Working
on sustainable resource management, Dr Teh Su Yean netted the award with her
unification of science, engineering, technology and mathematics to protect
coastal resources in Malaysia. The 36-year-old associate professor of the
School of Mathematical Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia is building a model
that will conserve groundwater, which may become crucial when other water
source are depleted due to global climate change.
In
its 12th year, the annual L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science
Fellowship was created to recognise and promote the contribution of women
scientists. The partnership was logical. L’Oréal, founded by scientist Eugene
Schueller, has been celebrating women’s confidence for over a century. UNESCO,
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has also
advocated for gender equality in the cultivation of scientific knowledge since
1945.
Other
than honouring scientific excellence, L’Oréal Foundation and its partners aim
to boost awareness and interest in science among Malaysians. This is in line
with the nation’s vision of becoming a knowledge economy by 2020.
“A
k-economy relies on human resources with strong foundation in sciences. As Year
2020 closes in, it is more urgent than ever for us to cultivate a rich pool of
knowledge talents in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,
otherwise known as STEM, to take our country to the next level.
“The
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship supports this vision. It not
only inspires more Malaysian women to pursue science as a career, but also fuel
interest in science, which is waning among secondary school and higher tertiary
students,” says Datuk Seri Hajjah Nancy Shukri, the minister in the Prime
Minister Department overseeing the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High
Technology (MIGHT).
The
Ministry of Higher Education has also warned of a shortage in STEM graduates
due to the declining interest in science subjects among upper secondary school
students, coupled with the upswing of students taking arts-related courses in
higher tertiary institutions.
The
dwindling interest in STEM, according to Nancy, underscores the importance of
awards like the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science to foster scientific
enthusiasm.
“I
also hope that such awards will inspire our next generation to see STEM in a
new light – it is not all complex calculations and daunting facts, but a key to
unlock a better future for our nation, and our world,” says the minister.
Mr.
Malek Bekdache, Managing Director of L’Oréal
Malaysia, offers a silver lining.
He
also congratulated the University of Nottingham Malaysia for emerging as the
first private university to have won the award.
This
year, on top of receiving a RM30,000 grant to help pursue their research, each
winner also developed capacity in idea presentation. All three received
training to present a summary of their research on stage during the award
ceremony, in a manner similar to the world-renowned TED Talks.
The
sought-after award was opened to all Malaysian women researchers or scientists
under the age of 40 years, who are PhD holders or currently pursuing research
studies in any scientific field.
Submissions
from various scientific disciplines totaled up to 208 this year. The panel of
jury this year was led by one of Malaysia’s first astrophysicist, Professor
Emeritus Datuk Dr. Mazlan Othman, Program Director, Academy of Science
Malaysia. Each entry was deliberated based on a comprehensive set of criteria,
including project significance in terms of its merit and value contribution,
originality and purpose, contribution to science, methodology, academic
achievements and overall project quality.
Over
RM900,000 in research grants have been presented to 38 outstanding women
scientists since the inception of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science
Fellowship in 2006.
Get to know more about L’Oréal Malaysia,
Website : http://www.loreal.my/
