First session will feature Maria Elena Bottazzi on June 22

The Women for Science (WfS) Program of the InterAmerican Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) launches the 2026 schedule of its talk series “Women Who Share their Science” (“Mujeres que Cuentan su Ciencia”, an initiative that highlights the trajectories and contributions of leading women scientists across the Americas.

The schedule, which is expected to feature one lecture per month throughout 2026, begins on June 22 with a session featuring Maria Elena Bottazzi, a distinguished Honduran scientist from Texas Children’s Hospital. Carolina Alduvin will chair the session.

The first edition of the 2026 cycle will be held online (via Zoom) in Spanish – click here to register. The session will take place at 11:00 Honduras time (UTC-3) – those interested in participating can check the event time in their time zone by clicking here.

Topic addressed: vaccines for neglected tropical diseases

In the opening talk, Maria Elena Bottazzi will present “Vacunas para enfermedades tropicales desatendidas” (“Vaccines for neglected tropical diseases”), addressing advances in the development of vaccines targeting neglected tropical diseases, an area of critical importance for public health, particularly in Latin America and other underserved regions.

Maria Elena Bottazzi, PhD, is Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Co-Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. An internationally recognized vaccinologist, she focuses on neglected tropical diseases and has over 20 years of experience advancing vaccines from research to clinical trials.

Inspiring future generations

Through “Women who Share their Science” (“Mujeres que Cuentan su Ciencia”), IANAS continues to amplify the voices of women scientists and to inspire younger generations, especially girls and young women, to pursue careers in science and research.

The series provides a platform for women researchers to share not only their scientific work but also the personal stories behind their careers, helping to strengthen the visibility of women role models in science.