11.14.24
L'Oréal USA revealed the 2024 For Women in Science (FWIS) awardees, providing five female postdoctoral scientists grants to further their research.
The 2024 FWIS cohort represents a dynamic range of scientific disciplines and research focus areas, from uncovering the intricate relationships between microbes to developing sustainable cooling technologies and understanding the mysteries of auroras on other planets.
The program has run for more than two decades, reflecting L'Oréal USA's unwavering commitment to supporting women at the forefront of scientific innovation. Since 2003, the L'Oréal USA FWIS program has supported more than 100 remarkable women scientists, awarding over $5 million in grants.
Marissa McGowan, Chief Sustainability Officer for L'Oréal North America, said,
"L'Oréal is committed to accelerating women's advancement in STEM by increasing representation, amplifying their accomplishments, and supporting the next generation of change-makers. We know these scientists' ideas and innovations will inform solutions from climate change and sustainable energy to human health and disease. Beyond their research, I am struck by their dedication to mentorship and representation, inspiring future scientists and redefining what women in science truly means."
The FWIS program, the U.S. component of the global L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards, embodies L'Oréal's belief in the essential role of women in science and aims to create community and connection for women postdoctoral researchers as they pursue ambitious research projects and attain leadership positions in their fields.
Microscopic fiber design enhances both sunlight rejection and heat radiation for efficient cooling. This technology could help energy-efficient building cooling, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
Unlike most research, which concentrates on direct phage-bacteria interactions, her work explored the broader effects phages have on entire bacterial communities. She found that phages create ripple effects, influencing bacterial evolution and interactions, even among bacteria they don't directly infect.
Ultimately, this research aims to improve predictions of microbial interactions impacting agriculture and develop better phage-based treatments for bacterial infections.
Her research investigated how PIEZO1 senses and responds to brain blood flow changes, particularly during heightened neuronal activity. Understanding PIEZO1's function could identify new therapeutic targets for protecting the brain from blood flow-related damage.
Using underwater recordings, she analyzed bowhead whale songs to understand how warming impacts communication and social interactions. Her research illuminated bowhead whale behavior, including endangered populations, and revealed the complexity of their acoustic communication.
Through outreach and mentoring, Hersh used the bowhead whale to highlight the urgency of climate action.
By examining how proton auroras relate to atmospheric loss, as seen on Mars, Dr. Hughes aims to further understand planetary evolution and how Earth could change in the future.
Leading up to the awards ceremony, the group will engage in three days of programming at esteemed scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine (NASEM).
Experiences include mentorship and idea exchange with internationally recognized women in science, valuable training on public engagement and science policy, and the opportunity for candid conversation on career navigation and advancement in scientific fields.
Travis York, Director of Inclusive STEMM Ecosystems for Equity & Diversity at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), commented,
"AAAS and L'Oréal USA's partnership over the last two decades has enabled more than 100 women to propel their scientific research and thrive across STEMM fields. The ongoing investment from and collaboration with L'Oréal USA remains fundamental to continuing our efforts to create pathways for women in science and thereby build a more excellent STEMM enterprise."
The candidates for the L'Oréal USA FWIS program are evaluated based on several factors including their research potential, scientific excellence, and their commitment to supporting future generations of women and girls in science.
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The 2024 FWIS cohort represents a dynamic range of scientific disciplines and research focus areas, from uncovering the intricate relationships between microbes to developing sustainable cooling technologies and understanding the mysteries of auroras on other planets.
The program has run for more than two decades, reflecting L'Oréal USA's unwavering commitment to supporting women at the forefront of scientific innovation. Since 2003, the L'Oréal USA FWIS program has supported more than 100 remarkable women scientists, awarding over $5 million in grants.
Marissa McGowan, Chief Sustainability Officer for L'Oréal North America, said,
"L'Oréal is committed to accelerating women's advancement in STEM by increasing representation, amplifying their accomplishments, and supporting the next generation of change-makers. We know these scientists' ideas and innovations will inform solutions from climate change and sustainable energy to human health and disease. Beyond their research, I am struck by their dedication to mentorship and representation, inspiring future scientists and redefining what women in science truly means."
The FWIS program, the U.S. component of the global L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards, embodies L'Oréal's belief in the essential role of women in science and aims to create community and connection for women postdoctoral researchers as they pursue ambitious research projects and attain leadership positions in their fields.
L'Oréal's 2024 'For Women in Science' Winners
Here are the five winners of the 2024 FWIS grants:1. Emily McGuinness, University of Minnesota
McGuiness developed new cooling materials by creating special fibers from everyday materials, including plastics and ceramics. The specialized fibers reject sunlight and radiate heat into space through a process called passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC).Microscopic fiber design enhances both sunlight rejection and heat radiation for efficient cooling. This technology could help energy-efficient building cooling, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
2. Katherine Ennis, University of California, Berkeley
Ennis researched the intricate relationships between microbes, focusing on the often-overlooked impact of bacteriophages (phages).Unlike most research, which concentrates on direct phage-bacteria interactions, her work explored the broader effects phages have on entire bacterial communities. She found that phages create ripple effects, influencing bacterial evolution and interactions, even among bacteria they don't directly infect.
Ultimately, this research aims to improve predictions of microbial interactions impacting agriculture and develop better phage-based treatments for bacterial infections.
3. Caterina Profaci, Scripps Research
Profaci studied PIEZO1, a mechanosensor highly concentrated in blood vessel cells (endothelial cells), focusing on its role in adult blood vessels.Her research investigated how PIEZO1 senses and responds to brain blood flow changes, particularly during heightened neuronal activity. Understanding PIEZO1's function could identify new therapeutic targets for protecting the brain from blood flow-related damage.
4. Taylor Hersh, Oregon State University
Hersh studied how Arctic warming affects bowhead whales, focusing on changes in their vocalizations.Using underwater recordings, she analyzed bowhead whale songs to understand how warming impacts communication and social interactions. Her research illuminated bowhead whale behavior, including endangered populations, and revealed the complexity of their acoustic communication.
Through outreach and mentoring, Hersh used the bowhead whale to highlight the urgency of climate action.
5. Andréa Hughes, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/George Mason University
Hughes studied auroras on Mars and Venus, focusing on proton auroras caused by solar wind particles. Her research compared these auroras on planets lacking strong magnetic fields like Earth to understand their formation and evolution. This work used data from past and current space missions to analyze the auroras' appearance and changes over time.By examining how proton auroras relate to atmospheric loss, as seen on Mars, Dr. Hughes aims to further understand planetary evolution and how Earth could change in the future.
More Details
L'Oréal USA will honor the 2024 For Women in Science recipients at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on November 14, 2024. The ceremony will be emceed by a fellow woman in science, Kellie Gerardi, Astronaut and STEM Ambassador.Leading up to the awards ceremony, the group will engage in three days of programming at esteemed scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine (NASEM).
Experiences include mentorship and idea exchange with internationally recognized women in science, valuable training on public engagement and science policy, and the opportunity for candid conversation on career navigation and advancement in scientific fields.
Travis York, Director of Inclusive STEMM Ecosystems for Equity & Diversity at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), commented,
"AAAS and L'Oréal USA's partnership over the last two decades has enabled more than 100 women to propel their scientific research and thrive across STEMM fields. The ongoing investment from and collaboration with L'Oréal USA remains fundamental to continuing our efforts to create pathways for women in science and thereby build a more excellent STEMM enterprise."
The candidates for the L'Oréal USA FWIS program are evaluated based on several factors including their research potential, scientific excellence, and their commitment to supporting future generations of women and girls in science.
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