Barbie becomes a vaccinologist, in honor of the AstraZeneca researcher

In her many personifications, Barbie, in the era of a pandemic, could not miss that of a scientist. Mattel, the manufacturer of the most famous doll in the world, has created a special version of Barbie in honor of the co-creator of the Oxford Covid vaccine, Professor Sarah Gilbert. The 59-year-old British scientist, who led the team of experts who created the vaccine then produced and distributed by AstraZeneca, initially found the initiative “very strange”, but then said she hoped the researcher Barbie could inspire. girls to pursue study careers in science and technology. “I want to inspire the next generation of girls – said Gilbert – and I hope that the children who see my Barbie understand how scientific careers are important to help the world around us.” In addition to paying tribute to the British vaccinologist, who is also awarded the title of Lady, Mattel has created other Barbie models in honor of five other women who work in the scientific field. Models include American healthcare professionals Amy O’Sullivan and Audrey Cruz, Canadian professor Chika Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian researcher Jaqueline Goes de Jesus, and Australian doctor Kirby White, who invented a multiple-use lab coat for health workers engaged on the front line in the fight against Covid.