L'Oreal-UNESCO STEM awardees: Women must believe in themselves to succeed

Winners of the Caribbean region L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) award say the key to success for young women in the male-dominated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field is believing in themselves.

Although the award programme has existed for 25 years, this is the first year the Caribbean region was included. Copping the award was TT's Sunshine De Caires of the University of West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, for her research on predicting the effects of climate change on soil quality in the region.

The second awardee was Sarah Buckland of Jamaica for her research at UWI's Mona campus on how climate change's effects can present in agriculture, with a special interest in seasonal climate patterns to manage risks during the dry season.

The award includes a US$10,000 grant to further their research and endeavours.

Speaking to reporters before the ceremony at UWI St Augustine on Friday, De Caires expressed gratitude for the money, which will be used to bolster her academic pursuits.

"The biggest thing is to believe in your own ability and follow what you think is right. Of course, you should listen to others and be counselled and guided accordingly, but at the end of the day, you need to believe in yourself and push forward," she said.

While Buckland said self-confidence is key, she added that faith and perseverance were also necessary.

"Academia is a very competitive industry, and even though in our undergraduate level in Jamaica we have around 60 to 70 per cent females to about 30 per cent males, when you go up to the post-grad level, it kind of almost is on the reverse or similar. Have that in mind, know there will be challenges," she said.

She believes women have a unique perspective that can be beneficial to the field.

"We have the God-given ability to push forward and even do a better job than men...women have this ability to integrate our experiences, we don't compartmentalise as much as males do and because of that, we of bring some of that emotionality and relevance to feel what people are feeling so it's not as distant as and high-flown. So I would just encourage women— don't give up."

L'Oreal Caribe manager Gilles Delaunay told reporters the team worked with the Caribbean Academy for Scientists to review and evaluate projects to select the winners.

"We want to promote woman researchers and the greatness that they are bringing to many different fields," he said.

UNESCO regional director Dr Anna Paolini said the award intends to nurture young talents to encourage their work. She added the team is thinking about broadening the programme.

"We are also thinking to go beyond that, maybe into schools and start nurturing from the bottom up so that we cater for all the stream of learning of women and girls," she said.