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Selected as the 2009 European Laureate, the award recognises Professor Donald’s work in unravelling the mysteries of the physics of messy materials.

Chosen on merit for her scientific excellence, Professor Donald impressed the judges with her research that has explored the physics of materials ranging from ice-cream, cement and starch to protein aggregation (which may be relevant to brain disease).

She becomes only the second British scientist to receive the prize, which will be awarded alongside four other exceptional scientists, one from each continent, at an awards ceremony in March.

Jennifer Campbell, Director, Partnerships and Philanthropy, L’Oréal commented:

“Athene’s award is testament to the outstanding contribution she has made to science. At L’Oreal we are also struck by her commitment to be an inspiration to young female scientists, through her conviction in reaching the highest echelons of science by combining her work with family life”

Professor Donald has worked at the ̽��ֱ��’s Cavendish laboratory since 1983 and is currently Deputy Head of the Department of Physics. She is a fellow of Robinson College and Director of WiSETI, the ̽��ֱ��’s Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative.

Professor Littlewood, Head of the Department of Physics, said of the award:

"Athene has been a pioneer in the study of complex soft materials where she has helped to make a scientific discipline where little was in place before. No less has she blazed a trail for women in physics, and now devotes some of her considerable energy to supporting others' careers. She joins an elite few women in physics who have been elected Laureates of the L'Oreal-Unesco Awards, and Cambridge can be proud, as I am, to count her as a colleague. I hope many more women will follow her inspiration into exciting research in the physical sciences."

̽��ֱ��last British Laureate was Professor Anne McLaren, who was also based at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, who received the award in 2001.

̽��ֱ��2009 awards were selected by a Jury of 18 eminent science researchers, with the 1999 Nobel Prize for chemistry Laureate Professor Ahmed Zewail as Jury President.

̽��ֱ��Laureates were chosen through nominations from a network of nearly 1,000 international scientists.

̽��ֱ��awards Ceremony will take place on the 6 March 2009, at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Each laureate will receive $100,000 in recognition of her contribution to science.

̽��ֱ��L’Oreal UNESCO Awards for Women in Science were established in 1998 as the first international awards dedicated to women scientists around the world. Each year the awards alternate between life sciences and physical sciences, recognising work that addresses major challenges in modern science. ‘Physical Sciences’ is the theme of this year’s awards.

̽��ֱ��laureates act as role models for future generations, encouraging young women around the world to follow in their footsteps.

Photo (c) Micheline Pelletier/Corbis.
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