Three Bulgarian scientists are among the winners of the 2022 International Awards for Women in Science, established by UNESCO and French cosmetics giant L’Oreal. Dr Nina Kaneva-Dobrevska, who teaches inorganic chemistry at Sofia University, is honoured for a project called “Water treatment for pharmaceutical pollution”. Dr Katerina Takova-Sakaliyska, who teaches biology at Plovdiv University, is awarded for the project “Immunodiagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection using an antigen derived from tobacco products”. Maya Zhekova, a quantum physics professor at Sofia University, is distinguished for the project “Quasi non-diffractive Gauss-Bessel beams carrying a residual topological charge”.
Each of the three scientists received an endowment of EUR 5,000.
The motto of the International Awards for Women in Science is “The world needs science, and science needs women”. The awards are intended for female scientists under 35 years of age. They are aimed to promote the development of science, increase the number of female researchers (who currently account for 33.3% of the world’s scientists) and achieve gender equality in science. The Bulgarian partners for the initiative are the National Commission for UNESCO and Sofia University. BTA is the media partner.
The ceremony for the 12th Bulgarian edition of the awards was attended by Bulgarian Academy of Sciences President Julian Revalski, UNESCO National Commission Secretary General Emanuela Tomova, L’Oreal General Manager for Bulgaria Vanya Panayotova, Deputy Education and Science Minister Albena Chavdarova, Sofia Deputy Mayor Doncho Barbalov, Vice President Iliana Iotova’s staff member Milena Dimitrova, and Sofia University Deputy Rector Nikolai Vitanov, who has chaired the jury for the Bulgarian version of the competition for seven years.
The three inspiring women were honoured for their bold ideas in scientific research. A total of 33 Bulgarians contested the awards for 2022. “All three of them are wonderful, they are intelligent and attractive women illuminated by the beauty of science,” said Vanya Panayotova on behalf of L’Oreal Bulgaria.
