Mexican Women Researchers Have Been Recognized

In 2021, under the leadership of Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum as the Head of Government of Mexico City, the first edition of the Women in Biological and Health Sciences "Matilde Montoya" Award was held.

“In addition to recognizing contributions to the development of frontier knowledge, it also allows us to highlight the gender gaps that exist in society,” emphasizes the biochemical engineer about this award, named after “Matilde Montoya, the first female doctor in the country who fought tirelessly,” the public official points out.

According to an analysis conducted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), as of 2022, women outnumbered men in undergraduate programs in Biological, Chemical, and Health Sciences, with 37,022 female students enrolled, compared to 19,605 male students in these fields. However, the landscape changes at the research level.

Due to this, the SECTEI head believes it is essential that “all public policy in scientific and educational matters fully applies a gender perspective. When there are equal circumstances, equal conditions, and if there is a woman, she should be given the opportunity to win the award, to have her research project funded, to obtain the postdoctoral scholarship—in other words, there must be a transversal gender perspective in all public scientific policy.”

“THAT WOMEN CAN REACH OUR DREAMS. THAT THEY KNOW THAT ACCESS TO ALL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS DOES NOT EXPIRE.” —DR. OFELIA ANGULO, HEAD OF SECTEI

• 1887 Matilde Montoya becomes the first female doctor in Mexico.
• 2021 The first edition of the award took place.
• 4th This year's edition.
• 31 Projects were submitted for this edition.
• Honorary mentions are also given during the ceremony.
• 300,000 pesos are awarded to the winner.

Dr. Nimbe Torres y Torres is this year's winner. For more than four decades, she has studied the molecular properties of foods in Mexico.

Learn about her story and those of other female researchers in the Mente Mujer supplement at the following link: Mente Mujer.