L'Oreal promotes scientific innovation
By Lee Hyo-sik
L’Oreal Korea has been providing research grants to female scientists and encouraging female students to develop an interest in science under its motto, “Science is the basis of the beauty business.”
Since 2002 the Korean unit of the French cosmetics giant has been holding the L’Oreal Korea-UNESCO Awards for Women in Life Science, offering awards and research funds to female scientists in various life sciences fields. A total of 61 professors and researchers have been selected over the past 15 years.
“Since its foundation by chemist Eugene Schueller, L’Oreal Group has pursued and invested in scientific innovation as its deep-rooted spirit,” a L’Oreal Korea spokeswoman said. “The group has been continuing such investment by spending approximately 3 percent of its total revenue on R&D. Currently, 3,871 researchers of 60 nationalities are continuing research activities for innovation in 52 scientific directions and regulatory affairs, including biology, chemistry and physics.”
In particular, L’Oreal has been nurturing female scientists, and part of this effort is the L’Oreal Korea-UNSECO for Women in Science Awards.
“In Korea, we have renamed the award the L’Oreal Korea-UNESCO Awards for Women in Life Science, selecting one grand prize winner and three fellowship recipients every year since 2002,” the spokeswoman said. “The grand prize winner receives a 20 million won research grant and three promising young female scientists get 5 million won in grant money.”
In cooperation with the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, L’Oreal Korea has also been operating the science open lab, a program designed to raise the interest of female high school students in life sciences.
According to the cosmetics maker, only 27.5 percent of female high school students entering universities here choose science or engineering as their major.
“The country needs more young women to pursue careers in science. This is good for them, and also benefits Korea as a whole,” the spokeswoman said. “In this respect, we decided to operate the education program for young female students.”
It offers research activities otherwise unavailable in high school, such as visiting female scientists’ laboratories and conducting half-day experiments in several scientific subjects.
In addition, mentoring sessions with female scientists are held to help girls explore career paths and grow their passion for studying science.
From 2013 to 2015, the science open lab provided 860 female high school students with opportunities to experience live experiments in 55 laboratories nationwide with the theme of girls meet scientists.
This year, female students interested in life science can apply for the program which will be organized in 27 selected labs around the country in October. The list of the selected will be announced in September.