Science has never been about who you are, but what you can discover, build, and contribute.
Across Southeast Asia, women scientists have been making breakthroughs, leading major research, and opening new possibilities in fields ranging from medicine to space science.
Some of their work has changed how diseases are prevented. Others have helped us understand the human body, explore space, or develop new ways to tackle environmental challenges.
Here are five Southeast Asian women whose work deserves a place in the story of modern science.
1. Adi Utarini, Indonesia
What if mosquitoes could actually help fight dengue?
That question became a scientific reality in Indonesia through the work of Prof. Adi Utarini, a public health researcher at Universitas Gadjah Mada.
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Prof. Adi Utarini led the World Mosquito Program’s Yogyakarta trial, which investigated the use of Wolbachia infected mosquitoes to control dengue.
The results were striking. A randomized controlled trial in Yogyakarta found that releasing Wolbachia infected mosquitoes reduced virologically confirmed dengue cases by 77% and dengue hospitalizations by 86% compared with untreated areas.
The breakthrough helped turn Wolbachia from an experimental idea into one of the most promising tools for dengue control.
Utarini was also named one of Nature’s 10 people who helped shape science in 2020, putting an Indonesian public health researcher on an international stage.
2. Lourdes J. Cruz, Philippines
A tiny marine snail may not sound like an obvious source of medical breakthroughs. For Filipino biochemist Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz, however, its venom became the subject of decades of groundbreaking research.
According to the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology, Cruz's research contributed to the biochemical characterization of more than 50 biologically active peptides from the venom of marine cone snails and helped establish conotoxins as tools for studying the nervous system.
The scientific importance of conotoxins goes beyond understanding venom. Some of these compounds have helped researchers investigate neurological processes and explore potential medical applications.
The Philippine Department of Science and Technology recognizes Cruz for her contributions to biochemistry and the isolation and characterization of conotoxins.
Her achievements earned her the title of National Scientist of the Philippines and the L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2010, making her the first Filipino woman to receive the latter recognition.
3. Mazlan Othman, Malaysia
Before Malaysia became associated with space missions and astronauts, Prof. Mazlan Othman was already helping build the country’s scientific foundations in astronomy.
According to the World Economic Forum, Othman was Malaysia’s first astrophysicist and helped establish university courses in astronomy and promote space science in the country.
Her influence eventually reached the United Nations. She served as Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), giving her a role in international cooperation on space activities.
Her contribution was recognized by the Institute of Physics, which awarded her its President’s Medal in 2009 for developing astronomy education in Malaysia and for her national and international leadership in space science.
4. Nguyen Thi Hiep, Viet Nam
Vietnamese biomedical engineer Dr. Nguyen Thi Hiep is working at the intersection of materials science and medicine.
According to Hiep’s academic profile, her interdisciplinary research focuses on biomaterials, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, including the design of materials for biological and medical applications.
In 2017, Hiep became the Vietnamese winner of the ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women, selected from more than 60 applicants across ASEAN. At the time, she had already spent more than a decade researching materials for medical applications.
5. Yeng Ming Lam, Singapore
Singaporean materials scientist Prof. Yeng Ming Lam is exploring how tiny materials can help solve very large environmental problems.
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, Lam’s research focuses on designing nanostructured functional materials for applications in sustainable energy, sustainable food production, and environmental remediation.
One of her notable projects involves developing nanogels from plant waste that can improve the ability of sandy soils to retain water. The technology could help make otherwise unproductive land more suitable for agriculture while reducing water use.
Her work earned her the 2024 ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women in the Senior Scientist category, as well as earlier recognition through the L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science National Fellowship.
Science Has No Boundaries
These five scientists work in completely different corners of science And these are only five examples.
Across Southeast Asia, women continue to work in laboratories, universities, hospitals, observatories, and research centres, contributing to fields that affect everyday life as much as they advance science itself.
