Francisca Okeke |
Two Nigerian female scientists have bagged the UNESCO-L’Oreal “Women in Science Partnership" award according to the News Agency of Nigeria, for their contributions to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the country.
The awardees were recognised in the “Laureates and fellows" categories in Paris.
Prof. Francisca Okeke, the first female Head of Department, University of Nigeria Nsukka bagged the 2013 Laureate award for her significant contributions to the scientific study climate change.
She was the only recipient in that category from Africa and the Arab nations and the third Nigerian Laureate since the UNESCO-L’Oreal partnership was established in 1998.
Four others also got awards in the Laureate category with each representing Europe, Latin America, North America and the Asia Pacific regions.
The second Nigerian award recipient, Dr Eucharia Nwaichi, an environmental bio-chemist from the University of Port Harcourt joined 15 other young scientists in the “International Fellows" category.