Ammon News -
AMMONNEWS - The winners of the 2011 l’Oréal-UNESCO Pan-Arab For Women In Science Fellowships program were announced on Tuesday October 4th at the fellowships’ ceremony held under the patronage of H.E Dr. Hassan Diab, Lebanon’s Minister of Education and & Higher Education at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut.
Dr. Lubna Hamid Tahtamouni, from the Hashemite University in Jordan, was one of nine Arab female scientists in the region to be awarded a fellowship to support her ongoing research into cancer biology.
The fellowships, now in their second year in the Pan-Arab region, promote the importance of ensuring greater participation of women in science by offering awards to outstanding female postdoctoral researchers. The $20,000 fellowships, to be given to each fellow, have been designed to provide practical help for the winners to undertake research in their chosen fields. Since the international l’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science fellowships began, over 1000 women in over 100 countries have been recognized for their research and received funding to further their studies.
Inaugurating the ceremony, was Mrs. Salwa Baasiri, Secretary General of the Lebanese National Commission of UNESCO Lebanon, commenting on the L’Oréal – UNESCO FWIS partnership, she said, “UNESCO and l'Oréal are both curators of excellence and intellectual creation, The FWIS program was formed to meet the values of justice, fairness and equality, the same values that are the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the duty owed to Arab women in showing the image of bright, energetic, knowledge and strong women who will be instrumental role models in bringing about positive change in society.”
The l’Oréal-UNESCO Pan Arab Fellowships program, in association with ASTF (Arab Science & Technology Foundation), was one of the first regional programs launched by l’Oréal Foundation. In its regional capacity, the program reaches 17 countries and thousands of women scientists in the Arab World.
Dr. Abdallah Al Najjar, President & CEO of the woman network at the Arab Science and Technology Foundation, praised the partnership between the ASTF, L'Oréal and the UNESCO, to provide the appropriate atmosphere and catalyst for Arab women in science and technology, to contribute in building the Arab Knowledge Society, and to support sustainable development efforts. He said: “The creative energies and ideas of Arab women are playing an essential role in the process of modernization and development of Arab societies. We expect the achievements of Arab women in science and technology will eventually be recognized beyond regional borders, resulting in various awards, such as the Nobel Prizes in science.”
Mr. Alexandre Popoff, Managing Director l'Oréal Africa, Middle East and Latin America added: “this partnership between l'Oréal and UNESCO is unique. It aims at encouraging female participation in scientific research. This partnership is growing by the day because it is based on strong convictions: women need assistance, encouragement and recognition to conduct a scientific career.”
Dr. Nabiel Saleh, President of the jury declared, “The increasing numbers of young female scientists that are applying for the FWIS is an indication of its future role in developing distinguished female scientists, through maintaining high quality research standards.”
The names of the nine exceptional Arab women scientists from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen were as follows :
•Dr. Shahenda Mahmoud El-Nagga, (Egypt), will undertake research into Cancer Stem Cells Self Renewal in Glioblastoma Multiform
•Dr. Lubna Hamid Tahtamouni (Jordan), The Hashemite University/Jordan & Colorado State University/USA, will undertake research into cancer biology
•Dr. Zeina Hobeika (Lebanon), Saint Joseph, university of Beirut, will undertake her research into anti-HIV drug design
•Dr. Rayhanah Abdul Munim Al Mjeni (Oman), Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Muscat,will undertake research intoGenetics of Glaucoma
•Dr. Rula Abdul-Salam Abdul-Ghani (Palestine), AL-Quds University, Jerusalem, will undertake research into cancer
•Dr. Ansam Shafik Alafandy (Syria), Damascus University-Faculty of Dentistry, will undertake research into the Pediatric Dentistry
•Dr. Hind Mohamed Abushama (Sudan), University of Khartoum, will undertake research into the Immunogenetics
•Dr. Wissem Cheikh Rouhou-Koubaa (Tunisia), will undertake research into Magnetic Oxides
•Dr. Anisa Hassan Sakkaf Albiti (Yemen), King Abdulaziz university Hospital, Jeddah KSA, will undertake research into the Health impact assessment of Pregnancy in Sickle Cell hemoglobinopathies
Concluding the ceremony was Dr. Leila Fayad, President of the Educational Center for Research and Development representing H.E Dr. Hassan Diab addressed the fellows saying: “Every woman among you has truly earned this reward and accolade, as a result of the hard work she has done, her perseverance and determination to succeed in achieving a milestone or presenting useful research for society. Today you are a beacon for other women, inspiration for men, and it is with individuals like you that our society can rise to higher levels.”
All attendees were then treated to a celebratory cocktail reception to toast to the new generation of women scientists.
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