Women in Eurjoc (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2021/2011)

PROFILES Women in EurJOC MICROREVIEWS What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? A successful scientist has to be fascinated by their own research. It can happen that you are absorbed in a thought and forget the world around you until you suddenly come Esther Lete (Universidad del Paı´s up with a new idea or totally different interpretation. Then, Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibert- of course, you need analytical skills, but also creativity and sitatea, Bilbao, Spain) openness. The creative side is where women probably have a Research interests: Lithium and pal- slight advantage, which we should use. Besides the work on ladium chemistry for the develop- our own desks, collaboration and communication give valu- ment of new methodologies for the able impulse to research. For women in science, this involves stereocontrolled synthesis of hetero- learning to understand how men think and communicate; cycles. however, we should never try or pretend to be them! DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100123 Joe¨lle Prunet (University of Glas- gow, Glasgow, United Kingdom) As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Research interests: Total synthesis you have encountered? of bioactive natural products and I honestly don’t think I have found any particular obstacle development of new methodologies being a female chemist, as the access to public university in organic chemistry. positions or to public funding for research in Spain is based DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100442 on academic and research merits with equal and public cri- teria. In fact, the number of female full professors in or- What is the biggest challenge facing ganic chemistry in Spain has increased in the last years, female organic chemists? and it is probably relatively higher than in other countries. The biggest challenge facing female organic chemists, or However, we still have a long way to go in terms of visibility more generally female scientists working in an academic en- and responsibility, considering the number of women chem- vironment, is to have a successful life both from a pro- ists in relevant positions, editorial boards, organizing com- fessional and a personal point of view. More specifically, it mittees, etc. On the personal side, of course, it is really im- is still very difficult in most countries to find good daycare portant to have strong support from your family. In my for small babies when you are working long hours, except case, my husband is also a scientist, and it seems we have maybe in France, and very often successful young academic managed quite well, as our daughter Marta is also starting females choose not to have children because it would put her scientific career as a graduate student in Biochemistry. their career on hold.

Thisbe Lindhorst (Christiana Alber- Claudia Tomasini (Alma Mater Stu- tina University of Kiel, Kiel, diorum Universita` di Bologna, Germany) Bologna, Italy) Research interests: Glycosciences. Research interests: Organic chemis- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100407 try; synthesis, conformational analy- sis, and applications of pseudopep- What is the secret to being a success- tide foldamers; supramolecular mat- ful female scientist? erials; organocatalysis. Combine your best masculine qualit- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100493 ies with your best feminine qualities! Why do you think young women should study chemistry? Mirja Hartmann (Christiana Alber- The main reason to study chemistry is because you like it. tina University of Kiel, Kiel, Chemistry is a fascinating discipline that teaches us to Germany) understand what is inside ... everything! Why shouldn’t a Research interests: Carbohydrate- young woman study chemistry? Women are usually curious, specific adhesion of type-1 fimbri- determined, and have imagination. All these characteristics ated bacteria in vitro, mannoside- are very useful in chemistry and mainly in chemistry re- binding properties of lectins by search. Sometimes women think that they are not good en- NMR spectroscopy, carbohydrate- ough for a hard science like chemistry: this is completely binding strength and specificity of wrong. The most important characteristics that a young lectins by AFM. woman should have to succeed in chemistry is to work hard DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100407 and think that she can make it!

Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 www.eurjoc.org © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 3567 PROFILES SHORT COMMUNICATIONS Meike Niggemann (RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany) Research interests: Development of Svetlana B. Tsogoeva (University of new catalytic systems on the basis Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, of inexpensive and non-toxic early Germany) main group metals. Research interests: Asymmetric or- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100231 ganocatalysis and organoautocata- lysis, asymmetric oxidations with re- What is the biggest challenge facing dox-active metal complexes, natural female organic chemists? product hybrids for medicinal Among the biggest challenges facing any scientist, irrespec- chemistry. tive of gender, is to balance work and family. Science is a DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100206 competition by its nature, we’re constantly chasing after the most spectacular, ground-breaking results, the biggest Why do you think young women should study chemistry? grants, the most-renewed awards. Taking up family re- Chemistry is a fascinating field of study. Surprisingly, it is sponsibilities makes it hard to keep up the pace with those still a subject less frequented by women when deciding to who stay focused 100% on science. Reducing the chances choose a career path. I hardly believe though that this is for progress in one’s academic career by dividing attention due to lack of talent or creativity in women as compared to between family caretaking and the commitment to the next their male peers. Instead, it appears to depend on the way discovery is a difficult but free choice for both men and society looks at the role of women in chemistry, where woman. Nevertheless, there are a few positions outside of women are traditionally under-represented. Young women academia where personal freedom allows your life concept who aspire to be chemists should trust in their own poten- to be balanced to such a great extent. tial, strength, and ability instead of being put off by subjec- tive perception. Young female chemists must see more ex- Florence Mongin (Universite´ de amples from women doing exciting research and discoveries Rennes 1, UMR 6510 CNRS, in chemistry and mastering the demanding tasks of being a Rennes, France) mother, a teacher, and a scientist. Research interests: Functionali- zation of aromatic and heteroarom- atic compounds, in particular by Elisabet Dun˜ach (University of using bimetallic bases; lithiumϪ Nice, CNRS UMR 6001, Nice, magnesium, lithiumϪzinc, lith- France) iumϪcadmium, lithiumϪcopper, Research interests: Novel method- and lithiumϪcobalt combinations ology in organic synthesis, including for deprotonative metalation reactions of various substrates catalysis by Lewis superacids; elec- and their subsequent trapping; diastereoselective func- trosynthesis and “green” chemistry; tionalization of sugar-based ferrocenes using bimetallic activation of small molecules such compounds; enantioselective deprotonation of simple ferro- as CO ; synthetic applications in the 2 cenes by using chiral bimetallic bases. field of fine chemistry, in par- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100264 ticular in the area of flavors and fragrances. DOI:10.1002/ejoc.201100213 As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that you have encountered? What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? I obtained my PhD in (organic) chemistry in 1994 from the One of the main challenges of women is to efficiently com- University of Rouen (France) under the supervision of Prof. bine a job with a family life. Both aspects are highly de- Guy Queguiner. After a stay in Lausanne (Switzerland) as manding and the balance between both aspects is some- a post-doctoral fellow with Prof. Manfred Schlosser, I re- times difficult to adjust. It remains difficult for a woman, turned to the University of Rouen as an Assistant Professor as a professional, as a mother, and as a wife, to define pri- in 1997 (habilitation in 2003). I took up my present position orities when daytime is always too short. In particular, a in 2005 as Professor at the University of Rennes. Even if in difficult period in my life was when my children were chemistry women are more present than in other disciplines, young, which involved high pressure and almost no time for men continue to dominate, notably having the strategic po- anything. However, the French system helped with adapted sitions. The glass ceiling is not yet shattered, nevertheless schools and institutions. Now, with two superb grown-up things have changed in 20 years. Working hard, it is now children and the constant support of my husband, I can possible for female chemists to overcome most obstacles better focus on chemistry, both on the innovative as well as and to be considered equal to men... in particular if they on the responsibility aspects. do not aim for key positions.

Alessandra Lattanzi (Universita` di Enjoy work and enjoy life. Women should do their best to Salerno, Fisciano, Italy) be successful in their research, and their success will show Research interests: Organocatalysis, that they are as excellent as their male counterparts. Women asymmetric metal-catalyzed oxi- should enjoy their daily lives, the sunshine, the blue sky, the dations, geometrical and algebraic flowers, etc. approach for the description of chiral structures. Berit Olofsson (Stockholm Univer- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100282 sity, Stockholm, Sweden) Research interests: Synthesis and application of hypervalent iodine compounds as environmentally be- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? nign reagents in asymmetric syn- In a world largely dominated by men, being successful as a thesis. female scientist requires a great deal of personal motivation, DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100360 curiosity, and enthusiasm. Working hard with talented students is fundamental, but it is equally important not to be discouraged from the difficulties or failures encountered in What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? every day work at different levels. Finally, believing in the The biggest challenge facing female organic chemists is that possibility to realize your ideas as well as having the cour- practical work requires long working hours in a lab environ- age to be out of schemes are other ingredients to being suc- ment, which is not always healthy, especially for pregnant cessful. women. Therefore, it is more difficult for women in organic chemistry to combine an academic career with a family Anne Fiksdahl (Norwegian Univer- than in other chemistry disciplines, and many talented sity of Science and Technology, women choose an industrial career for this reason. This Trondheim, Norway) situation ought to be addressed by the whole organic chem- Research interests: Synthetic or- istry community, not only by women, to find good solutions ganic chemistry, in particular, gold to help women continue their careers in academia. catalysis in synthetic and heterocyclic chemistry. Eleanor A. Merritt (Stockholm Uni- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100291 versity, Stockholm, Sweden) Research interests: Hypervalent hal- ogen chemistry, terpenoid bio- As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that synthesis, synthesis of natural prod- you have encountered and what is the secret to being a suc- ucts. cessful female scientist? DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100360 I have never been particularly ambitious regarding my general or academic career. However, by being rather efficient, systematical, and determined, but patient as well, I have experienced the pleasure of reaching my goals one by one on the way. The family policy and the general view in Nor- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? way support men and women to have the same possibilities There is no secret to being a successful female scientist. Suc- in working life and encourage parents to share family and cess in science comes through hard work, dedication, per- home duties. With this background and given the appropri- severance, curiosity, and the occasional serendipitous result, ate infrastructure, such as generous maternity leave and kin- none of which are gender-specific. dergartens, women are able to have both a family life as well as an independent career. Without this, I would never have become a university professor with three children. Ge´raldine Masson (Institut de Chi- mie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS, Centre de Recherche de Gif, Yan-Mei Li (Tsinghua University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France) Beijing, P. R. China) Research interests: Development of Research interests: Bioorganic new enantioselective reactions, mul- chemistry. ticomponent reactions, and syn- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100304 thetic methodologies; development of carbonϪcarbon and carbonϪ What is the secret to being a success- nitrogen bond-forming processes ful female scientist? that efficiently create multiple stereocenters. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100426

As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Ve´ronique Michelet (Ecole Nation- you have encountered? ale Superieure De Chimie De Paris, I think that most obstacles can be overcome with determi- Chimie-ParisTech, UMR CNRS nation, consistency, and perseverance. It is also an excellent 7223, Paris, France) way of learning who you are and what you want. By dis- Research interests: Metal-catalyzed Ϫ Ϫ covering and pushing your limits you begin to understand formation of C C, C O, and Ϫ what you are truly capable of. C N bonds (Pd, Ni, Rh, Pt, Ir, Au); homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis; metalloϪorgano- Sherry R. Chemler (State University catalysis; organic supramolecular molecules as complexing of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, agents. New York, USA) DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100464 Research interests: Discovery, development, and application of new copper-promoted and -catalyzed or- Why do you think young women should study chemistry? ganic reactions; stereoselective syn- Throughout history and up to recent times, chemistry has thesis and the development of dia- been dominated by men worldwide. As such, females were stereoselective and enantioselective often either assisting or providing a secondary role, and in reactions; asymmetric synthesis and some cases they were a lab mate in a team led and managed organometallic chemistry. by males. The fact that women formulate and develop more DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100444 balanced and nuanced views and priorities of life makes them equipped and prepared to conduct research in chemistry, with the ultimate objective to contribute and improve Why do you think women should study chemistry? the well-being of humanity. That said, I would therefore I think everyone who seeks to understand the physical recommend chemistry to young professional women, as it world and biological systems should study chemistry. The is a highly fascinating and cross-cutting discipline whereby chemical sciences also provide a unique interface where we perseverance, intuition, critical and analytical thinking, and can shape our world through the development of materials creativity could lead to new and indefinite frontiers in sev- and medicines. Women should study chemistry if they find eral areas going from materials and biology to organic sci- understanding and interacting with the world on the molec- ences. ular level satisfying. Virginie Vidal (Ecole Nationale Mikiko Sodeoka (RIKEN Superieure De Chimie De Paris, Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Chimie-ParisTech, UMR CNRS Saitama, Japan) 7223, Paris, France) Research interests: Synthetic or- Research interests: Asymmetric ca- Ϫ Ϫ ganic chemistry, chemical biology. talysis (C H and C C bond for- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100453 mation), green chemistry, atom- economic reactions, hydrogenation and hydrogen-transfer reactions, hy- drosoluble and atropisomeric ligands, metalloϪorganocatalysis, synthesis of biologically active compounds. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100464 What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? I think that being a scientist is, by all means, a wonderful profession with a lot of excitement and fun. Basically a Why do you think young women should study chemistry? scientist is evaluated by their scientific achievement and not Chemicals are all around us and they are the basis for life. by their gender. I think there is no special secret to being a As a foundation or enabling science for medicine, biology, successful “female” scientist. To become a successful “scien- ecology, nutrition, or petroleum derivatives, chemistry edu- tist”, she/he will need strong enthusiasm towards science, a cation promotes the training of the mind to solve problems, strong desire to be successful, good luck, etc. Of course, think critically, and to analyze. These are skills that cannot scientific achievement may depend not only on such per- be acquired from books. This is very attractive for young sonal aspects but also the surrounding research environ- women, and the professional environment is, for the most ment including co-workers and mentors. I would like to en- part, quite favorable to female scientists, encouraging their courage young female scientists to be optimistic, to con- promotion. Along with providing a good career, chemistry tinue with the challenges, and to not give up their careers! provides young women with the opportunity to be a good

3570 © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eurjoc.org Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 PROFILES mother at the same time. Many women have been able to Paola Galletti (University of achieve a great workϪfamily balance in their career. I en- Bologna, Bologna, Italy) thusiastically encourage young women to become chemists. Research interests: Synthesis of bioactive molecules, sustainable chem- Raquel P. Herrera (Universidad de istry. Zaragoza and ARAID, Zaragoza, DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100089 Spain) Research interests: Asymmetric or- Will the glass ceiling ever be shat- ganocatalysis and its applications; tered? development of new and pioneering organocatalytic methodologies suit- Not in the near future and not for my generation here in able for the synthesis of interesting Italy, I regret. At conferences and meetings, I am used to compounds, including cinchona al- noticing the composition of the audience and I am often in kaloids, phase-transfer catalysts, the minority as a female researcher. Even worse for women proline derivatives, and thiourea catalysts. with decisional power is that they can still be counted on the DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100506 fingers of one hand. There is a long way to go for younger female scientists but I trust in their (and my) obstinacy. What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? I think that the secret to becoming a successful scientist is Daria Giacomini (University of Bol- to work hard and to persevere, without losing the smile on ogna, Bologna, Italy) one’s face. Unfortunately, the scientific world is not easy Research interests: Design and syn- and obtaining negative results day after day can be very thesis of biologically active mol- hard and frustrating. However, I think that being full of ecules, biocatalysis, NMR spec- positive energy and enthusiasm should be enough to give troscopy. us the needed strength to continue working daily. Fighting DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100089 in the lab every day searching for new reactions and for new methodologies, together with a friendly team of incredible people, helps to realize new challenges and to achieve the final aims. A special issue such as this one, dedicated to As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Woman in Chemistry, is a very special prize and valuable you have encountered? recognition to our hard work. When my daughters were children, my job as a mother and a chemistry researcher was too heavy for me. The help- fulness of my husband (a chemist) in sharing the parenting FULL PAPERS duties allowed me to give a fresh impetus to my research projects and to my career. Thus, collaborative family re- Marta Figueredo Galimany (Univer- lationships can help to overcome obstacles for a female sitat Auto`noma de Barcelona, Bar- chemist as well as for any other female worker. celona, Spain) Research interests: Stereoselective So Won Youn (Hanyang University, synthesis of molecules with poten- Seoul, Republic of Korea) tial or recognized biological activity, Research interests: Development of including polycyclic alkaloids, poly- new synthetic methodology, tran- functionalized cyclohexanes with sition-metal catalysis, organocata- antibiotic and/or antitumoral ac- lysis. tivity, cyclobutane pheromones, and DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100113 nucleoside analogues. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100067

Will the glass ceiling ever be shattered? During many generations women were discouraged to pur- Why do you think young women should study chemistry? sue scientific careers because they were not considered to First and foremost, the pursuit of scientific curiosities is a be feminine. In a developed country of the 21st century, privilege for individuals of all age, race, cultural back- probably nobody would dare to defend such an opinion in ground, and, most of all, gender. The advancement of sci- public. However, current statistics show that the majority ence, as a consequence of our ability to decipher physical of chemical companies continue preferentially to select men and biological phenomena, necessitates views from all for the positions of higher responsibility. There is still a long angles that form the basis for future discoveries. As such, way to go. the differing thought process between genders is an essen-

Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 www.eurjoc.org © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 3571 PROFILES tial component, and it is best nurtured through young As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that minds where the learning ability is at its prime. Indeed, this you have encountered? also holds true in the context of chemical sciences, where an As a female chemist, one of the obstacles I have to face is equal and mutually complementary learning between young time. The main difficulty is to share my time between re- men and women will promise the future and prosperity of search and private life without affecting either of them. I this rich and glorious discipline. think that a good equilibrium, which may be different along the scientific career, is essential to be a productive chemist. Genevie`ve Balme (Universite´ Lyon However this opinion is not always understood in the scien- 1, UMR 5246 du CNRS, Villeur- tific community, which remains mainly masculine. Para- banne, France) doxically, the way in which I overcame this obstacle was Research interests: Multicomponent time: it took time for me to be acknowledged as an es- reactions, development of tran- teemed scientist, time to have my own group, and time for sition-metal cascade reactions. my children to grow up. My deep interest and enthusiasm DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100119 for research and chemistry supported me all that time.

Why do you think young women should study chemistry? Suzanne Peyrottes (University I strongly encourage young women to study and pursue ca- Montpellier 2, UMR 5247 CNRS- reers in organic chemistry because it is a creative science UM1-UM2, IBMM, Montpellier, that will have to face many challenges over the next several France) years. In particular, the development of innovative environ- Research interests: Design and syn- mentally friendly chemical processes for the elaboration of thesis of potential therapeutic ag- new molecules having interesting properties will be an im- ents to treat infections and cancers, portant area of research in organic chemistry. This environ- new synthetic methodology related mental approach to chemistry will make this science par- to the chemistry of nucleic acid ticularly attractive for women who have generally a great components. interest for this area. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100219

Anna Bernardi (University of As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Milano, Milano, Italy) you have encountered? Research interests: Molecular design, function-oriented synthesis, I do not remember having to face any obstacles during synthesis of glycomimetic mol- school or university; being a hard-working student allowed ecules, development of new syn- me to go where I had planned. When I was a young re- thetic methodologies. search assistant, I encountered a few graduate students and DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100124 post-docs (all males) who were skeptical that I had anything interesting to teach to them. However, being patient is a good way to demonstrate to them that at one point or another they will need your help. What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? I think it helps to be somewhat insensitive: you should be able to see the discriminatory attitudes around you, but never feel them. Never personally, anyway. Networking with Irena G. Stara´ (Institute of Organic other women is useful to lift the morale. If you have a fam- Chemistry and Biochemistry, Acad- ily, it helps to be willing to relinquish some responsibilities emy of Sciences of the Czech Re- at home. And, of course, it is essential to have a partner public, Prague, Czech Republic) ready to take his share (occasionally more than that). Research interests: Helicene chemistry, organic synthesis, asymmetric Joe¨lle Dubois (Institut de Chimie catalysis, organometallic chemistry, des Substances Naturelles, UPR2301 molecular devices. CNRS, Centre de Recherches de Gif, DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100259 Gif sur Yvette, France) Research interests: Medicinal chemistry (inhibitors of the protein pre- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? nylation pathway in protozoan I think the secret is the same for a successful female scientist parasites), heterocyclic chemistry as it is for a successful male scientist: hard work, creativity, (thiophene, imidazole). talent, and opportunity. Perhaps in the case of a woman, it DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100215 is necessary to invest a bit more of all of them.

Hye-Young Jang (Ajou University, materials, plastics, and paints. Because there is so much di- Suwon, South Korea) versity in the occupations possible, young women will no Research interests: Transition-metal doubt find a means to satisfy their intellectual needs, while catalysis, organocatalysis. at the same time contributing to create a more modern so- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100280 ciety.

What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? Maria Teresa Barros (Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal) To be a successful female scientist, one needs to have the Research interests: organometallic passion, interest, and perseverance for conducting research. reagents, chiral auxiliaries, asym- Finding and understanding novel scientific phenomena is metric macrocycles with biological similar to running a marathon. One needs to devote all ef- interest, natural products of econ- forts until she wins the race, no matter how long the race is omic interest, selective chemistry of or how monotonous it can be. After the race, one needs to saccharose, cycloaddition reactions, prepare for the next race with hope and passion, regardless ligands for bioremediation, poly- of whether the results are satisfactory or not. By adopting mers, reactions in water as solvent and under microwave a similar approach, one can surely enjoy carrying out irradiation, organocatalysis, asymmetric homogeneous and extensive scientific research. heterogeneous catalysis, glycoconjugates. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100308 Mercedes Amat (University of Bar- celona, Barcelona, Spain) Research interests: Development of What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? new synthetic methods for the en- Organization and hard work. If your time is not used ef- antioselective synthesis of natural ficiently then it will be impossible to be successful. It is products, in particular alkaloids difficult to succeed in science even without the added obli- and other bioactive nitrogen com- gations of family life. Organic chemistry is very difficult and pounds. requires a high degree of dedication. The gender difficulties DOI: 10.1002/ehoc.201100294 to be overcome by female scientists are compounded by an evermore competitive world where science is often used as a weapon for obtaining political power.

Ana Maria Faı´sca Phillips (Univer- sidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Pauline Chiu (University of Hong Portugal) Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China) Research interests: Development of Research interests: Total synthesis new asymmetric synthesis methods of natural products, development of based on catalysis with metals com- novel synthetic methodologies. plexed to chiral ligands or organo- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100328 catalysts; phosphonate chemistry, with emphasis on the synthesis of compounds with potential biological activity; design of functionalized nanoparticles for catalytic applications. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100308 Why do you think young women should study chemistry? In one sense, the reasons are the same as why anyone should Why do you think young women should study chemistry? study chemistry Ϫ it is because many processes as diverse Chemistry is an intellectually stimulating subject that as those that take place in our bodies, in our atmospheric should satisfy the enquiring minds of bright young women or oceanic environment, in energy, or in outer space are and provide a satisfying career. Chemists may find employ- chemical processes that need to be understood at the molec- ment in education, research, industry, publishing, or sales. ular level in order to be able to truly comprehend and influ- Most of the jobs involve regular work hours, which may ence or manipulate them. Chemistry offers a way to under- be important to a young woman wanting to start a family. stand and view problems deeply but also an opportunity to Research careers are demanding in terms of time, but they employ our creative powers to make novel molecules or in- are also more flexible. Chemists help to produce clean vent unprecedented chemical transformations. The appli- water, food preservatives, agrochemicals, antibiotics, and cations are unlimited. It is a very exciting time for a young other pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, batteries, fuels, advanced woman (or man!) to be a chemist!

Margaret Brimble (University of Ioulia Smonou (University of Crete, Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand) Crete, Greece) Research interests: Synthesis of no- Research interests: BiocatalysisϪbio- vel bioactive natural products (es- transformations in organic syn- pecially molecules derived from ex- thesis; asymmetric synthesis of bio- treme environments and shellfish active compounds using biocatalytic toxins) as novel anticancer, antibac- methods; enzymes in organic chem- terial, and antiviral agents; peptides istry, including mechanisms, stereo- and peptidomimetics for the treat- selectivity, and synthetic appli- ment of neurodegenerative dis- cations; applied biocatalysis. orders; synthesis of peptide compo- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100368 nents for melanoma vaccines. She developed the drug can- didate NNZ2566 for Neuren Pharmaceuticals that is in Why do you think young women should study chemistry? phase 2b clinical trials for traumatic brain injury in partner- Young women today have great opportunities to study ship with the US Army Walter Reed Institute. chemistry and science, as they are essential for the advance- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100345 ment of the sciences. Many talented women can achieve the required expertise in chemistry Ϫ one of the most creative sciences Ϫ and contribute significantly to the world’s efforts What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? in tackling the most-challenging problems of the future: sustainable energy, food and water supplies, and main- The biggest challenge is to balance the multifaceted nature taining public health and comfortable lifestyle. Today the of being a career scientist to teach, to mentor postgraduate number of women in chemistry and science has increased a students and research fellows, to carry out high-level re- lot, which provides a more-friendly and welcoming environ- search, to bring in research funding to their institutions, to ment for young women in the area of chemistry. engage in services and outreach activities, and to market their research to a wide audience. All of these activities are a major job in and of themselves, yet women are often do- Kyoko Nozaki (University of Tokyo, ing this as well as running a household and caring for their Tokyo, Japan) family. The changing nature of research and the emphasis Research interests: Homogeneous on metrics to judge researchers has also impacted scientists’ catalysis. ability to complete tasks efficiently. The administration be- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100373 hind science and teaching appears to develop faster than the science itself, and some of the scientists have to perform exceptionally well in their respective fields to make an impact.

Gabriele Maria König (University of As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Bonn, Bonn, Germany) you have encountered? Research interests: Natural prod- I did not encounter any obstacles ... being thick-skinned ucts chemistry, marine natural prod- might be the key. ucts. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100347 Franc¸oise Colobert (University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France) Research interests: Homogeneous catalysis, in particular the asymmetric SuzukiϪMiyaura biaryl coup- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? ling reaction; synthesis of new biaryl ligands for asymmetric cataly- Women in science are still the exception. There is no role sis; total synthesis of biologically model and most women function as “neutral” scientists Ϫ active molecules. that is with only half of their power. Often it is believed DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100380 that as a woman you have the choice between career and family. It is important to realize that this is not the case. Contentment with private life translates into inner strength, What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? which does support professional efforts. For me it is crucial In my opinion, for a woman in chemistry the most import- to be both a woman with children/family and a professional ant thing is to be passionate about chemistry. I see chemis- pursuing her career. try like art where molecules are orchestrated. When this is

3574 © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eurjoc.org Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 PROFILES the case, a woman will more easily accept the sacrifices that HRH Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol she necessarily has to make in her private life. The way you (Chulabhorn Research Institute, interact with colleagues is another determining factor in a Bangkok, Thailand) woman’s career. This might create opportunities and Research interests: Natural prod- chances, which will help to build your career. It is important ucts, enzyme inhibitors, biologically to steadily improve your network of scientists in general, active compounds, anticancer ag- and for a woman, perhaps even more important is visibility, ents. that is, to know and to be known is primordial. To develop DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100410 a career in chemistry is like directing a research project: it DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100423 requires many experiments with surprising and enthusiastic results, and sometimes, unfortunately, severe deceptions are encountered. As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that you have encountered? When we face obstacles, we should analyze the root of the Gloria Uccello Barretta (Universita` problem and then try to tackle it accordingly. In general, di Pisa, Pisa, Italy) females have great fortitude, patience, and perseverance, Research interests: NMR spec- which can help overcome these obstacles. troscopy, chiral discrimination, chiral auxiliaries for NMR spec- Janis Louie (University of Utah, troscopy, supramolecular chemistry, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) cyclodextrins, cinchona alkaloids, Research interests: Organic chemis- complexation phenomena. try, catalysis, small-molecule acti- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100408 vation. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100428

As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that you have encountered? I was persistent in all that I did and I worked hard with great enthusiasm. What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? Being a successful female scientist means being a successful scientist (female or not). And the secret to success is to Carmen Escolano (University of set goals (and deadlines) and then identify tangible ways to Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain) obtain those goals. Try to achieve one step toward that goal Research interests: Radical chemis- every day. Importantly, spend your time working toward try, preparation of nitrogenated en- your goals and don’t waste time worrying about what other antiopure compounds, asymmetric people are doing/not doing or thinking/not thinking. The synthesis, organocatalysis (amino- only thing you can control is what you do Ϫ so focus on catalysis). that and make the most of it. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100409 Ines Mancini (University of Trento, Trento, Italy) Research interests: Structural and synthetic bioorganic chemistry; new What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? potentially bioactive natural prod- Being a scientist is a very time-demanding profession. The ucts isolated from marine organ- never-ending challenge of acquiring new knowledge and in- isms; studies on supramolecular sys- sights is irresistible. Yet, as a mother of three, my heart is tems with pharmacological agents devoted to my children. When I presented my thesis I was included into cyclodextrins; appli- pregnant and when my son was three months old I started cation of electrospray mass spec- a two-year postdoctoral stay financed by a Marie Curie trometry to the reactivity investigation of bioactive mol- Training Grant. Next, during my five-year contract as a ecules; microwave-assisted synthesis of heterocycles, antitu- “Ramon y Cajal” investigator, while I was fighting to sur- moral, and antiviral drug design; application of pyrolysis vive in the field of organic chemistry, my next two children products recovered from cellulose and biomass as chiral were born. Nature has given women the gift of being a building blocks in the synthesis of new amino acids and mother but society must give mothers the tools to compete biologically relevant molecules. under equal conditions with all their colleagues. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100434

As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Christine Greck (Universite´ de Ver- you have encountered? sailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UMR CNRS 8180, Versailles, I did not find any particular obstacle or discrimination in France) the academic background where I worked, even in team Research interests: Electrophilic work where I was the only female. The main obstacle I en- amination, organocatalysis, asym- countered is time, which is a sort of “limiting agent” in my metric synthesis. life. Research in organic synthesis is a very time-consuming DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100437 activity, especially for a female chemist with family and sons. I overcame it with accurate organization of my daytime working, although often at the expense of myself and Why do you think young women should study chemistry? my hobbies. In addition, spending long periods abroad was Chemistry is essential to the understanding of the world, difficult for me, but I have overcome it by establishing a either for general knowledge or for environmental protec- series of national and international scientific collaborations, tion and economic development. Indeed, molecular trans- easily promoted through advanced connective technol- formations are the foundation for food, drug, and energy ogies. production as well as for the synthesis of many natural and non-natural products. To study chemistry requires strictness and tenacity but also enthusiasm and creativity, which ˜ M. Carmen Carreno (Universidad makes it possible to settle logic and imagination. Actually, ´ Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, different research pathways are developed, but many others Spain) remain to be discovered. In addition, men and women gen- Research interests: Asymmetric syn- erally have different approaches and sensibility towards life. thesis, natural products synthesis, In the field of chemistry, these differences could give rise development of new applications of to very interesting discussions from which remarkable and quinones. practical ideas could arise. Thus, it would undoubtedly be DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100436 necessary to target more women in the future.

Pilar Prados (Universidad Auto´n- oma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain) What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? Research interests: Supramolecular I always tell my students that this career is not only a race chemistry, including molecular rec- full of obstacles, but it is also like a marathon race. This ognition of biomolecules, recog- means that in order to reach the goal, you can never give nition of cations and anions, calix- up. Success can only be arrived at if you really love scientific arene chemistry, and self-assembly. work, which is highly demanding in terms of studying, sur- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100443 veying state-of-art research, designing and performing lab work, giving lessons, and writing manuscripts. Additionally, at least in the Mediterranean countries, administration issues consumes precious amounts of time that cannot be de- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? voted to research. These features are common to men and women, but in our case, each professional and/or personal I do not think I am a scientific success. In any case, the difficulty, which sometimes appears when children arrive, secret is just dedication, hard work, and to passionately love have to be circumvented with perseverance, willingness, and what you’re doing. There should not be any rush to get strong determination. This is the only secret. expected results; we must watch carefully and spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to draw relevant con- clusions and thus plan the following experiment. Renata Marcia de Figueiredo (Ecole Nationale Supe´rieure de Chimie de Anny Jutand (Ecole Normale Montpellier, UMR 5253 CNRS- Supe´rieure, Paris, France) UM2-UM1-ENSCM, Montpellier, Research interests: Transition-me- France) tal-catalyzed reactions, mechanisms, Research interests: Asymmetric syn- kinetics, electrochemistry. thesis, organocatalysis, total syn- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100454 thesis of natural products.

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Why do you think young women should study chemistry? Jennifer A. Love (University of Chemistry is a fascinating topic; working with atoms and British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, molecules is like a game, a puzzle. Chemistry is very useful; Canada) it is everywhere in our word, making our life better every- Research interests: Organometallic day. Chemistry will solve pollution problems. chemistry, synthesis, mechanistic investigation. Teresa M. V. D. Pinho e Melo (Uni- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100478 versity of Coimbra, Coimbra, Por- tugal) Research interests: Synthetic and mechanistic heterocyclic organic What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? chemistry, generation and reactivity There’s no single definition of success Ϫ you have to define of aza- and diazafulvenium me- this for yourself. A key to being successful is to figure out thides, chemistry of small-ring het- what really interests you Ϫ not what interests your peers or erocycles and allenes. is the hot topic at the moment. You’ll be most intellectually DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100465 engaged in topics that are of interest to you. Never stop ask- ing questions Ϫ this is the key to learning. Also remember that success is not a zero-sum game Ϫ you’re often the most Why do you think young women should study chemistry? successful when others around you are also successful. It’s Over the last decades, women have conquered prominent also useful to know that your peers might forget this and will positions in science. Relevant contributions to science by therefore not always give you accurate feedback. So you need women in the past and present are well known in spite of to be able to self-assess very early on and to ignore negative the obstacles they faced. In chemistry, the Nobel Prizes attitudes. Perhaps most importantly: stay healthy. awarded to women exemplify the targets they can achieve. However, only four women have been the recipient of the Francesca Cardona (University of Nobel Prize in Chemistry since the creation of this award, Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, which reflects the constraints of the past. Nowadays, con- Florence, Italy) ditions are created for young women to succeed and achieve Research interests: Stereoselective professional fulfillment in an area of science as fascinating syntheses of iminosugars as inhibi- as chemistry. tors of glycosidases, study of new environmentally friendly oxidation methods of nitrogen-containing Christina Moberg (KTH Royal In- compounds, parallel kinetic resolu- stitute of Technology, Stockholm, tions by cycloaddition reactions. Sweden) DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100484 Research interests: Asymmetric metal catalysis and the development of selective synthetic methods, the What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? study of symmetry in asymmetric Organic chemistry is a discipline which requires a lot of reactions and the design of self- time and patience. Therefore, it also requires passion and adaptable ligands. She recently de- devotion. For a female organic chemist, the main challenge veloped a “minor enantiomer recyc- originates when she decides to start her own family and ling” procedure in which the undesired minor enantiomer have children. Which is the best way to conciliate the pas- from a catalytic process is transformed into starting mate- sion for work with the love for children? Marie Curie faced rial by using a second chiral catalyst. The two chiral cata- this big challenge and she managed in an excellent way. She lysts reinforce each other, resulting in higher product en- represents an example for all women in science and the antiomeric ratios than that obtained with any of the single proof that the right balance between a scientific job and a catalysts. private happy life can be found. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100467 Laura Cipolla (University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy) As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Research interests: Carbohydrate you have encountered? chemistry, carbohydrate analogues, By behaving essentially in the same way as my male col- biomaterials for tissue engineering, leagues, the obstacles I have encountered have been quite bioorganic chemistry. moderate. The true obstacles for women are usually found DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100484 outside science, since women usually have the major responsibility for raising children Ϫ which, on the other hand, makes life rich for women.

Why do you think young women should study chemistry? What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? Doing chemistry is wonderful training for life, as perfectly Guilt. I think that many women have a hard time in striving highlighted by the Italian writer Primo Levi, a chemist him- to achieve without feeling guilty. To succeed in science, or self: “I owe to my job to provide the challenges that make in any career for that matter, focus and commitment are a mature person, success and failure, ... the two experiences needed. Women may feel that they are neglecting other needed to grow up. A chemist working in the lab knows areas of their lives when focusing on their careers and may both of them: make mistakes and correct oneself, face a push themselves too far and too thin to compensate for this. problem and solve it, or admit defeat and immediately start Of course, men have the same pressures, though I feel that to fight again...”. they are better able to accept the choices that they make without the associated “guilt”. Women should have more confidence with their choices without feeling like they need to do everything. Fortunately, as society becomes more gen- Hiriyakkanavar Ila (Jawaharlal der equitable, men and women are better able to share the Nehru Centre for Advanced Scien- demands of life so that they can both achieve their goals. tific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, India) Research interests: Synthetic or- Elisabetta Brenna (Politecnico di ganic chemistry/medicinal chemis- Milano, Milano, Italy) try, design and development of new Research interests: Enzyme-me- synthetic methods for biologically diated synthesis of the single enanti- important heterocycles, multicom- omers of biologically active mol- ponent reactions, domino reactions. ecules, application of the SNIF DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100516 NMR technique for the determination of the origin of flavors and drugs. What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100537 For a woman to be a successful scientist, most important is to have a supportive family (of course, besides her own As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that commitment towards science). In India especially, where a you have encountered? woman’s career is never taken seriously, unlike that of her male counterparts, supportive and encouraging parents play To tell the truth, I was not compelled to overcome any par- a very important role in her mentoring at earlier stages of ticular obstacle in my life for the fact of being a woman. I education. Later on, when she takes on a scientific career, have always tried to gain the trust and the esteem of those she has to spend long hours both in the laboratory and in who were working with me, by showing tenacity, capacity the library. At the same time, she has to play her parallel of hard work, and love for what I was doing. In Italy, chil- role as a devoted wife and mother, looking after the whole dren are often considered an obstacle for women, but I can family. At this stage, a supportive and considerate husband rely on the support of all my family. As for me, I have never plays a very important role in her success as a scientist. used my children as an alibi for my duties at work, and I Therefore, I believe, that if a woman has to be successful as have never tried to find in my work an excuse to neglect a scientist, she has to keep the right balance between her my family. commitment towards science and her family.

Cristina De Meo (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, Bridget L. Stocker (Malaghan USA) Institute of Medical Research, Research interests: Carbohydrate Wellington, New Zealand) synthesis. Research interests: Understanding DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100539 the role of carbohydrates in biology, including the development of novel As a female chemist, how did you methodology for the efficient syn- overcome the obstacles that you thesis of glycosidase inhibitors, and have encountered? the synthesis and immunological evaluation of glycoconjugates to Only one word: mentors. When I look back at my life I better understand the role of these see a student graduating in chemistry in a social/economic constructs in diseases such as can- environment where there was no job opportunity and being cer, tuberculosis, and asthma. a woman was an additional limitation. I see my decision DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100523 (against the wishes of everyone in my family) to start a PhD

3578 © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eurjoc.org Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 PROFILES abroad (in the UK), and then to move to the USA to con- Cristina Prandi (Universita` di tinue my education and career. I remember the day I ap- Torino, Torino, Italy) plied to be an Assistant Professor, the students I personally Research interests: Organometallic trained in my lab, my articles and book chapters, becoming chemistry, organocatalysis, natural a mother, being frantic at home when I had a sick child, product synthesis. running to the lab in the middle of the night because a DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100616 student needed me. Well, when I look back I realize that my strength today is the result of the help I received Will the glass ceiling ever be shat- throughout all of these years by my mentors, those who tered? taught me and supported me when I needed help. But especially all the women mentors who made me realize that I think that in the long term female scientists will be able we can be scientists and still be women and mothers, and to shatter the glass ceiling. At the moment, especially in though we might not excel in every category all of the time, Italy we are far away from a total balance between males we can still have it all. and females. Full Professors in Organic Chemistry are still mostly men. I am positive about the future, as I have many female students that are strongly motivated, and very often Veronique Gouverneur (University they are more brilliant than their male course mates. Many of Oxford, Oxford, United female colleagues are incredibly determined in their work Kingdom) even though in Italy organization of the family and every- Research interests: Synthetic meth- day life still relies mainly on women. I trust in the strength odology, asymmetric catalysis, or- of mind and willpower of young female scientists in reach- ganofluorine chemistry, 18F-radio- ing scientific aims; this mainstream in the end will break chemistry, molecular imaging, posi- the glass ceiling. tron emission tomography. DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100565 Anja Hoffmann-Röder (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany) Why do you think young women should study chemistry? Research interests: Preparative For the same reasons why young men should study chemis- carbohydrate chemistry, bio- try ... Chemistry is an exciting fundamental science, which organic chemistry, glycopeptide can offer solutions to the key problems that our society is synthesis, carbohydrate-based vac- currently facing: global health issues such as flu pandemic, cines, carbohydrate mimics, fluoro- food and clean water supply, energy, and high-performance sugars, fluorous glycoconjugates. and sustainable materials. The opportunities to apply new DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100648 conceptual advances and the findings of basic research to overcome real-life challenges are endless. Young men and What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? women studying chemistry are in a very privileged position, Generally, one of the key issues is certainly the successful as they can focus on approaching fundamentally important establishment of networks that allow for collegial interac- and significant questions of molecular sciences. With an in- tion and support in business as well as in a personal respect. depth understanding of how and why systems comprising This holds particularly true for female chemists who are thousands of atoms in large molecules, materials, or cells often reluctant to take advantage of such contacts. Besides, function, one could make a very significant impact in as- female careers in science will strongly profit from flexible pects of materials and life sciences. So, study chemistry, options like individually adapted tenure-track agreements identify an exciting problem within your field of interest, that enhance the workϪlife balance and help to manage the enjoy the ride, and be persistent until you find a suitable challenging situation of, for example, double-career couples solution. and families with children.