2024 Suffrage Science Awards recognises pioneering women in the life sciences

Nine pioneering women in science have been nominated to receive the 2024 Suffrage Science Life Sciences Awards, ranging from groundbreaking researchers working on Alzheimer’s disease, memory and developmental biology to protein structures and more.

Established in 2011 by Professor Dame Amanda Fisher, who recently joined the University of Oxford, and renowned science writer and broadcaster Vivienne Parry OBE, the Suffrage Science Awards scheme recognises outstanding women scientists and communicators across three categories: Life Sciences, Engineering and Physical Sciences, and Mathematics and Computing.
Launched on the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, the Suffrage Science Awards aim to create a self-perpetuating cohort of talent that can encourage others to enter science and reach senior leadership roles. 

Rather than being selected by a judging panel, each new recipient is nominated to receive the award by the previous holder. There are now more than 30 awards across all three categories and more than 160 women have received a Suffrage Science Award to date, creating a unique ‘family tree’ network spanning the globe.

The awards take the form of stunning heirloom jewellery pieces incorporating the traditional suffragette colours of green, violet and white, and are handed over to the new recipient to keep and wear for two years. The pieces were designed by students at art and design college Central Saint Martins-UAL and brought to life by master jeweller Martin Baker.

The iconic jewellery pieces will be handed over to the 2024 Life Sciences awardees at an event to be held at the University of Oxford on 7th March, hosted by science writer and broadcaster Dr Kat Arney. 
Dr Arney will also chair a panel discussion during the event entitled ‘Getting It Done’, featuring Dr Areej Abuhammad, University of Jordan – who established the first protein crystallography lab in Jordan - Dr Sohaila Rastan, former Chief Scientific Advisor at the RNID, and leading diabetes researcher Professor Dame Frances Ashcroft from the University of Oxford. 

The panellists will discuss their approach to tackling professional and personal challenges, reveal how they found the courage to continue in the face of adversity, and share their top tips for Getting It Done. 

Amanda Fisher said “It’s a joy and great privilege to celebrate the achievements of these wonderful women scientists, and I am delighted to see the network of Suffrage Science awardees continue to expand around the world as an inspiration to all.” 

Group photo including the 2024 Suffrage Science Life Sciences Awardees

Video of the 7th March Awards Ceremony

The 2024 Suffrage Science Life Sciences Awardees are:

• Areej Abuhammad, University of Jordan, Jordan – nominated by Elspeth Garman, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford
   
• Prisca Liberali, FMI, Basel – nominated by Gisou van der Goot, EPFL, Lausanne
   
• Frederique Magdinier, Marseille Medical Genetics, France - nominated by Cécile Martinat, Institut Pasteur, France
   
• Azahara Oliva, Dept. of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University - nominated by Laura Colgin, University of Texas, Austin.
   
• Lynn Rochester, Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, University of Newcastle – nominated by Claudia Mazzà, Biogen
   
• Marta Shahbazi, MRC, LMB, Cambridge – nominated by Kelly Nguyen, MRC, LMB, Cambridge
   
• Monica Shokeen, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis – nominated by Naomi Matsuura, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto
   
• Faraneh Vargha-Khadem, Cognitive Science and Neuropsychiatry, UCL Institute of Child Health, London – nominated by Karalyn Patterson, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge
   
• Selina Wray, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London - nominated by Veronique Miron, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh

To find out more visit www.suffragescience.org