On International Women's Day, l'Oréal and UNESCO annonced names of women scientists rewarded for outstanding scientific research. The prize-giving ceremy took place at UNESCO HQ on 11 March 2004.
2004 Prize winners, all life science specialists, are:
• Africa – Jennifer Thomson (South Africa) : For work on transgenic plants resistant to drought and to viral infections, in an effort to respond to the continent's chronic food shortage.
• South America – Lucia Mendonça Previato (Brazil) : For studies which enable progress in the understanding, treatment and prevention of the Chagas' disease.
• North America – Philippa Marrack (United States) : For the characterization of lymphocyte T functions in the immune system and the discovery of superanti-genes.
• Asia/ Pacific – Nancy Ip (China) : For discoveries concerning proteins which favour the growth and preservation of neurones in brain development.
• Europe – Christine Petit (France) : For research on the molecular and cellular bases of human hereditary deafness and other sensorial deficiencies.
UNESCO's Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, participated in the award-giving ceremony.
Following an agreement between l'Oréal and UNESCO, signed on 29 September 1999, a prize of 100 000 dollars each is given annually to five outstanding women researchers, one from each continent. Subsequently enhanced the award has been extended to include an allocation of 20 000 dollars, for fifteen young doctoral or post-doctoral students, three from each continent to help them continue their research projects in an institution outside their country of origin, research often oriented towards local issues. An independent jury selects and awards the prizes.
HKUST
HKUST L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Laureate Honored
科大葉玉如教授榮獲世界傑出女科學家成就獎
UNESCO
Prof. Nancy Ip, 2004 For Women in Science Laureate for Asia-Pacific (China)
Best of 2004 L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards Ceremony
2004 L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science
On International Women's Day, l'Oréal and UNESCO annonced names of women scientists rewarded for outstanding scientific research. The prize-giving ceremy took place at UNESCO HQ on 11 March 2004.
2004 Prize winners, all life science specialists, are:
• Africa – Jennifer Thomson (South Africa) : For work on transgenic plants resistant to drought and to viral infections, in an effort to respond to the continent's chronic food shortage.
• South America – Lucia Mendonça Previato (Brazil) : For studies which enable progress in the understanding, treatment and prevention of the Chagas' disease.
• North America – Philippa Marrack (United States) : For the characterization of lymphocyte T functions in the immune system and the discovery of superanti-genes.
• Asia/ Pacific – Nancy Ip (China) : For discoveries concerning proteins which favour the growth and preservation of neurones in brain development.
• Europe – Christine Petit (France) : For research on the molecular and cellular bases of human hereditary deafness and other sensorial deficiencies.
UNESCO's Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, participated in the award-giving ceremony.
Following an agreement between l'Oréal and UNESCO, signed on 29 September 1999, a prize of 100 000 dollars each is given annually to five outstanding women researchers, one from each continent. Subsequently enhanced the award has been extended to include an allocation of 20 000 dollars, for fifteen young doctoral or post-doctoral students, three from each continent to help them continue their research projects in an institution outside their country of origin, research often oriented towards local issues. An independent jury selects and awards the prizes.
新華網
中國女科學家葉玉如再獲“女性諾貝爾獎”
新華網巴黎３月８日電（記者楊駿）聯合國教科文組織與法國歐萊雅集團８日在巴黎正式宣布，中國香港科技大學生物技術研究所所長葉玉如，榮獲２００４年度“教科文—歐萊雅世界傑出女科學家成就獎”。這也是中國科學家第二次獲得這一有“女性諾貝爾獎”之稱的獎項。
“教科文—歐萊雅世界傑出女科學家成就獎”是當今唯一在全球範圍內獎勵從事生物、物理和化學等基礎科研領域的女性的獎項，其權威性在科學界得到認可。２００３年，中國科學院物理研究所的李方華教授獲得這一殊榮。
本次獲獎的葉玉如教授是國際著名的神經生物學家，從事神經營養因子及神經信號傳導等領域的研究。她發現了一係列新型神經營養因子，並闡明了這些因子如何作用於神經細胞中的受體。這些成果有助於理解神經營養因子如何參與神經細胞的分化及維持過程，從而使人們更加明確這些因子是否有可能用於治療老年癡呆、帕金森氏症等神經退行性疾病。葉玉如教授目前還是中國科學院院士，２００１年她當選院士時只有４５歲。
“教科文—歐萊雅世界傑出女科學家成就獎”每年授予５位在世界範圍內已卓有成就的女科學家。與注重單項科研突破的諾貝爾獎不同，該獎項更側重於對科學家整個學術生涯的評價。評比過程為，首先由全球８００多名科學家提名產生５５名入圍者，再從中評出各洲唯一的大獎。本次與葉玉如同時獲獎的還有來自南非、法國、巴西以及美國的女科學家。
葉玉如教授表示：“這個具有國際權威性的獎項無疑是我科學生涯的巔峰。我非常讚成建設一個支持女性投身於科學的社會環境。同時，我們還應努力創造一個有助於教育和科學的環境，從而積累更多推動科學發展的人文資本。”