The OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World are awarded annually to early-career women scientists in selected developing countries in four regions:

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

, East and Southeast

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

and the Pacific,

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

Asia, and

Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

. The

Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organisation that provides research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists throughout the developing world at diffe ...

(OWSD), the Elsevier Foundation, and

The World Academy of Sciences The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable devel ...

have partnered to recognize achievements of early-career women scientists in developing countries since the award was launched in 2011 as the Elsevier Foundation-OWSD Awards for Young Women Scientists from the Developing World. The award program is open to female scientists who live and work in one of 81 developing countries. Nominations are generally submitted within ten years of the nominee earning a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

. The maximum number of recipients is currently restricted to five per year: one from each of the four OWSD-recognized regions, plus one additional outstanding candidate, and the awards are granted with a rotating theme annually among three general fields: biological sciences (agriculture, biology and medicine), engineering/innovation & technology, and physical sciences (including chemistry, mathematics and physics). There were six awardees in 2022 as two outstanding candidates were recognised. As of 2014, the award included an honorarium of 5,000, an entire year of access to Elsevier's

ScienceDirect ScienceDirect is a website which provides access to a large bibliographic database of scientific and medical publications of the Dutch publisher Elsevier. It hosts over 18 million pieces of content from more than 4,000 academic journals and 30,0 ...

publication database, and an expense-paid trip to the annual meeting of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...

, where the awarding ceremony is held.

Recipients

Recipients have included:

2011

The 2011 awards recognized eleven contributors to biology, physics, and chemistry. *

Mahfuza Begum Mahfuza is a Bangladeshi feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: *Mahfuza Akhter Mahfuza Akhter Kiron ( bn, মাহফুজা আক্তার কিরণ; born 12 February 1967) is a Bangladeshi football administrator ...

, biologist, Bangladesh *

Rukmani Mohanta Rukmani may refer to: *Rukmani (name) *Rukmani Kund, a reservoir surrounded by mountains in Himachal Pradesh, India *''Bhama Rukmani'', a 1980 Indian Tamil-language drama film *''Rukmani Kalyanam'', a 1936 Indian Tamil-language film See also

* ...

, physicist, India *

Farzana Shaheen Farzaneh ( fa, فرزانه, ''Farzāneh'', meaning wise, intelligent, or highly knowledgeable), also transliterated as Farzana, Farzona or Farzane, is a Persian given name for girls common in Iran, South Asia, and Central Asia. The masculine equiv ...

, chemist, Pakistan *

Janet Ayobami Adermola Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) * Janet (French singer) (1939–2011) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French p ...

, physicist, Nigeria * Aderoju Amoke Osowole, chemist, Nigeria *

Denise Evans Denise may refer to: * Denise (given name), people with the given name ''Denise'' * Denise (computer chip), a video graphics chip from the Amiga computer * "Denise" (song), a 1963 song by Randy & the Rainbows * Denise, Mato Grosso, a municipalit ...

, biologist, South Africa *

Nahla Ismail Nahla may refer to: * Nahla, Iraq, a valley in northern Iraq * Nahla (name), an Arabic feminine given name meaning "drink of water" or “honey bee” * ''Nahla'' (film), a 1979 Algerian film See also * Nahala (disambiguation) Nahala ( he, נח� ...

, chemist, Egypt *

Lubna Tahtamoouni Lubna or Lubná may refer to: Places Czech Republic *Lubná (Kroměříž District), a municipality and village in the Zlín Region *Lubná (Rakovník District), a municipality and village in the Central Bohemian Region *Lubná (Svitavy District), ...

, biologist, Jordan *

María Magdalena González Sánchez Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...

, astrophysicist, Mexico *

Lisset Hermida Cruz Lisset Gutiérrez Salazar (born November 3, 1973), also known as Lisset, is a Mexican actress and singer. Filmography Film Television References External links * Actresses from Guadalajara, Jalisco 20th-century Mexican actr ...

, biologist, Cuba *

Silvina Pellegrinet Silvina is a given name. It is a variant of Silvana (disambiguation), Silvana, meaning "one who lives in the forest". People with the name * Silvina Bosco, Argentine actress * Silvina Bullrich (1915–1990), Argentine writer * Silvina Chediek (born ...

, chemist, Argentina

2013

The 2013 awards were focused on medical science and public health. * Adediwura Fred-Jaiyesimi, pharmacologist, Nigeria *

Nasima Akhter Nasima Akhter ( bn, নাসিমা আক্তার; born 1970) is a Bangladeshi scientist who specializes in nuclear medicine. In 2010, she won the BAS-TWAS Young Scientists Prize for her research involving nuchal translucency for fetal a ...

, medical scientist, Bangladesh *

Dionicia Gamboa Dionicia Gamboa is a Peruvians, Peruvian Parasitology, parasitologist and professor at Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Institute of Tropical Medicine Alexander von Humboldt, Cayetano Heredia University. Her research focusses ...

, molecular biologist, Peru * Namjil Erdenechimeg, biochemist, Mongolia *

Huda Omer Basaleem Huda may refer to: People with the name * Huda (given name), an index of people with the given name * Huda (surname), an index of people with the surname Entities with the name * Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the urban plann ...

, community health researcher, Yemen

2014

The 2014 awards were focused on chemistry. *

Nilufar Mamadalieva Nilufar Mamadalieva is a biochemist from Uzbekistan. Biography Mamadalieva completed a Master's in science at Fergana State University and a PhD at the Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances in Tashkent. She is a scientific researcher a ...

, bioorganic chemist, Uzbekistan *

Leni Ritmaleni Leni is a ''comune'' (municipality) and one of the main towns on Salina, one of the Aeolian Islands, in the Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, southern Italy. It is located about northeast of Palermo and about northwest of Messina. Leni ...

, pharmaceutical chemist, Indonesia * Simone Ann Marie Badal McCreath, biochemistry researcher, Jamaica * Eqbal Mohammed Abdu Dauqan, biotechnologist, Yemen *

Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye is a Nigerian pharmacologist and researcher. Elufioye works as a professor at the University of Ibadan in the department of pharmacognosy. Elufioye is also a Fulbright Scholar at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, ...

, pharmacologist, Nigeria

2015

In 2015, the awards were focused on physics and mathematics. * Nashwa Eassa, nano-particle physicist, Sudan * Dang Thi Oanh, computational mathematician, Thailand * Mojisola Oluwyemisi Adeniyi, atmospheric physicist, Nigeria * Mojisola Usikalu, radiation physicist, Nigeria * Rabia Salihu Sa'id, environmental physicist, Nigeria

2016

The 2016 awards focused on medical science and public health. *

Sri Fatmawati Sri Fatmawati (born 7 June 1999) is an Indonesian badminton player from Jaya Raya Jakarta badminton club. She started her career as a badminton player when she was in the grade eight junior high school, and joined Pelatcab Abadi Probolinggo. Fatm ...

, pharmacologist, Indonesia *

Sushila Maharjan Sushila Maharjan is a Nepalese biochemist and biotechnologist who is the research director at Nepal's Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology which she co-founded in 2011. Background Sushila Maharjan is a daughter of Mr Jit Govinda Ma ...

, biochemistry researcher, Nepal *

Magaly Blas Magaly or Magali is a given name. Magali may refer to: *Magali Amadei (born 1974), French fashion model *Magali Babin (born 1967), Canadian musician and composer *Magali Febles (born 1964), Dominican beauty pageant director *Magali Harvey (born 199 ...

, public health specialist, Peru *

Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu (born 1974) is a professor, researcher, epidemiologist and psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University in Uganda. Her research is particularly focused on supportive gro ...

, psychiatric epidemiologist, Uganda *

Ghanya Naji Mohammed Al-Naqeb Ghanya ( ar, غانية) is a Syrian village located in Jisr al-Shughur Nahiyah in Jisr al-Shughur District Jisr ash-Shugur District ( ar-at, منطقة جسر الشغور, manṭiqat Ǧisr aš-Šuġūr) is a district of the Idlib Governorat ...

, nutritional researcher, Yemen

2017

The 2017 awards were focused on engineering and technology. *

Tanzima Hashem Tanzima Hashem, a Bangladeshi professor at BUET, is one of the five women scientists from the developing world who won Elsevier Foundation Awards in 2017. Her research focuses on maintaining Internet privacy, user privacy while location-based ser ...

, computer scientist, Bangladesh *

María Fernanda Rivera Velásquez Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...

, environmentalist, Ecuador * Felycia Edi Soetaredjo, environmental energy specialist, Indonesia *

Grace Ofori-Sarpong Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an unin ...

, environmental resource management, Ghana * Rania Mokhtar, scientific project coordinator, Sudan

2018

The 2018 awards focused on mathematics, chemistry, and physics. *

Hasibun Naher Hasibun Naher is a Bangladeshi applied mathematics researcher and educator. In February 2018, she was one of five young women from developing countries to receive the OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award. Her research has included the application of m ...

, applied mathematician, Bangladesh *

Germaine Djuidje Kenmoe Germaine may refer to: Given name *Germaine Arnaktauyok (born 1946), Inuk printmaker, painter, and drawer *Germaine Cousin (1579-1601), French saint *Germaine Greer (born 1939), feminist writer and academic *Germaine Koh (born 1967), Malaysian-born ...

, physicist, Cameroon * Silvia González Pérez, computational chemist, Ecuador * Dawn Iona Fox, environmental chemist, Guyana * Witri Wahyu Lestari, organometallic chemist, Indonesia

2019

The 2019 awards focused on medical science and public health. *

Narel Y. Paniagua-Zambrana Narel Y. Paniagua-Zambrana (La Paz, 13 May 1973) is a Bolivian ethnobotanist. She investigates the use and protection of traditional knowledge of plants in Indigenous peoples, indigenous communities, particularly in the Andes, Bolivian Andes. She ...

, ethnobotonist, Bolivia *

Uduak Okomo Uduak is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Uduak Amimo, Kenyan journalist * Uduak Archibong, Nigerian nurse and academic * Uduak Isong, Nigerian scriptwriter and producer * Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe (1960–2011), Nigerian mu ...

, health services, Nigeria * Tabassum Mumtaz, environmental biotechnologist, Bangladesh *

Amira Shaheen Amira, Ameerah, or Ameera may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Amira'' (album), by Amira Willighagen, 2014 * ''Amira'' (film), a 2021 Jordanian film People * Amira (name), an Arabic and Hebrew female given name * Amira (singer), American sin ...

, public health researcher, Palestine *

Tista Prasai Joshi Tista, also called Tistedalselva or Tistakanalen, is a river in Halden municipality, in Østfold county, Norway. It is the main river in the Haldenvassdraget system and flows from Femsjøen lake to Iddefjorden fjord In physical geography, ...

, chemist, Nepal

2020

The 2020 awards recognised researchers working in engineering, innovation and technology. *

Susana Arrechea Susana may refer to: * Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA), a network of organizations active in the field of sustainable sanitation * Susana (given name), a feminine given name (including a list of people with the name) * ''Susana'' (magazine) ...

, chemical engineer and nanotechnologist, Guatemala * Champika Ellawalla Kankanamge, environmental engineer, Sri Lanka *

Chao Mbogo Chao may refer to: People * Chao (surname), various Chinese surnames (including 晁 and 巢, as well as non-Pinyin spellings) * Zhou (surname) (周), may also be spelled Chao * Zhao (surname) (趙/赵), may also be spelled Chao in Taiwan and Hon ...

, computer scientist, Kenya *

Samia Subrina Samia may refer to: People * Samia (name) * Samiya (disambiguation) * Samia tribe, a Luhya tribe in western Kenya and southeastern Uganda * Samia (musician) Places * North Samia and South Samia, two administrative locations in Funyula division of ...

, electronic engineer and nanotechnologist, Bangladesh * Fathiah Zakham, bioengineer and microbiologist, Yemen

2021

The 2021 awards recognised researchers in the physical sciences. * María Eugenia Cabrera Catalán, particle physicist, Guatemala *

Khongorzul Dorjgotov Ganbaataryn Khongorzul ( mn, Ганбаатарын Хонгорзул; * 7 April 1973) is a traditional long song singer from Mongolia. Life Khongorzul was born in the Khentii Province. During adolescence she only sang for private entertainme ...

, financial mathematician, Mongolia *

Ghada Dushaq Ghada ( ar, غــادة) is a feminine given name of Arabic origin, is used mostly in Arabic speaking countries, but also in a few other countries and languages of the world. In Arabic, it refers to women who are graceful and active, tender and enc ...

, applied physicist and nanotechnologist, Palestine * Imalka Munaweera, synthetic chemist and nanochemist, Sri Lanka *

Marian Asantewah Nkansah Marian Asantewah Nkansah is a Ghanaian environmental chemist. Her research work focuses on finding solutions to environmental problems associated with levels and fate of toxic substances such as heavy/trace metals, persistent organic pollutants ...

, environmental chemist, Ghana

2022

The 2022 awards recognised six researchers in climate action and the environment. *

Abeer Ahmed Qaed Ahmed Abeer, Abir, Aviri (Arabic: عبير‎) is a feminine name of Arabic origin. "Abeer" means fragrance, aroma, perfume or scent. Notable people * Abeer Abdelrahman, Egyptian weightlifter * Abeer Abu Ghaith (born c. 1985), Palestinian technology entr ...

, microbiologist, Yemen * Heyddy Calderon, hydrologist, Nicaragua * Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury, aquatic ecologist, Bangladesh * Flor de Mayo González Miranda, environmental engineer, Guatemala *

Myriam Mujawamariya Miriam () is a feminine given name recorded in Biblical Hebrew, recorded in the Book of Exodus as the name of the sister of Moses, the prophetess Miriam. Spelling variants include French ''Myriam'', German ''Mirjam, Mirijam''; hypocoristic for ...

, forest ecologist and ecophysiologist, Rwanda *

Ashani Savinda Ranathunga Ashani may refer to: People * Ashani Fairclough, Jamaican footballer *Ashani Weeraratna Ashani Tanuja Weeraratna (born ) is a Sri Lanka-born American cancer researcher whose findings are contributing to the scientific understanding of mela ...

, geotechnical engineer, Sri Lanka

References

{{Reflist Science and technology awards Science awards honoring women