Research undertaken by women scientists has made an important contribution to the country’s renovation process, said a national committee on scientific prizes.

The Vietnam Kovalevskaia Prize Committee, which was named after outstanding Russian mathematician and scientist Sophia Kovalevskaia, was set up in 1985 to recognise scientific research by Vietnamese women, with financial support from Ann Koblitz and Neal Koblitz, Ph.D.

In a meeting held in Hanoi on January 28 reviewing the committee’s work over the past 25 years, Nguyen Thi Binh, chairman of the committee, said that it handed down awards to 31 individuals and 15 groups of the best women scientists who together undertook hundreds of research projects in the natural sciences.

The results of their research have been applied in many fields, said Binh.

Hoang Thi Ai Nhien, deputy chairman of the committee, said that in the coming time they will offer prizes to women scientists not only in natural but also in social sciences and there will be no age-limit for candidates.

Ministries and universities can recommend women scientists, or they can nominate themselves, for the prizes, said Nhien./.