L’Oréal Turkey, an advocate for gender equality in science, has been running the “For Women in Science” program in collaboration with UNESCO Turkey National Commission for 21 years, aimed at supporting young female scientists and ensuring that more women’s voices are heard in the world of science.
This year, as the leader in Tech-Beauty, the company has expanded the project’s scope by partnering with the Community Volunteers Foundation (Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı – TOG) to support the education of young female university students. By creating a donation fund for female students to use in their educational journeys, LOréal Turkey supports future female scientists who are currently university students. In the “For Women in Science” program, female scientists who have previously received scholarships will also contribute to a mentoring program to support future female scientists who are university students.
During the event, Sinem Sandıkçı Gökçen, the General Manager of L’Oréal Turkey, was joined by Prof. Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz, the President of UNESCO Turkey National Commission, Prof. Dr. Zeki Kaya, the Jury President, Dr. Gözde Durmuş, who is listed in MIT Technology Review’s annual “Innovators Under 35” list, Ayse Kırımlı, the General Manager of the Community Volunteers Foundation, and members of TOG’s Young Executive Board. The winning female scientists had the opportunity to present their projects during the event.
Speaking about the “For Women in Science” program, Sinem Sandıkçı Gökçen, the General Manager of L’Oréal Turkey, stated, “At L’Oréal, we have always maintained our strong belief in gender equality in science and in women scientists. We know that when gender equality is achieved in science, it leads to more perspectives, more diversity, and more innovation. That’s why, for 21 years now, we have been running the ‘For Women in Science’ program, which aims to support young female scientists, help them unleash their potential, and ensure greater success for women in science. In Turkey, we have supported 120 young women scientists in their promising projects, and we will continue to do so. We have received 1 International Excellence Award, and 5 of our women scientists have been selected as International Rising Talents, with 4 of them consecutively. We are proud of every one of them.”
Ayşe Kırımlı, the General Manager of TOG, emphasized the importance of gender equality and stated, “Since 2002, we, as TOG, have been working to empower young women to take a more active role in all areas of social life. Within this framework, we strengthen thousands of young women every year through scholarship and mentoring programs. Now, together with LOréal Turkey, we are delighted to support young people’s education and future dreams. We believe that successful women scientists will inspire and guide young people who aspire to build careers in this field.”
