Beiruting News

1)What do you think about the "L'Oreal - Unesco For Women in Science" program?

In science, women are not only a minority among those pursuing scientific careers, but are greatly underrepresented among the beneficiaries of the top Fellowships and Awards, while being outnumbered in leadership positions at scientific institutions.

The mission of the L'Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science program is to identify, reward and encourage exceptional women scientists from around the world, women who can serve as role models for younger scientists. Above all,  its mission is to recognize and celebrate their groundbreaking accomplishments. In addition, the program honors women who are in the early stages of their scientific careers, particularly those showing great promise in their respective fields.

This initiative represents an invaluable source of motivation for women to commit to their scientific path, and is a great start to achieve gender equality on the long run.

2) Do you think that if we instill confidence in girls from an early age will attract more women to the science field?

Certainly! In general, young girls seem to avoid scientific fields for two main reasons; one is the negative perceptions they have about their intellectual abilities where they don't view themselves as smart enough to pursue such majors, and the second is the negative stereotypes that are reinforced by the media and society which portray female scientists as being "nerdy", socially awkward, lonely and isolated.

In order to attract more girls into the science, first we should combat these false beliefs and provide them with the right information from the right resources. It starts from a young age with parents who should instill in their daughters a growth mindset that focuses on achieving progress by hard work and not simply innate intellectual abilities, and encourage them to pursue whatever they feel passionate about. Schools as well should introduce learning programs that are based on scientific tasks which girls can fulfill to gain more confidence in their potentials. Last but not least, young girls should be exposed to and mentored by the female scientists in their community in order to have a role model to look up to in the future.

3) After participating in a number of workshops and international conferences, what will be your feedback on the contribution of women in the science field?

Throughout my graduate years I have been very fortunate to meet some of the most inspiring women scientists both locally and internationally. I'm very proud to say that young female scientists are to be watched out for. The quality and the type of the work they are presenting is always meticulous and quite innovative, but most importantly it's diverse. Even under one conference theme, you meet young girls who are interested in all different kinds of topics and are trying very hard to get the message through.  I always come back from these meetings with a fresh mindset and ready to work.