CONTENTS - L'Oréal

There is no difference between men and
women when it comes to studying science
“When I was young, everyone used to say that science
was difficult for men, and impossibly difficult for women.
Only men were supposed to be any good at calculus, and
the only goal for a woman was to get married and have a
family. Since I enjoyed mathematics, physics and science
in general, I wanted to show that there was no difference
of ability between men and women, and to demonstrate
to the world that I could work in science. I dreamed of
having the same status in the scientific community as
men. I did my primary schooling, in the 1950s, in cities
(Mahdia and Jemmal) where the highest diploma women
obtained was the Certificate of Primary Studies
(Certificat d’études primaires), and none of the girls I was
with obtained it. There were very few girls in my primary
school: about 25 of us in the first year, but only 6 made it
to the final year. In those days, girls went to school for
three, four or maybe five years, and then got married at
the age of 15. No girl thought of going on to secondary
school. That meant going to another city. For me the nearest
city was Sousse, which was 25 kilometers away, and that
was quite a trip when there were no buses or cars.”
A scientific awakening
L’ORÉAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE 2005
L’ORÉAL-UNESCO AWARDS 2005: The Laureates
“When Tunisia became independent in 1956 my family
moved to Tunis, where I spent six years in a secondary
school which was very good for French and Arabic but
unfortunately not very good for the sciences. After
independence, education became the Tunisian
Government’s main concern, and in 1963, with my
baccalauréat in mathematics, I went to the University of
Tunis’s newly built Science Faculty. We were 200
students, but only five of us were girls. At the time, for
example, Tunisia did not have a single female engineer.
Luckily for me, my family gave me their backing, clearly
judging that any choice I had made was an act of will, and
therefore good.
“At the end of June every year a university professor
would come from France to supervise our examinations.
The Government would award fellowships to the best
students - three, four or five a year - so that they could
pursue engineering studies or do fundamental research
in France. In 1967 I was nominated by the president of
the jury and given the chance of studying for a Diploma of
Further Studies (Diplôme d’études approfondies, DEA) in
atomic spectroscopy in Paris; later I returned to earn a
doctorate. Every Tuesday I would go to the Collège de
France to attend lectures on quantum mechanics by
Claude Cohen-Tannoudgi. He was a great teacher, who
would guide you step by step into the world of the atom.
Atomic physics seemed crystal clear when you listened to
him! Abdus Salam was another Nobel laureate I
admired. It was he who created the International Centre
for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, where research
physicists from developing countries can study alongside
fellow scientists in a stimulating atmosphere and
with the use of a well-resourced library. Travel and
accommodation are provided. My husband - who is also a
physicist - and I both had job offers in France, and were
tempted to continue our careers there, but we chose to
return to our country in spite of the fact that it lacked a
scientific environment. It was hard, but we do not regret
our decision. One has to be where one is most useful. At
each stage in my career my mother would say, ‘Yayia el
Elm’ (‘Science be praised’).”