With “For Women in Science”, UNESCO and L'Oréal have been very successfully promoting women in science at an international level since 1998. The German UNESCO Commission and L'Oréal Germany have been working together in Germany with the same goals and the same success since 2006, now supplemented by the German Humboldt Network and since 2024 with an expanded number and increased endowment.
The sponsorship award amounts to 25,000 euros per award winner. The prerequisite for this is either a valid employment contract or a fellowship at a German university or non-university public research institution (with at least 50% of a full-time position). The award winners can use the prize money freely (according to a concept submitted in advance), whether to support their research projects (including the procurement of equipment), for a stay abroad or to finance childcare or domestic help.
By “early career” academics, they mean female doctoral candidates in their final year, post-docs, habilitation candidates or junior professors in the four+two years following their doctorate. The duration of the employment contract/scholarship must be at least twelve months from the submission of the application; in the case of doctoral candidates, a confirmation of employment contract or scholarship is required.
The natural sciences are broadly defined; engineering, geosciences, agricultural sciences and, of course, medicine are included in any case; profiles of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research are strongly welcomed. The nationality of the female scientists is not relevant.
Female scientists with children are expressly encouraged to apply. Among applicants of equal excellence, preference will be given to female researchers with children, regardless of family or relationship status.
The central selection criterion is the scientific excellence of the applicants.Special commitment to the “Third Mission” is included in the assessment of research excellence.
Further information on the criteria and the program can be found at www.fwis-programm.de and at www.forwomeninscience.com/challenge/show/101. There you will also find the application form and portraits of the four 2024 award winners.
Application deadline: 10 March 2025
The award ceremony will take place in September 2025.