About She Inspires!
She Inspires! aims to empower women in science to inspire the next generation of aspiring scientists.
This pilot program aims to do this by identifying, supporting and shining the spotlight on women in science in India who are committed to engaging with school children in their community through in-person talks.
In the short-term, these mentorship talks by women in science will provide role models for school students. In the long-term, we hope that these interactions will lead to continued connections and engagements between school communities and women science professionals in their midst.
Who can apply
The She Inspires! program is open to anyone who self-identifies as a woman.
The applicant must be a working professional in any field of science (STEM), with an advanced (post-baccalaureate) degree in science (Masters’, MBBS, BDS, PhD, for example) and living and working in India at the time of the application.
The applicant must be a citizen of India.
The applicant must be 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
The applicant must demonstrate a commitment for mentoring and engaging with school children (8 – 12th standard).
The applicant must be willing to coordinate and arrange the mentorship talk in a school within a 50 km radius from their place of work.
The applicant must be willing to conduct the in-person mentorship talk, followed by live interactions with school students, before 31 December 2024.
How to apply
Interested women science professionals can apply for the She Inspires! program by submitting this application form, with details of their background in science, motivation for mentoring, and proposed mentorship talk details.
Last date to apply: 30 May 2024, 11:59 pm IST.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee comprising representatives from Rukhmabai Initiatives and IndiaBioscience.
After you apply
Shortlisted applicants will be informed by email by 30 June 2024.
We will seek additional information (photo, affiliation, location) from shortlisted applicants for an announcement campaign at this stage.
IndiaBioscience and Rukhmabai Initiatives will support up to 10 women science professionals for this pilot program.
Guidelines
The She Inspires! mentorship talk should be should be interactive, engaging, and tailored to the target audience, in this case, school children, between 8 – 12th standards.
The talk should be planned for 45 – 60 minutes, followed by 60 minutes of live interactions. Thus use of audio-visual aids, blackboards, whiteboards is optional.
The talk should focus on inspiring students, sharing personal experiences, and showcasing the exciting possibilities in science.
We wholeheartedly support talks in local or regional languages to promote better communication with the students.
Talks should be conducted in schools within a 50 km radius from the applicant’s place of work. This is so that the initial engagement can build connections and support subsequent interactions between the mentor and the students.
Support
Shortlisted awardees will be responsible for coordinating and arranging the mentorship talks.
Rukhmabai Initiatives and IndiaBioscience will reimburse the awarded applicants for expenses incurred for conducting the in-person mentorship talks.
Local travel, stationary, and other expenses towards talk/session will be reimbursed based on actual expenses incurred and in accordance with the organisations’ reimbursement policies.
A maximum of INR 5000 can be reimbursed, after the conduct of the talk/session and submission of a feedback report.
