- Every February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
- Among the 25 best scientists in Latin America there are 8 Mexicans.
- As part of the winning projects there is from one based on the use of stem cells to a functional food in powder by microencapsulation with antioxidant and probiotic properties.
Women are an important part of all walks of life. For centuries they were repressed and although some prejudices still persist today, at least progress has already been made. In fact, there are some Mexican scientists who stand out from the rest for their research and professional work, do you know who they are?
On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science commemorated every February 11, 3M announced the names of the winners of the 3rd edition of the initiative “25 Women in Science Latin America”. The idea is to highlight the women who promote and develop projects in the scientific field of our country.
The initiative aims to increase the visibility of women in scientific initiatives and the impacts generated in society by inspiring girls, young people and women in Latin American countries to study disciplines in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, (STEM for its acronym in English). Also reinforce the importance of female participation in these areas.
Women do not have the same opportunities as men
According to State of Science Index 2022, for 72% of Latin Americans, women abandon their STEM careers because they do not receive enough support. While 81% believe that women are a source of potential in the workforce.
The Mexican team recognized in this year’s edition includes representatives from the cities of Puebla, Ciudad Juárez, Tlaxcala, Mexico City, Matehuala, Monterrey, Saltillo.
As in previous editions, the evaluation process was in charge of a jury made up of representatives from the area of 3M Research & Development in the region and external guests with extensive experience in the areas of science, research, innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Among the criteria evaluated were the potential for direct or indirect social impact in the region, innovation and viability of the project, maturity of the idea demonstrated by the results of the initial tests/pilots, the ability and experience of the candidate to develop the project presented. , problems to be solved, innovation and/or solution, and the impact at the local level and/or in the community after its implementation.
“3M believes in the power of science to solve any challenge and in diversity as a driver of innovation. Recognizing women who are dedicated to the scientific field is a way of inspiring new generations to occupy these spaces, contributing to the development of a balanced and progressive ecosystem, as well as an inclusive society. In summary: the world demands innovation, innovation needs science and science requires diversity”, adds Adriana Rius, director of Brand and Communication in Latin America.
The 25 winning scientists will form part of a scientific visibility platform with the inclusion of their projects in the commemorative book “25 Women in Science Latin America” and will have their trajectories and projects published on the 3M Curiosity Blog and on the company’s social networks. Something quite striking is that of the 25 winners there were eight from our country.
Winning projects of the best Mexican scientists
Erika del Carmen Sevilla Garcia
Puebla, Puebla
AztechSat-1 is the first Mexican nanosatellite deployed from the ISS. It was a project managed, designed and built by a multidisciplinary team of students and professors from the UPAEP University in collaboration with NASA.
Esmeralda Sarai Zúñiga Aguilar
City Juarez Chihuahua
Design and manufacture of microfluidic devices for in vitro pharmacological tests, which help the study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of specific drugs for chronic diseases such as diabetes and thus reduce the use of test animals.
Maria Del Carmen Sanchez Hernandez
Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala
Use of fungi during research to biodegrade plasticizers (plastic additives) that are polluting the environment and toxic to mammals. It was shown that the fungus Fusarium culmorum is capable of completely degrading high concentrations of phthalates.
maria del prado
Mexico City
Generation and characterization of biopolymeric nanoparticles for controlled release of bioactive molecules as alternatives to different high-impact pathologies in the health sector such as neurodegenerative diseases, nosocomial infections and burns.
Maria Saavedra Leos Matehuala
San Luis Potosi
Obtaining a functional powdered food through microencapsulation with antioxidant and probiotic properties is an area of opportunity to develop a food product with technological application, which can be used for low-income populations.
Mirna Alejandra González González
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
Development of a bioengineering platform for the 3D growth of stem cells using aqueous phase systems, with the aim of attacking the problem that will become the bottleneck of cell therapy in the not too distant future.
Nadia Garcia Hernandez
Saltillo Coahuila
Portable and low-cost system for the evaluation and training of the respiratory muscles, based on exergames and measurement of inhalation/exhalation pressures from the mouth. A study with post-COVID-19 individuals showed that the system strengthens muscles by 40%.
Rocio Aguirre Aguirre Loredo
Saltillo Coahuila
Biobased polymers with greater resistance to damage from high humidity and rapid degradation as an alternative to synthetic plastics for the industry
food.
Also read:
The 10 most important women in the history of Medicine
Why is the Day of the Medical Woman commemorated on February 11?
For the first time, a woman will be director of the “Fray Bernardino Álvarez” Psychiatric Hospital