The winners are Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky from the Weizmann Institute, Dr. Adi Stern from Tel Aviv University, and Raizi Groda-Sussman, a student of medicine at Ben Gurion and biology at the Hebrew University
Last night (Monday, 25.7.2011) the annual ceremony for the awarding of the UNESCO - L'Oreal Prizes "For Women in Science" - Israel 2011 was held, in the presence of the bride of the Israel Prize Prof. Ruth Arnon, Knesset member and chairman of the health lobby in the Knesset Dr. Rachel Edto and many other dignitaries - including Prof. Hagit Yaron Messer - President of the Open University, Prof. Zvi Arad - President of Netanya Academic College, CPA Yigal Breitman - Chairman and Chief Business Officer of Deloitte Breitman Almagor, and his wife Claude Breitman (Legion award winner) the French); The businessman and owner of Gitam BBDO launches twins; Businesswoman and owner of Gitam BBDO Dr. Yael Almog and others.
The Israeli Committee for UNESCO and L'ORÉAL Israel have been cooperating for years in order to promote young women scientists in Israel, following an extensive global cooperation between L'Oreal and UNESCO "for women in science" - L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women In Science. This partnership, created in 1998, aims to recognize the contribution of prominent women scientists to scientific progress and to encourage the participation of women in scientific research.
The prize winners for 2011 are:
• Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorski from the Weizmann Institute, for her research in the field of cancer research and the function of the good bacteria in the body.
• Dr. Adi Stern from Tel Aviv University, for her research in the field of "computational virology" - studying viruses with the help of computers. Her research deals with the "jumping" of viruses from animals to humans.
• A special prize is awarded to student Raizi Groda-Sussman from the Hebrew University, for her research dealing with understanding the function of natural killer cells in immunodeficiency diseases on a genetic background.
The female scientists receive a cash prize of 50,000 NIS each, and will also be the Israeli nominee for the 2011 UNESCO-L'Oréal World Prize "For Women in Science". A special grant of 30,000 NIS is awarded to student Raizi Groda-Susman.
The Israeli jury that selected the Israeli nominations for research support and international recognition is composed of senior and world-renowned Israeli scientists: the chairman of the jury is Prof. Ruth Arnon, winner of the Israel Prize, Weizmann Institute. The jury consists of Prof. Ada Yonat, recipient of the "Nobel" Prize and the Israel Prize, Weizmann Institute; Prof. Rivka Karmi, president of Ben Gurion University; Prof. Hagit Yaron-Messer, president of the Open University and Prof. Efrat Levy-Lahad, head of the department of genetic medicine at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
It should be noted that in 2008, even before she won the "Nobel" prize, Prof. Ada Yonat became the first Israeli to win the L'Oréal-UNESCO prize "for women in science".
The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Daniel Hershkovich, sent his blessing and noted: "The heart is filled with pride at the sight of the three new links in the glorious chain of Israeli women in science that has been forming before our eyes in recent years. The three winners of the prestigious award are added to a very respectable list of prominent women scientists and positions Israel as a pioneer and world leader in this field as well."
Member of Knesset Dr. Rachel Adato, chairwoman of the health lobby, said at the ceremony: "I come from the march of doctors, who are marching on their way to Jerusalem to reach the Prime Minister. There is a parallel between the health system, which is a magnificent system but the state did not address it, and the scientific field in Israel, which was also never at the top of the national priorities. I have believed all my life in the power of women, and know that the combination of women and science is a winning combination."
Prof. Ruth Arnon, chairman of the jury, said at the ceremony: "We the jury, together with UNESCO and L'Oréal, have chosen to award prizes to scientists precisely at the stage when they finish their doctorates and go on to postdoctoral studies. Today there is a global consensus that this is the decisive stage, which is difficult for women to pass - going to a post-doctorate in an excellent laboratory in the world. We thought that by encouraging the women to overcome the barrier and go for a post-doctorate, we would be able to help them progress and develop."
Nava Ravid, CEO of L'Oreal Israel, said at the ceremony: "In order to reach scientists of the caliber of our winners, more women must be helped to break away from traditional gender roles and promote girls to choose science and technology. Universities around the world are establishing women's organizations for science, which help to establish, among other things, national coalitions that protect the rights of women scientists, since a long-term career in these professions is not taken for granted."
