L’Oréal USA has announced the 2026 For Women in Science (FWIS) awardees, recognizing five women postdoctoral scientists from the nation’s leading academic institutions and laboratories while providing each scientist a grant to further their research.
“L’Oréal USA’s For Women in Science program has awarded incredible scientists at a critical moment in their career journey for more than two decades,” said Marissa McGowan, Chief Sustainability Officer for L’Oréal North America. “Through mentorship and connection, the program supports awardees while also recognizing each of their dedication to inspiring future generations of scientists.”
This year’s awardees include a local scientist, Dr. Clarissa Do Ó, a postdoctoral fellow from the California Institute of Technology.
Do Ó was recognized for her work in the field of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences. At Caltech, Do Ó is working on developing technologies and observing strategies for the direct imaging of exoplanets, planets that orbit stars outside our Solar System. This work develops techniques to enable the detection of Earth-like exoplanets, which are 10 billion times fainter than their stars, helping us understand our place in the Universe.
Currently, Do Ó works on observation planning for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Instrument and on technologies for NASA’s future Habitable Worlds Observatory, which is being designed to directly image and characterize potentially Earth-like planets around nearby stars.
Other awardees include Dr. Danielle Stevens of the University of California, Berkeley, recognized for her work in innate immunity and computational biology; Dr. Anna Romanov of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recognized for her work in biological engineering; Dr. Katherine Lagerstrom of Princeton University, recognized for her work in ecology and evolutionary biology; and Dr. Tana Pottorf of The Ohio State University, recognized for her work in neuroimmunology.
Travis York, director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for STEMM Education & Workforce, said this year’s awardees have demonstrated how scientific research can improve lives.
“Equally inspiring is their commitment to opening doors for the next generation of scientists,” York said. “Through our longstanding partnership with L’Oréal USA, AAAS is proud to champion these exceptional researchers and our shared commitment to advancing scientific discovery, expanding opportunity, and ensuring science serves society.”
The FWIS program was created with the belief that women hold an essential role in scientific research. The program aims to create a community for women postdoctoral researchers as they pursue research projects and attain leadership positions in their fields. Since 2003, the L’Oréal USA FWIS program has supported more than 115 women scientists, awarding over $5.6 million in grants.
L’Oréal USA will honor the 2026 For Women in Science recipients at an awards ceremony in New York City on Oct. 22.
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