Havana, Cuba: Cuba has more than 45 thousand women who work in different scientific branches and are today leading important milestones in these fields.
When the whole world celebrates the Day of Women and Girls in Science with a call to narrow the gender gap in the sector, the Caribbean island presents indicators such as that 53 percent of all academics (more than 86 thousand), they are female.
In addition, they represent more than 70 percent of Cuban doctors.
Rosa Elena Simeón, who led the fight against African swine fever, is among the most recognized one.
Among the best known names among scientists is Concepción Campa, leader of the research to develop the only vaccine with proven efficacy in the world against meningitis B and C.
These researchers are joined by Beatriz Marcheco from the Center for Medical Genetics; Martha Ana Castro, from the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine; and Mayra Hernández, from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology.
All three received the Sofia Kovalievskaia Prize in 2017, conferred by the Foundation named after the famous Russian scientist and feminist of the 19th century.
Given the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, many women demonstrate the worth of it.
Eight Cuban academics were selected in 2020 to participate in the International Panel of experts as Advisory Group for the confrontation of Covid-19 in the world, of them, two are female: Tania Crombet, clinical director of the Center for Molecular Immunology; and Guadalupe Guzmán, head of research and diagnosis at the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK).
Also belonging to IPK is Dr. Sonia Resik, head of the virology department and noted for her contributions to research on poliomyelitis in Cuba.
A woman who each of her publications on Twitter about the Soberana 01 and Soberana 02 vaccines against Covid-19, makes news, is Dagmar García, director of research at the Finlay Institute.
She is among the leaders of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine development project, and has received the Cuban Academy of Sciences Award three times.
In the effort to obtain candidates against the current pandemic, Dr. Marta Ayala, director of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), who works on the Mambisa and Abdala proposals, stands out.
Joining her is Dr. Miladys Limonta, manager of the CIGB Covid-19 vaccine project.
Many are and were women who work alongside hundreds of men in each sector of Cuban science.
A proof that the old saying: “Behind every man there is a great woman”, needs a change of position to put them next to, and sometimes, in front.