Twenty individuals and five teams received awards dedicated to young female scientists in Beijing on Sunday.
Shen Yiqin, Chinese state councilor and president of the All-China Women's Federation, attended the awarding ceremony.
Shen encouraged female scientists to remain dedicated to science and scale new heights in scientific research.
She also called on young talents to play an important role in China's efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, develop new quality productive forces and promote high-quality development.
Established in 2004, the awards so far have been given to 204 outstanding women in the science field.
Wang Hongxia, one of the award winners, is director of Fudan University's Department of Oncology. She shared her research fields, as well as problems female scientists face in career life, at the award ceremony.
"I am an oncologist. My team primarily focuses on researching the fundamental causes of therapy resistance and refractoriness in patients with tumors, especially those experience late-stage recurrence, and metastasis, with a particular emphasis on cancer stem cells. However, for a female researcher, we may take on additional roles, such as mother, wife, or daughter, which could entail more social or family responsibilities. Therefore, finding a balance between work and family life is crucial for us. It's about coordinating development in both areas, which is a significant challenge faced by many female professionals," said Wang.
Professor Huang Min from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica is another award winner. She acknowledged the substantial support provided to female scientists in China, emphasizing how it will positively impact her career.
"I'm involved in researching anti-tumor drugs. And my specialty is in pharmacology. As a pharmaceutical researcher, my goal is to facilitate the translation of basic research findings into drug development. Our discoveries may guide the development of new drugs not only in pre-clinical stages but also throughout clinical trials. Ultimately, our aim is to bring these new drugs to market, providing more treatment options for patients in China and worldwide. I believe that female scientists in our country are very fortunate to receive significant support. Especially in recent years, our country has introduced many policy-oriented regulations and systems providing more opportunities for female scientists. For example, extending the age limit for female scientists by the National Natural Science Foundation reflects consideration of the additional responsibilities female scientists may bear in their families," said Huang.
China awards young female scientists
