Five Vietnamese female scientists have won scholarships worth VND150 million (US$6,690 USD) each under the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme which was announced yesterday in Ha Noi.

The winners were Dr Nguyen Thi Lang, head of the Genetics and Plant Breeding Division from An Giang University, and Dr. Nguyen Thi Mua from the Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security. Their research projects focussed on high quality hybrid rice varieties and anti-fire materials, respectively.

Three other young female scientists also received the L’Oreal National Fellowship for Women in Science. They were all Ph.D holders including Do Thi Ha from the National Institute of Medicinal Materials, Do Thi Phuc from Ha Noi National University and Nguyen Thi Hiep from HCM City National University.

All young researchers have made contributions to the health care sector by seeking new medicinal materials for cancer treatments and studying new varieties of plants that are adaptable to climate change and salinity invasion as well as improving materials used for odontology.

The awards were granted by the For Women in Science Programme, launched by the L’Oreal Group and UNESCO in 1998. So far, it has supported more than 1,700 female scientists in many countries around the world. — VNS