PARIS, March 18 -- Yi Xie, professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, was on Wednesday honored with the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards 2015, together with four other women for their ground-breaking discoveries in physical sciences.

"Yi Xie is being honored for her significant contributions to creating new nano materials with promising applications in the conversion of heat or sunlight into electricity," said a UNESCO press release.

"Her work will greatly contribute to lessening pollution and boosting energy efficiency, and will open promising prospects for the future. Committed to preserving our planet, she has dedicated her life to finding new and intelligent solutions to address the environmental challenge," it added.

The other four scientists honored by the awards are: Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli, professor at the Mohammed V University of Morocco, Dame Carol Robinson, professor at Oxford University, Thaisa Storchi Bergmann, professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul of Brazil and Molly S. Shoichet, professor at the University of Toronto.

This year's five laureates were selected from five regions of the world by an independent jury made up of 12 prominent international scientists who were personally chosen by the president of the jury and 1999 Nobel Prize winner Prof. Ahmed Zewail.

Dedicated to both honoring distinguished women scientists and supporting promising young researchers, the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science initiative gives five annual awards and accelerates the careers of 15 exceptional young women chosen every year.