The celebration brought together fellows currently hosted by Spanish research centers, including ICMAB, as well as representatives of the host institutions.

During the gathering, a comprehensive report was presented, reviewing ten years of growth, impact, and collaboration. The report outlines the program’s foundational goals, the challenges overcome, and the many success stories that have positioned Science by Women as a benchmark in promoting scientific leadership among African women.

Lourdes Fàbrega, Deputy Director of ICMAB and the institute’s representative within the Science by Women initiative, attended the event on behalf of ICMAB.

“It was a very enriching and inspiring gathering,” Fàbrega said. “The presentation of the 10th anniversary report offered a comprehensive view of the program’s evolution and impact. The event brought together many former fellows and representatives from various host institutions, creating a strong sense of community and shared purpose. It’s exciting to see that the 11th call for applications is about to be launched, ensuring the continuation of this valuable initiative.”

And adds: "The impact analysis—both qualitative and quantitative—highlights a remarkable satisfaction rate of 4.7 out of 5 from both host institutions and beneficiaries". As stated in the report, most of the beneficiaries of the program would recommend the experience, which has positevely impacted their research career. 

Science by Women 10th anniversary event | Fundación Mujeres por África

A panel discussion titled "10 Years of Science by Women" explored new strategies to extend collaboration beyond the six-month fellowships, emphasizing the importance of sustained North-South scientific partnerships and the need for a gender lens in decision-making spaces. Ideas such as the creation of a shared funding database and advocacy for increased opportunities from public institutions were discussed.

Fàbrega also highlighted the lively discussion that took place during the event: “There was an open exchange between representatives of host centers and program beneficiaries on how the initiative could be further improved. It was emphasized that the program’s ultimate goal is to foster long-term research collaboration between Spanish research groups and the African women scientists—going beyond the six-month stay. Participants agreed that the program is deeply enriching for both sides and plays an important role in breaking down existing stereotypes about Africa. In terms of giving continuity to these collaborations, the idea of compiling a list of potential funding opportunities for joint projects was proposed, as well as advocating—beyond the Foundation’s scope—for broader support from relevant public authorities.”

In this line, one of the key outcomes of the program has been the creation of the NOW is Africa network, which seeks to strengthen the visibility, leadership, and international cooperation of African women scientists.

Science by Women 10th anniversary event | Fundación Mujeres por África 

ICMAB's participation in the Science by Women program:

The Science by Women program, launched by the Women for Africa Foundation in 2014, was created with the main objective of “expanding African women’s access to science, research, and innovation, supporting their careers, giving visibility to their achievements, and promoting new leadership.”

This initiative enables women from the African continent to carry out research stays—lasting up to six months—at Spanish institutions and research centers in a wide range of fields, including health, energy, climate change, food security, and mathematics.

ICMAB is proud to have participated in the program for four consecutive years, starting with its 7th edition in 2021. The program has made a significant impact at our institute, hosting talented researchers whose projects align with key global challenges—such as renewable energy, biomedical innovation, and antimicrobial materials. 

• 7th Edition (2021):
  Assumpta Chinwe Nwanya (Nigeria) joined the LASER group led by Ángel Pérez. Her project focused on developing low-cost, high-capacity graphene and silica from rice husk for sustainable energy storage.
• 8th Edition (2022):
  Miranda Mengwi Ndipingwi (Cameroon) was scheduled to work with Nieves Casañ’s Electrochemistry group but was unable to attend due to medical reasons.
• 9th Edition (2023):
  Muthumuni Elizabeth Managa (South Africa) collaborated with Rosario Núñez in the LMI group to study porphyrin-boron cluster conjugates for advanced cancer therapies combining PDT and BNCT. She will do the second part of her stay starting in January 2026. 
  Yasmin Abo Zeid (Egypt) will come in June 2026 to work with both the Nanomol-Bio group (Imma Ratera) and the LMI group (Rosario Núñez) on antimicrobial surface modifications using boron cluster compounds.
• 10th Edition (2024):
  Manoko Maubane-Nkadimeng (South Africa) will join ICMAB in September 2025 to work with Mariano Campoy's NANOPTO group on enhancing thermoelectric properties of PEDOT:PSS using carbonized nitrogen-doped carbon dots for energy harvesting applications.

This sustained participation reflects ICMAB's commitment to fostering global research collaboration, gender equity in science, and innovation with social impact.

The report will be available soon in Spanish, English, and French on the Fundación Mujeres por África website. [We will update the link here when available]

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Science by Women: 10 años de compromiso, crecimiento y empoderamiento de científicas africanas (Fundación Mujeres por África)

ICMAB - For its 10th edition, ICMAB participates yet again in the program 'Science by Women'