Postdoctoral researcher wins Women in Science award

08 Apr 2024

“Believe in yourself, defy stereotypes…and persist in pursuing your dreams,” says Dr Reem Swidah, honoured for her work in sustainable development

Dr Reem Swidah, a postdoctoral researcher at our Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, has been awarded the prestigious L'Oréal UNESCO Award for Women in Science for her work in sustainable development.

The awards celebrate outstanding women post-doctoral scientists, and forms part of the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science UK and Ireland Rising Talent Programme to encourage the contribution of women pursuing their scientific research careers in the UK or Ireland.

Reem, one of five winners at the award at a ceremony at the House of Commons, said: “I am honoured. These awards are vital for supporting and celebrating women in science, offering recognition and inspiration.

“Programmes like L'Oréal UNESCO for women in science are critically important, providing vital recognition and support for women scientists while challenging prevailing stereotypes and biases.”

She added: “Believe in yourself, defy stereotypes, continuously enhance your professional skills, and persist in pursuing your dreams. If opportunities don't come your way, create your own path.

“Seek mentors, embrace learning, take risks, step out of your comfort zone, and surround yourself with supportive peers. Remember, diversity in STEM drives progress and innovation.”

Reem received a £25,000 grant that is fully flexible and tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support 12 months of research. Her work currently focuses on the genome minimization project, focusing on genome minimization within the synthetic yeast strain.

Reem was selected for the award for her drive and ambition to leverage her skills in synthetic biology to address global challenges and her work to harness the exceptional evolutionary abilities of synthetic yeast strains to develop innovative and cost-effective technologies to produce biofuels.

She believes that these advancements hold the potential to combat climate change and play a pivotal role in achieving the ambitious goal of Net Zero emissions by 2050, a key strategic objective of our University.

She will use the award for childcare support, professional skills development and attending international conferences, as well as enhancing her research independence by paying for small equipment and essential experiments to boost her research objectives.

The Women in Science National Rising Talents programme is run in partnership between L’Oréal UK and Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society.