The second annual Nature Research awards for inspiring science and for innovating science announced that the winners for 2019 are being recognized for helping to inspire girls to pursue science careers, Nature News reports.
The awards are a collaborative effort between Nature Research and the Estée Lauder Companies, and were presented on Oct. 15.
Harvard postdoc Jean Fan received the Inspiring Science Award for her research on methods to understand how cell types and states differ in genetic, gene-expression and epigenetic profiles, as well as for her outreach efforts, which include designing a customized picture book that shows girls what working in STEM looks like, Nature News says. With the $20,000 grant she'll receive as part of the award, Fan says she'll be able to provide more books free of charge to students in under-served communities, as well as developing a new book and apps.
The STEM Belle, a non-profit organization based in Nigeria, received the Innovating Science Award for projects that encourage girls in Nigeria, Ghana, and Pakistan to consider scientific careers. The organization gives academic awards to girls who do well in STEM classes, according to Nature News. Overall, more than 1,450 girls have benefited from The STEM Belle's efforts so far, and the group plans to expand its efforts to more schools and to train teachers in Microsoft Office, coding, and building Lego robots, using its own $20,000 grant.