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Global Voices of Science

An essay series celebrating the 125th anniversary of Science Magazine

December Essay

Following the Light: Opening Doors to Science in Tunisia

Zohra Ben Lakhdar, Tunis El Manar University

Zohra Ben Lakhdar, author of this month's essay, is director of the Laboratory of Atomic-Molecular Spectroscopy and Applications at Tunis El Manar University, in Tunisia. From her primary-school days onward, she has had to battle political, social, and cultural obstacles as she muscled toward her lifelong goal of becoming a scientist. She was elected to the Islamic Academy of Science in 1994 and was recently named a winner of the 2005 L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science.

"My advice to young women scientists in my country is to persevere, to love work and to love to do good work..."

Read the full essay by Zohra Ben Lakhdar

Interactive Feature

Science in Tunisia

Science in Tunisia

As Dr. Lakhdar discusses in her essay, there is a long way to go before science becomes an integral part of Tunisian society. But she is devoted to widening the pathway to science for more Tunisian and African women and hopes to one day establish an international scientific center of optics and photonics where African researchers can study and train. This online slide show highlights some of her triumphs thus far.

Also of 125th Anniversary interest on Science Online:

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)