998.

With their "For Women in Science" program, which has also been established in Germany since 2007, they have supported 4,400 female scientists worldwide, including seven future Nobel Prize winners.

In Germany, the program is organized in cooperation with the German Humboldt Network. To date, over 50 young female scientists in Germany have received the coveted award.

This year's awards ceremony will take place on September 18, 2025, in Düsseldorf

– marking the first time in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, after several years in Berlin. Arabella Kiesbauer will host the evening. Also on the program are keynote speeches from Susanne Sorg (Board Member of Hartmann Tresore AG), Dr. Nina Smidt (CEO of Siemens Stiftung), and entrepreneur Tijen Onaran.

This year, the prizes, each worth €25,000, 

will be awarded to:

Dr. Rana Hussein Ali (Institute of Biochemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main)

... researches photosynthesis and uses high-resolution methods to investigate the processes of proton release in photosystem II. Her work could support the future development of groundbreaking concepts for sustainable energy technologies.

Dr. Line Muradi (Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Münster)

... researches light-controlled organic reactions that use water as an environmentally friendly solvent. By using special amphiphilic substances, she is developing new sustainable methods for the synthesis of important compounds and contributing to greener chemistry.

Dr. Casey Paquola (Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Center)

... analyzes and models human brain development using MRI scans to understand the development of psychiatric disorders and to develop targeted preventive measures in the future.

Dr. Jingyuan Xu (Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology [KIT])

Her research focuses on the development of environmentally friendly cooling technologies based on the use of shape memory alloys. This innovative method enables more energy-efficient cooling and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cooling systems.

"In the EU, the proportion of female researchers is only 34%, and in Germany, even less than 30%," commented Jean-Christophe Letellier, CEO of L'Oréal DACH. "Despite the significant contributions women make to research, they often face systemic barriers. 'For Women in Science' is therefore much more than an awards ceremony – we are actively committed to breaking down these barriers. We don't just want to promote the excellent research of our award winners; we want to raise awareness of these impressive women. Our L'Oréal home base in Düsseldorf is perfectly suited to host the event – ​​North Rhine-Westphalia, as a major research and media location, stands for science, innovation, the advancement of women, and diversity."

"UNESCO is committed to equal opportunities and gender equality in education, science, culture, and communication worldwide," adds Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer, President of the German Commission for UNESCO. "However, women still face difficulties gaining a foothold in research and pursuing careers. Balancing a scientific career with starting a family is still too challenging in Germany. With 'For Women in Science,' we are not only honoring excellent scientific achievements but also strengthening the structures that enable women to have equal access to science."

Source: UNESCO - Quote from the press release of September 8, 2025

 

Funding award "Women in Science 2024"

Applications start for the “For Women in Science” funding award 2024

This year's application phase for the L'Oréal-UNESCO funding program "For Women in Science" for young female researchers in the natural and technical sciences runs until April 30th

 

German UNESCO Commission, the German Humboldt Network and L’Oréal Germany - GERMAN

Science. This year’s application phase for the L’Oréal-UNESCO funding program “For Women in Science” runs until April 30th. Final-year doctoral students, post-docs, habilitation candidates and junior professors can apply. It's that time again: all further information can be found on the official homepage of: www.forwomeninscience.com. For almost 20 years, UNESCO and L'Oréal have been offering four scholarships of 25,000 euros each for young female scientists who work in Germany. This supports the work of outstanding female scientists. “For Women in Science” will again support young female scientists in Germany in 2024. The German UNESCO Commission, L’Oréal Germany and the German Humboldt Network are the sponsors of the program. As part of the German “For Women in Science” program, highly qualified young female doctoral students and post-doctoral students with children are also supported in balancing family and work - because this academic career phase in particular often coincides with the time of starting a family. Seven of the international “For Women in Science” prize winners have already been honored with the Nobel Prize, most recently Katalin Karikó (medicine) and Anne L’Huillier (physics).

Kunst - Kultur - Blog-Cover - Photo: Helga Waess

The abbreviation MINT stands for mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology

The so-called MINT subjects still have a small proportion of women, but at least the number of female first-year students has almost doubled from 2008 to 2022 (from 59,599 to 106,976). The “For Women in Science” funding program is aimed at female scientists in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics as well as medicine, astronomy, earth and agricultural sciences, geology and nanosciences.

"Interdisciplinary research profiles are expressly desired. The award winners can use the prize money freely. Applications can be submitted online."

The President of the German Commission for UNESCO, Maria Böhmer, told the press:

“We need more women in science, especially in leadership positions... This is a question of equal opportunities. In Germany, more women than men complete university. Almost as many women as men are doing doctorates. Nevertheless, only about a quarter of all full-time professorships are held by women. The hurdles for young women to gain a foothold in science and research are still higher than for their male colleagues. The burdens between work and family are still unequally distributed. As a result, the scientific community is losing many bright minds. That needs to change! Our funding award is intended to make a contribution to this.”

Kenneth Campbell, CEO of L’Oréal in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, emphasized

“We are seeing an encouraging change in the recognition and appreciation of women in science, but we are far from there. We therefore need impressive role models, such as our award winners. These scientists do impressive basic research in the natural sciences and at the same time inspire future generations.”

“A scholarship is invaluable for a scientist’s progress,” explains Elke Bogner, chairwoman of the German Humboldt Network:

"It not only offers financial support, but also opens doors to new opportunities and resources. Further added value lies in the connection to a network such as the German Humboldt Network. Through access to former scholarship holders of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and With the foundation’s long-standing partners, scholarship holders can exchange ideas with like-minded people, establish collaborations and benefit from each other’s wealth of experience.”

“For Women in Science” by the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO has existed since 1998

The funding program has also existed in Germany since 2006 and a total of 49 female scientists have been honored to date.

Since 2022, the “For Women in Science” funding program has been under the personal patronage of the

 Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger.

 

OUR ARTICLE 2016
 L'Oréal-UNESCO Prize For Women in Science

Five highly talented female scientists are revolutionizing research in 2015: They come from the USA, South Africa, China, Argentina and Germany, the five winners of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science. A total of 2,600 female researchers were nominated. The selected professors have “significantly” advanced the natural sciences with their research.

SEE:

 L'Oréal-UNESCO-Preis For Women in Science
Fünf hochtalentierte Wissenschaftlerinnen revolutionieren 2015 die Forschung: Sie kommen aus den USA, aus Südafrika, China, Argentinien und Deutschland, die fünf Preisträgerinnen des L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science. Insgesamt waren 2600 Forscherinnen vorgeschlagen. Die ausgewählten Professorinnen haben mit ihren Forschungen "maßgeblich" die Naturwissenschaften vorangebracht.