In Beijing last month, the 19th edition of the China Young Female Scientist Award ceremony took place. The event honored 20 exceptional women and five outstanding teams led by female scientists, celebrating their achievements in science and technology.
The awardees were graceful, intelligent, confident, and composed as they adorned the stage in elegant attire and delivered eloquent acceptance speeches. Their post-ceremony interviews were articulate and inspiring. Family members watched proudly from the audience, making it a heartwarming celebration of women in science.
This year’s winners came from diverse fields such as mathematics, mechanics, physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, agronomy, Earth sciences, hydraulic engineering, and pharmacology. They represented universities, research institutes and enterprises showcasing the vast talent of women in science and technology in the new era. Wang Xiaoyun who is the director of the award’s supervisory committee and an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that this year had a record high number of candidates – 825 individual candidates and 141 team candidates.
Over the past two decades, the award has highlighted how women are increasingly making their mark in science in China. This year’s winners demonstrate that women are growing presence and achieving success in various research areas indicating progress towards gender equality in science. A recent report on Chinese researchers from a gender perspective shows that there is a rising number of women working in Science which is a positive sign for gender equality movement.