Professor Sarah Gilbert had a unique year. AstraZenca’s co-vaccine maker has been elevated to a standing ovation at Wimbledon.

Her success was also celebrated with toys from Matt – they made a Barbie doll in her honor. he said that Guardian servant.

Gilbert, who is conducting research on a Covid vaccine at Oxford University, initially considered the gesture “very strange”, but then concluded that it could inspire girls to take an interest in science.

“I hope my doll will show kids ways they might not have thought. Like vaccinology, for example,” Gilbert said. One of her goals, she added, is to get the next generation of girls excited about math, technology or engineering.

In addition to Gilbert, Mattel made dolls from five other women in the natural sciences. American nurses Amy O’Sullivan and Audrey Cruz, Canadian doctor Chica Stacy Orewa, Brazilian biomedical doctor Jacqueline Joyce de Jesus and inventor of the reusable protective clothing for frontline doctors Kirby White from Australia attended.

“Barbie appreciates the commitment of all frontline workers who have made extraordinary sacrifices. To highlight their efforts, we share their stories and we want to inspire the next generation,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president responsible for Barbie dolls, on behalf of Mattel.

Experiments on the world’s number two toy dolls are very common, so plastic milestones like Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lopez or Cher can celebrate important career milestones. Last month, Mattel released Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka’s character, which sold out within a few hours.

Mattel has long faced accusations that his dolls create unrealistic standards of beauty, and many critics have pointed out that if the original dolls were to survive in real life, they would suffer excruciating pain, if they could walk at all.

Diversity has also become a big topic in recent years – for example, Rosa Parks was born, a campaigner against segregation and racism, who in 1955 refused to take her seat on a bus with a white man.

There are also dolls in a wheelchair, black women with traditional hairstyles or ken, which is slightly rounder rather than dry abs.