Three of UCT's best in Paris

Women scientists lit up the Champs-Élysées in Paris recently in a display of posters featuring the 77 Laureates of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award, an exposition to mark the award's 15th anniversary.

And among them were three of UCT's finest: Emeritus Professor Jennifer Thomson, and Professors Jill Farrant and Valerie Mizrahi. Thomson and Farrant work in the area of plant biotechnology and molecular physiology respectively and Mizrahi in infectious diseases.

Doubles: Prof Jill Farrant below a poster of herself, part of the 15th anniversary exposition in Paris of the 77 winners of L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award. Farrant won the African/Arab states title in 2012, one of three UCT women scientists to have clinched this award. Other UCT Laureates are Emer Prof Jennifer Thomson (2004), and Prof and Valerie Mizrahi (2000).	Emer Prof Jennifer Thomson won the African/Arab states title in 2004.	Prof Valerie Mizrahi won the African/Arab states title in 2000.

Mizrahi won the African/Arab states title in 2000; Thomson in 2004 and Farrant in 2012.

The L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award recognises women whose exceptional careers in science have opened up new and sometimes revolutionary ways of improving human well-being.

Each year, five outstanding women scientists (termed Laureates) '“ one per continent '“ are honored for the contributions of their research, the strength of their commitments and their impact on society. The prizes alternate annually between those in the life sciences and those from the physical and chemical scientists.