OWSD women feature prominently in UNESCO's newly launched Virtual Science Museum

OWSD has partnered with UNESCO to curate parts of a new virtual exhibition. The Virtual Science Museum is a global digital platform designed to showcase science as a human endeavour that crosses cultures, histories and disciplines. The initiative aims to make science accessible, inclusive and engaging for learners, educators and the public at large. It underscores UNESCO’s mission to broaden access to scientific knowledge and build trust in science amid rapid technological change and global challenges. 

OWSD collaborated with UNESCO to curate the virtual room devoted to Women in Science. The aim of this room is to shine a light on women scientists from across the globe whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge and addressing pressing sustainable development challenges. OWSD members are strongly represented, underscoring both the calibre of their scientific contributions and OWSD’s role in advancing women’s leadership in science worldwide.

Featured OWSD members 

Below are the OWSD members featured in the exhibit:

Latin America & Caribbean

• Lidia Antonella Rivera Peñalva (Honduras), 2024 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Awardee, recognised for her work on marine biodiversity and conservation.

Asia

• Myo Ma Ma Than (Myanmar), 2004 OWSD Fellow, agricultural sciences.
• Prativa Pandey (Nepal), 2019 OWSD Early Career Fellow, science entrepreneur.

Africa

• Zubeda Ukundimana (Rwanda/Uganda), 2024 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Awardee, environmental engineering.
• Priscilla Kolibea Mante (Ghana), 2019 OWSD Early Career Fellow, CTA Consultative Group member and 2019 FWIS International Research Team grantee, pharmacology.

Arab States

• Haneen Dwaib (Palestine), 2020 FWIS Young Talent and 2023 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Awardee, medicine and health.

Together, these women's profiles illustrate the breadth of scientific expertise within the OWSD network, spanning fields from molecular biology and pharmacology to environmental engineering, physics and marine conservation. Their inclusion in UNESCO’s Virtual Science Museum underscores both the global impact of their research and the importance of investing in women scientists as drivers of scientific excellence and sustainable development.

The UNESCO Virtual Science Museum, including the Women in Science exhibition, is freely accessible online, offering a global audience the opportunity to explore science through the stories of those shaping it.

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Watch featured OWSD member, Priscilla Kolibea Mante, as she describes her neuropharmacology research: Blending traditional medicine and neuroscience research in Ghana.