L’Orėal USA calls for applications for 2017 For Women in Science fellowship program

L’Orėal USA, the largest subsidiary of the global beauty brand, opened submissions for the 2017 For Women in Science fellowship program on Nov. 28. The application period will close on Feb. 3, 2017.

The national award focuses on contributions women make in scientific fields, awarding five female researchers $60,000 each to advance their postdoctoral work. Over a 13-year span, the company, which has a manufacturing facility in North Little Rock, has awarded 65 postdoctoral women scientists over $3 million in grants.

“The L’Orėal USA For Women in Science program honors extraordinary women who represent the next generation of innovators and scientific leaders,” said Lauren Paige, Vice President of Public Affairs & Strategic Initiatives at L’Orėal USA. “L’Orėal is proud to recognize the great potential of female scientists and support their ongoing research and continued path toward discovery.”

The 2016 For Women in Science fellowship recipients were recognized for research across a broad range of fields including biological oceanography, physics, stem cell biology, and neuroscience.

Amy Orsborn, postdoctoral neural engineer at New York University and 2016 FWIS fellow, called the program an “incredible celebration of female scientists.”

She continued: “By promoting scientists like this year’s group of women and the predecessors before us, L’Orėal is helping to transform the image of a typical scientist to include vibrant, smart women who are redefining norms. This award has allowed me to continue my scientific research, and gifted me with a network of like-minded women who make me feel more positively than ever about the future of STEM.”

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) partners with L’Orėal USA to manage the program’s two-round application and peer-review process. In the first round, applications are evaluated by experienced scientists in the candidates’ respective fields. In the second round, a distinguished jury of eminent scientists evaluates the top-ranked candidates and selects the five winners.

Winners will be announced in October and the awards ceremony will take place in November in Washington, D.C. Applications and additional information are available at this link.

The L’Orėal USA For Women in Science Fellowship is part of the global L’Orėal-UNESCO For Women in Science program that was developed in 1998. Since its creation, the international program has recognized and honored more than 2,250 scientists in over 110 countries.