Toy maker Mattel announced on Wednesday that it had created a Barbie doll in honor of British scientist Sarah Gilbert, co-creator of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19, which has had mixed success around the world but is a source of great pride in the UK.
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Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford, initially found the initiative "
very strange
" but said in a statement from the firm that she hopes it "will
inspire a next generation of young girls to work in the field. field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
”.
Honored women working in science
"
I hope the children who see my Barbie will realize how vital scientific careers are to helping the world around us
," said the one who was knighted in June by Queen Elizabeth II for service to the public health and medical research. Over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide since its launch by Mattel 60 years ago. Faced with criticism of the toy's superficial image, the brand has diversified its look in recent years. She also revealed five new models honoring women working in science, explaining that she wants to "
inspire the next generation, to learn from these heroes
".
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These collector's models, which will not be on sale on a large scale, represent American caregivers Amy O'Sullivan, emergency room nurse at Wycoff Hospital (New York), and Audrey Cruz, doctor in Las Vegas who fights discrimination, as well as the Canadian doctor Chika Stacy Oriuwa, the Brazilian scientist in biomedical research Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and the Australian doctor Kirby White, co-creator of a reusable gown for the nursing staff.
