High five: Women scientists and their stories

Her speech also revealed some of the sacrifices she was forced to make over the years, for when she thanked her family for their support, she gave special thanks to her daughter, "as I had to leave her with her grandmother when she was one month old. When she came back to me she was 10. But she never complained."

Chang, now 82, was one of five laureates, each from a different continent, honored at the awards ceremony, which marked the 20th anniversary of the successful partnership between the L'Oréal Foundation and UNESCO to support women scientists and address the gender bias in science.

"For 20 years, UNESCO and the L'Oréal Foundation have been working side by side to support women scientists," says Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO director-general. "Some 3,124 women scientists from around the world have been celebrated for their outstanding achievements, and each laureate has been recognized for excellence in her respective field of expertise."