L'ORÉAL USA ANNOUNCES 2022 FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE FELLOWS, REINFORCING DECADES-LONG COMMITMENT TO WOMEN IN STEM

Five postdoctoral scientists awarded grants to advance research and encourage next generation of women in STEM as society looks to solve most pressing challenges

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, L'Oréal USA announced the recipients of its 2022 For Women in Science (FWIS) Fellowship, an annual program that awards five female postdoctoral scientists grants to advance their research. This year's Fellows focus on the areas of biomedical engineering, ecology, mathematics, microbiology, and neuroscience. Since 2003, the L'Oréal USA For Women in Science program has invested nearly $5 million in the work of innovative women scientists.

The 2022 L'Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellows include:

• Sikoya Ashburn, whose research in neuroscience at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill focuses on the cerebellum, a structure at the back of the brain, to understand how it operates within neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and provide steps toward targeted treatment to help with the management of brain disorders.
• Sarah Burnett, whose research in mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles focuses on the flow of particle-liquid mixtures. Understanding how fluids behave when solids are incorporated is crucial for various applications such as mining, food processing, pharmaceuticals and during landslides.
• Marina LaForgia, whose research in ecology at the University of California, Davis focuses on seed dispersal of plants to help determine which species will be most vulnerable to environmental change.
• Sandya Subramanian, whose research in biomedical engineering at Stanford University addresses at-home management of chronic migraine and Parkinson's disease through the development of wearable monitoring systems that track unconscious functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion and pain responses.
• Margot Wohl, whose research in neuroethology and microbiology at Johns Hopkins University focuses on the egg-laying behavior of mosquitoes to understand how to better control the growing population rate of mosquitos and slow the spread of deadly mosquito-borne diseases.

"L'Oréal's commitment to the cause of women in science runs deep. Today, our company continues its proud heritage of advancing scientific knowledge in our industry with a scientific workforce in the US that is comprised of 70% women," said David Greenberg, L'Oréal USA's CEO and President of North America. "We are thrilled to recognize the remarkable 2022 class of L'Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellows and showcase their work across a wide range of fields. Their work is not only critical to solving our biggest societal challenges today, but also inspiring the next generation of women in STEM."

The US For Women in Science Fellows program embodies L'Oréal's core belief that the world needs science and science needs women. The program seeks to build a community of women at the postdoctoral level and empowers them to continue their research, attain leadership positions, and serve as mentors for the women and girls who follow in their footsteps.

"This year's L'Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellows exemplify all that we aim to celebrate and accomplish with this program. We believe it's imperative to create these opportunities and drive visibility to women in STEM for the next generation of girls and young women," said Marissa Pagnani McGowan, L'Oréal's Chief Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Officer for North America. "Every contribution by women in STEM serves as a powerful reminder that the world has been served well by supporting women at these critical junctures in their careers."

L'Oréal USA will recognize the 2022 For Women in Science Fellows at an awards ceremony hosted by CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor, Norah O'Donnell, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington D.C. on Thursday, November 3^rd.

The ceremony serves as a capstone to a week-long program of events and engagements for the For Women in Science Fellows; earlier events in Washington, D.C, include:

• A convening hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine (NASEM) focused on advancing women leaders in science, engineering and medicine. The event will feature a panel offering an overview of the research on women in leadership and a discussion with the 2022 L'Oréal For Women in Science Fellows exploring the personal leadership journey of these early career women leaders.
• A day of mentoring with Girl Scouts Nation's Capital to show the next generation of young girls the opportunities which lie within the field of science. Fellows will share more on their journeys within STEM and open dialogue on how young girls can change the world through science.  

Now in its 19th year, the U.S. For Women in Science Fellowship Program has recognized 95 postdoctoral female scientists and invested nearly $5 million in the work of innovative female scientists, supporting the advancement of critical research in fields as diverse as neurobiology, metabolic diseases, physics and material science, integrative biology, and biomedical engineering. The program is the U.S. component of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards, a global program created in 1998 that recognizes and rewards women scientists around the world. Since its inception, the international program and the nearly 50 national and regional programs have collectively supported and raised the profile of more than 3,900 female scientists from 110 countries.

The candidates for the U.S. For Women in Science Fellowship Program are evaluated based on their intellectual merit, research potential, scientific excellence, and their commitment to supporting women and girls in science. The L'Oréal USA fellowship program includes a requirement to ensure recipients are committed to serving as role models for younger generations. Applications were reviewed by experienced scientists in the candidates' respective fields through a partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which manages the application and peer review process.

For more information about the L'Oréal USA 2022 For Women in Science Fellows visit: https://www.loreal.com/en/usa/pages/group/fwis/.

About L'Oréal USA

L'Oréal USA is the largest subsidiary of the L'Oréal Group, the world's leading beauty company. Through its management of over 35 iconic beauty brands, L'Oréal USA has generated more than $8 billion in sales annually. Products are available across all distribution channels including hair salons, department stores, mass market, pharmacies, medi-spas, e-commerce and more. L'Oréal USA's commitment to growth is generated through sustainable innovation and driven by the company's L'Oréal for the Future ambition which demonstrates sustainable development across the Group's value chain. The company is headquartered in New York City, employs more than 11,000 people, and operates administrative, research, manufacturing and distribution facilities across 16 states.

About For Women In Science The L'Oréal USA For Women in Science (FWIS) fellowship program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Since 2003, L'Oréal USA's FWIS program has supported 95 outstanding female postdoctoral scientists from across the country, awarding them nearly $5 million in grants. L'Oréal USA partners with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to manage the program's application and peer-review process. The program is the U.S. component of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards, a global philanthropy created in 1998 that has recognized and rewarded over 3,900 women scientists from more than 110 countries.

About AAAS
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, visit www.aaas.org.

SOURCE L'Oreal USA