Venezuelan geochemist to give the seventh talk of the series

On October 20, the IANAS Women for Science (WfS) Program will hold the seventh edition of its 2026 schedule of the talk series “Women Who Share Their Science” (“Mujeres que Cuentan su Ciencia”), featuring Liliana López, a geochemist at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) and former president of the Academy of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences of Venezuela (ACFIMAN). The session will be held in Spanish and streamed live on Zoom – click here to watch live.

Gloria Dubner, Co-Chair of the IANAS WfS Program and focal point of the National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Argentina, will chair this edition, which will start at 17:00 Venezuela time (UTC-4) – those interested in participating can check the event time in their time zone by clicking here.

From biochemistry to the biosphere

Under the title “De la bioquímica a la biosfera” (“From Biochemistry to the Biosphere”), Liliana López will discuss how the molecular composition of living organisms – bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton and higher plants – relates to the molecules found in soils, sediments and fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal. She will show how the molecular “fingerprint” of biomass makes it possible to trace the origin of petroleum.

Liliana López holds a degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Geochemistry from UCV, where she is a professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences. Her research has helped clarify the origin of crude oils in Venezuela’s petroleum basins and the molecular changes caused by their biodegradation, as well as organic contamination in soils and sediments.

A platform for women in science across the Americas

Created by IANAS, the series gives women scientists from the region a space to present their research and talk about the paths that led them to it, offering role models to young people and bringing more visibility to women’s contributions to science.

This year’s program opened in June with Maria Elena Bottazzi (Honduras), followed by talks from Arlene Williams-Persad (Trinidad and Tobago), Mónica Moraes (Bolivia), Gabriela Montenegro-Bethancourt (Guatemala), Ruth Shady Solís (Peru) and Josefina Vijil (Nicaragua) – a lineup that spans a wide range of disciplines and countries.