Award, grants for women scientists launched

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty company, has launched in the Philippines the prestigious “For Women in Science (FWIS)” Award which aims to recognize Filipina researchers who made excellent contributions to the advancement of science in the country.

Aside from the award, UNESCO and L’Oreal Philippines, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology, also launched the FWIS National Fellowship which provides research grants to two deserving Filipino women.

Luc Olivier-Marquet, managing director of L’Oreal Philippines, said two fellowship grants worth P400,000 each will be given to two outstanding Filipina researchers.

This year, Olivier-Marquet said the FWIS National Fellowships-Philippines will accept research proposals related to Life and Material Sciences, specifically in the field of science and technology, mathematics and engineering.

“Through the fellowship grants, we would like to assist Filipina scientists in creating concrete contributions through their research to help their country,” Olivier-Marquet said in a press briefing at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

To know more about the FWIS National Fellowships, the public may visit its website at www.fwis.com.ph or email the FWIS Secretariat at [email protected].

Science Secretary Mario Montejo, who graced the launching of the FWIS Award, said this initiative will be a boost to local scientists.

“Since this will be an annual program, we are assured that the awarding body of FWIS will continue to acknowledge and promote women in science,” he said.

 Early this year, Lourdes Cruz, a professor at the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, received the L’oreal-UNESCO Award in the Life Sciences “for her discovery of marine snail toxins that can serve as powerful tools to study brain function.” She is the first Filipino woman to receive the award.

Olivier-Marquet noted that globally, there are only few women who are involved in science researches.

“I am so delighted that the FWIS National Fellowships is now here in the Philippines. This remarkable program will give Filipina scientists, especially those who need financial support, a golden opportunity to pursue their research,” Cruz said.