Barbie maker, Mattel, has created a doll of the scientist who designed the Oxford Coronavirus vaccine, Prof. Dame Sarah Gilbert.
Dame Sarah Gilbert said that she found the creation “very strange” at first – but she hoped it would inspire children.
She said that, “My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist. I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into Stem careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us.”
Dame Sarah Gilbert’s vaccine – the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab – is now the most widely used around the world with doses sent to more than 170 countries.
Her Barbie is one of five to honour women working in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem).
The others include an Australian medic who helped create a reusable gown for health workers and a Brazilian biomedical researcher.
In recent years, toymaker Mattel responded to criticism that its Barbie doll sets an unrealistic image of womanhood. Mattel now offers dolls themed around careers such as firefighters, doctors and astronauts – and in a range of skin tones beyond its original white, blonde doll that first launched in 1959.
Sources: BBC
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