Latest news with #womeninSTEM
Entrepreneur
10-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Syngene, RICH, Biocon Foundation Launch Third Cohort of Women-in-STEM Program
Now in its third year, the program is benefitting 40 women students selected after a competitive process that evaluated academic performance, research aptitude, and socio-economic background. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Syngene International, in collaboration with the Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH) and Biocon Foundation, has announced the launch of the third cohort of its flagship women-in-STEM scholarship and mentoring program. Designed to empower women from tier II and tier III institutions across India, this initiative continues to provide a crucial platform for aspiring scientists to gain industry exposure, financial support, and research mentorship. Now in its third year, the program is benefitting 40 women students selected after a competitive process that evaluated academic performance, research aptitude, and socio-economic background. With a strong emphasis on supporting students from underserved communities, the initiative aims to address the systemic challenges that often prevent women from smaller cities from pursuing successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). "This program is more than an educational intervention," said Dr Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India. "It is a regional solution model that connects science to society, talent to opportunity, and learning to livelihood. What RICH, Biocon Foundation, and Syngene have built here is not just impactful, it is essential to India's scientific and social progress." The program offers structured mentorship, financial assistance and hands-on research exposure, which includes practical experience in real lab environments. Participants will complete project-based internships at top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as esteemed government institutions like CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). These internships are designed to build technical competencies, foster professional networks, and inspire long-term careers in STEM. Pramuch Goel, Head of Corporate Affairs, Syngene International, stated, "As an innovation-driven company, Syngene sees this program as an investment in India's scientific future. It's helping create a stronger, more inclusive research ecosystem by nurturing talent from institutions that often lack access to cutting-edge infrastructure or networks." Revathi Karamalla, from the second cohort, shared, "Before this program, I wasn't sure what a career in STEM looked like. Through mentorship and hands-on exposure, I gained the skills and confidence to shape my career path." Abhirami K, a current participant, said, "Coming from a small village, I never imagined I'd get a chance like this. This program is helping me understand what it takes to build a career in science." Launched in 2022 with 21 students, the program has expanded steadily, integrating features like biotech industry visits and national discussions on women in STEM. Several alumni have progressed to PhD programs or secured roles in research, underlining the initiative's success in bridging academia and industry. Dr Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, highlighted, "This program exemplifies how targeted support can empower talented women to pursue meaningful careers in science. It's encouraging to see students grow in confidence and visualise long-term pathways in STEM." Rashmi Pimpale, CEO of RICH, summed up the initiative's significance: "In just two years, we've seen how structured support can turn potential into progress. This is not a nice-to-have, it's a must-have for inclusive scientific growth." With its growing impact, the Syngene–RICH–Biocon Foundation program stands as a model for industry-academia collaboration in nurturing the next generation of women scientists in India.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) meets Mauritius President to share the Impact of their 100 Scholarships for Mauritian Doctors in partnership with Ministry of Health
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation ( the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany met HIS EXCELLENCY MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Republic of Mauritius, during a high-level meeting, to share the impact of their programs and underscore their long-term commitment to transform public healthcare in Mauritius. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of 'More Than a Mother' Campaign emphasized, 'It was a great honor to meet H.E. MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Mauritius and share with him the impact of our partnership and programs since 2017 that aim to transform patient care, build healthcare and media capacity, to empower women in STEM, support girl education and raise awareness about social and health issues in Mauritius and the rest of Africa. I am proud to share that we have provided 100 scholarships for Mauritian doctors in 42 critical and under-served specialties. During our meeting, we also discussed the possibility of providing specialized training for Mauritian doctors in innovative and emerging fields such as Stem Cell Therapy in pathology, CAR T-cell treatment, AI in Radiology, Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology, Robotic Surgical Oncology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, and Neurosurgery.' She further added, 'We are strongly committed to work closely with Ministry of Health to improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions.' The 100 scholarships for local Mauritian Doctors have been provided for One-Year PG Diploma and Two-year Master Degrees in many critical specialties including Fertility, Embryology, Sexual&Reproductive Care, Oncology, Preventative Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Acute Medicine, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Neuroimaging for Research, Sexual&Reproductive Care, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Laparoscopic Surgical Skills, Critical Care, Neonatal Medicine, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Advanced Cytopathology and many more. Merck Foundation has so far provided more than 2280 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties, with many of them becoming the first specialists in their countries. During her visit, Merck Foundation CEO also met the Hon'ble Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, and senior officials from the Office of Hon'ble Minister of Health, Mauritius. Merck Foundation also conducted the 4th Edition of their Health Media Training for the Mauritian Media Representatives in partnership with Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius. The training session was conducted to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, Diabetes and Hypertension awareness. It was co-chaired by Merck Foundation CEO and Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius. During the training session, the Call for Application for 8 important Merck Foundation Awards were announced for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields. The award announced are: 1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025. 2. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025, in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025. 3. Merck Foundation Film Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025. 4. Merck Foundation Song Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025. 5. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension', in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025. 6. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension', in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025. 7. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025. 8. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension': All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation. Contact: Mehak Handa Community Awareness Program Manager +91 9310087613 +91 9319606669 Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard! Facebook: X: YouTube: Instagram: Flickr: Website: About Merck Foundation: The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality&equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare&scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook ( X ( Instagram ( YouTube ( Threads ( and Flickr ( The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.
Forbes
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Why Sally Ride's Legacy Still Challenges The Culture Of STEM
Astronaut Sally RIde with a headset on in space during her STS-7 flight. Sally Ride made history on June 18, 1983, when she became the first American woman to launch into space. Her calm precision and unflinching focus made her an icon in STEM—a face of possibility for girls across the country and around the world. But a new documentary from National Geographic, Sally, reveals another dimension of her legacy—one that remained private throughout her lifetime. Premiering June 16 on National Geographic and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the next day, Sally tells the story not only of Ride's groundbreaking achievements as a physicist and astronaut, but of her 27-year partnership with fellow scientist and educator Tam O'Shaughnessy—a relationship Ride never publicly acknowledged while she was alive. Directed by Emmy-winner Cristina Costantini, the film reframes Ride's legacy, offering a deeper, more personal portrait of a woman who inspired millions while carefully guarding her own truth. I recently had the privilege of sitting down with O'Shaughnessy and Costantini to better understand the motivation behind the documentary and what they hope audiences will take away from it. What emerged from our conversation was a sense that this film isn't just about legacy—it's about visibility, resilience and the complicated cost of breaking barriers in science. Being first often means carrying the weight of symbolic representation. Ride wasn't just an astronaut—she was proof that women could thrive in space and science. But with that role came expectations: be competent, but never emotional. Be visible, but only selectively. The unwritten contract Ride operated under demanded technical excellence and personal silence. As Tam told me, the decision to finally share their relationship publicly didn't begin with a film pitch. It began with grief. 'Since about a week before Sally died, I told her I wanted to hold a celebration of her life,' she said. 'And then I wondered who I was going to be to the people coming to the celebration who didn't know we were a couple.' Sally told her, 'You decide. Whatever you decide will be the right thing to do.' That moment of quiet affirmation—Ride's way of granting permission without demanding visibility—was the start of a longer process. It would take more than a decade, but O'Shaughnessy eventually found the right partners in National Geographic and Costantini to tell the full story. Costantini, known for documentaries like Science Fair and Mucho Mucho Amor, wanted Sally to be about more than just history. 'We made this film for anyone who's ever had to hide part of themselves to get where they want to be,' she told me. 'In 2025, that experience feels more relevant than ever.' That sense of coded identity—the need to suppress aspects of self to be taken seriously—remains a reality in many corners of science and technology. Despite progress, LGBTQ+ scientists are still underrepresented in leadership roles. Women in STEM continue to navigate environments that value output over authenticity. This is particularly poignant and relevant today, as the Trump administration systematically and aggressively works to erase visibility of women, people of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals from US history. And while Ride's accomplishments helped crack the glass ceiling, her silence shows us the structural weight it takes to hold that ceiling in place. Astronaut Sally Ride next to a T-38 Jet during training at NASA Johnson Space Center. Even after leaving NASA, Ride continued to shape the STEM world. In 2001, she and O'Shaughnessy founded Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit aimed at promoting STEM education for girls and underrepresented youth. That mission continues today at UC San Diego, where O'Shaughnessy and a dedicated team run programs that connect students with scientists and researchers. It's not just the curriculum that draws kids in—it's the name. 'Sally's name is magic,' O'Shaughnessy said. 'It's why the boys and girls sign up, and it's why parents want their kids to be exposed to these programs.' And that's what makes the timing of Sally so significant. At a moment when LGBTQ+ stories are being scrubbed from public institutions and women's rights are under attack, this documentary insists on complexity. It reclaims a narrative that was always there, but never acknowledged. What Sally reveals is a fuller picture of a scientist, a leader and a partner. Someone who not only pushed the boundaries of what women could do in science, but who also made space—quietly, privately—for the people she loved. Ride's story still resonates because it's unfinished. It now invites a broader range of people to see themselves in her legacy—not just young girls interested in STEM, but anyone who's ever felt that they had to choose between their passion and their identity. For the STEM community, that's the challenge ahead. The human race has a lot of challenges to address and there are plenty of undiscovered frontiers to tackle. We can't afford to exclude entire populations of people based on nothing more than fragile egos and narrow-minded bigotry. It's not enough to recruit diverse talent. We have to build systems where people can bring their full selves to the work. Because progress isn't just about putting the first woman in space. It's about making sure she wouldn't have to hide once she landed.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
First Sri Lankin woman graduates from MUN engineering
Kushani Sandagiri made history last week when she walked across the stage during a convocation ceremony in St. John's to accept her degree in engineering from Memorial University. Sandagiri is the university's first Sri Lankan woman to graduate from the program. "This is the 100th year anniversary. So, for 100 years, I'm the only Sri Lankan girl who came here to do an engineering degree. I couldn't believe it when I heard it for the first time," she said. Engineering wasn't always a career on Sandagiri's radar. She said engineering is considered a man's job in her home country. "I had this idea about being a journalist one day. Then I had another idea because my parents are involved in banking, so I thought maybe I could be a banker too," Sandagiri said. But a high school math teacher changed her trajectory after noticing her ability to problem solve. He pushed Sandagiri to pursue engineering. "After high school, I did a national diploma in chemical engineering in Sri Lanka," she said. "I worked in the only oil refinery." Her experience in the oil refinery led her to MUN. She said the tuition, the city's culture and the province's proximity to P.E.I. sealed the deal. "I really wanted to be in a beautiful place where I like hiking. I like connecting with nature when I'm stressed," Sandagiri said. "The other fact was I'm a big fan of Anne of Green Gables the novel.… I got to know it's based on P.E.I. Then I realized, oh, it's closer, maybe I can go there for a visit." Sandagiri didn't have an easy road through her degree. She worked to support herself financially while helping her family at home in Sri Lanka. "I remember struggling to pay my tuition on time," she said. "At one point, I was sending groceries and medicine to my family during an economic crisis." Now that she has completed her studies, Sandagiri is looking forward to the future. "I wanted to migrate somewhere and do my higher education and work in oil and gas, not because of the money, but because of the complex experience I can get from that field," she said. Sandagiri has a degree in process engineering. She will continue to work for the oil and gas industry with Suncor in Fort McMurray, Alta. In the meantime, she hopes to inspire other women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. "There was a handful of people I could look up to, especially women in engineering," Sandagiri said. "I'm one of them now." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
