Penang scientist wins Women of the Future award
UNIVERSITI Sains Malaysia scientist and academic, Dr Chern Ein Oon, 34, was announced the winner in the Science and Technology category at the inaugural Women of the Future Awards South East Asia in Singapore recently.
Dr Chern won the award for her research work on developing new anti-cancer drugs that will likely influence new strategies for scientists to approach the treatment of cancer.
Described during the award presentation as a “true leader, with tenacity by the bucket load and a determination to make a difference and inspire others”, the young scientist from Penang credits her father with inspiring her to take an interest in science.
Dr Chern who was thrilled and excited to have won the Women of the Future Award in the Science and Technology category, said, “I would like to inspire the next generation of young scientists to believe in themselves. Age is just a number and they can achieve anything they want and dream of.”
She was one of 12 Malaysians and 50 high-achieving young women from 10 countries in South-East Asia shortlisted for nine different categories in the Women of the Future Awards.
These 50 young women will now form the Women of the Future South-East Asia Network and connect directly with their counterparts from Women of the Future Britain in celebrating and nurturing the pipeline of female talent.
“The Women of the Future programme opens up a network of brilliant young female leaders who are succeeding in their respective careers. It advocates peer to peer mentoring as well as fundamentally showing young women they can and should believe in themselves,” said British High Commissioner to Malaysia H.E. Vicki Treadell.
“Every young woman should be able to follow in Dr Chern’s footsteps and realise their full potential. Women are half the population and they deserve to take their seats in the boardroom. Fundamentally, nurturing female talent should be an economic priority for any country that wishes to compete on the global stage,” she added.
The Women of the Future Awards aims to recognise the inspirational young female stars of today and tomorrow. They are open to women aged 35 or under and celebrate talent across nine different fields, ranging from business, entrepreneurship, to property, science and technology, the arts, and community service.