Commitment to Paleogenetics: Deciphering Ancient DNA

FU QIAOMEI

A paleogeneticist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She has been working on paleogenetics, specifically exploring human origins and evolution with ancient DNA. Through her decade research, FU has contributed significant insights into the history and biology of humans in Eurasia, and innovative developments in the methodology of related fields. She is a Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences, an HHMI International Research Scholar of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and a Young Global Leader of the 2020 World Economic Forum.

- About the Award -

The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) aims to strengthen STEM research, STEM education and international cooperation to confront the global challenges addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Prize will give recognition to the achievements of young people that are conducive to socio-economic transformation and development on a global scale while also increasing the interest of young people, particularly girls and women, in science so as to promote gender equality, scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific career.

It is awarded every two years to five laureates from the five geographic regions of UNESCO (Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America and Latin America and the Caribbean), its purpose to encourage youth participation in STEM, in particular women and girls, so as to promote gender equality, scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific career.

Candidates of the prize must be less than 40 years old at the time of applying for the Prize and must be actively involved in STEM at the time of application to the Prize.

The Prize consists of an award of US $ 50,000 for each of the five laureates as well as a medal and a diploma. In line with UNESCO’s global priority on Gender Equality, the proposed Prize will also serve to encourage more women to adopt and pursue a STEM career.

The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will foster collaboration, advancement and popularization of science and international cooperation to advance scientific expertise globally and meet the needs of young scientists in countries that are lagging behind in science and technology.

The Al Fozan Foundation (Saudi Arabia) proposed to establish and fund a UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the promotion of young scientists in STEM to contribute to generating STEM research, technology, and innovation, as well as pushing the production and application of scientific knowledge to the centre of societal and economic development, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

For more information, please refer to https://www.unesco.org/en/prizes/al-fozan and https://unescoalfozanprize.org/.