Grant promotes women in science in African nations

A coalition of organizations, led by the UW’s Center for Workforce Development, was recently awarded a $175,000 grant to promote the participation of women students and professionals in science and engineering in three African nations.

The Global Alliance for Diversifying the Science and Engineering Workforce received the grant from the Engineering Information Foundation. A pilot study begins this month with the goal of getting more women involved in the sciences and engineering in Mali, Egypt and Nigeria. The project is supported by the United Nations, which has predicted a global shortage of science, math, engineering and technology professionals. Coalition partners hope to expand the project to other African nations in the future.

Global Alliance partners include the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network (WEPAN), and the Association for Women in Science (AWIS).

In addition to promoting science and engineering to women, the two-year project will expand the Global Alliance’s existing networks and comprehensive Web site by establishing collaborations with top engineering universities in Africa.

More about the project can be found on the Global Alliance Web site, http://www.globalalliancesmet.org.