African Women in Science (AWIS)
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Strengthening women in science, management, and policy on the African Great Lakes
An International Institute of Sustainable Development-African Center for Aquatic Research and Education Program
(IISD-ACARE)
The African Women in Science (AWIS) program is a joint program through the International Institute of Sustainable Development and the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education.
Because women have been disenfranchised from work in the sciences, their perspectives are missing from critical solutions. ACARE has a program to change this for the African Great Lakes through training, education, and mentoring in our African Women in Science program: AWIS.
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AWIS supports and guides African women scientists to catalyze positive change on the African Great Lakes and their tributaries. The program:
1) Builds capacity for African women in science through professional development, that enhances their endeavors and progress as scientists
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2) Advances science on the African Great Lakes and their tributaries by adding more women scientists' perspectives and knowledge to the scientific community.
Flagship Initiative
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AWIS Alumnae
(2021-2023)
AWIS 2024
AWIS 2025
AWIS is a eleven-month program that integrates learning experiences from a cohort of peers and a variety of experts and mentors. The program is hybrid, with many components taking place online, and a one-month international immersion experience in North America. Participants have ongoing assignments related to core components. Program components include:
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Trainings:
- Leadership Development
- Scientific Skills
- Communications Techniques
- Networking Strategy
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Networking:
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Take part in events at international symposia, which includes meeting other early-, mid-, and late-career women scientists to build a supportive community and mentor-mentee relationships
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Attend international conferences to present work and integrate into the larger scientific community
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Mentorship
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Connect individually with senior scientists, and other experts for insights, advice and problem-solving related to research and careers
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International Connections. Each participant will be invited to attend the annual International Association of Great Lakes Research, which is held, alternately, in the United States and Canada annually. This conference allows for:​
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Increased the global view of freshwater resources, for themselves, and others
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Gaining input on their research, writing, and scientific approaches
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Enhances their network of expertise to solve issues they face
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Strengthening future opportunities for research, careers, and knowledge
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Offer solutions and input to other global freshwater experts
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In Field Training. Some participants will be invited to the "world's
freshwater laboratory" Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) located in
North West Ontario. This remote location harbours 58 experimental
lakes where participants will engage with world-class scientists
conducting in-lake studies.
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Project-Based Learning
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Work on a project in a small group or individually that may
be related to their current work, or another topic they can
explore through the program
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Develop end products that may include a short paper or
journal article on their topic, a funding proposal or
presentation that compares aspects of different lakes with
input from peers and mentors
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Present resent projects at the end of the program
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Expectations:
What participants give:
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Commit to full participation in monthly programming over the
course of 11 months
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Use the experiences to build your current work
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Complete assignments based on core program components
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Map in their progress journey along the way to share with
the group
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Have opportunities to present work/research to the larger
scientific community
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What participants get:
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Make peer connections in a transboundary cohort
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Build their professional network, locally, regionally, globally
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Receive feedback from the larger scientific community
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Grow their professional network
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Take part in relevant skills training
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Gain insight to grow leadership
Welcome to the African Women in Science Program, From the African Women in Science
The Team
Sponsors
Gail Asper
and
Michael Paterson
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Generous Private Donor
Carhartt generously donated field equipment (rain jackets, work and field boots and shoes, and backpacks) so that these women, who often do not have such gear in their studies and research, are adequately outfitted for the elements. The equipment, shown here on our 2023 cohort, was put to use on USFWS and Ohio Dept. of Natural Resource vessels.
The African Women in Science (AWIS) program is actively seeking partnerships. The success of AWIS relies on the support of donors who recognize what investing in the next generation of freshwater experts means for our global freshwater future. Together, we can answer the global call to enhance the participation of women in solving our most critical freshwater issues. To support the AWIS program please reach
Ted Lawrence, IISD-ACARE Executive Director: ted@agl-acare.org
SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all."
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SDG 5: Gender Equality was designed to achieve gender equality and to empower all women and girls. ACARE is working with our partners to ensure we answer the global call to enhance the participation of women in solving our most critical freshwater issues. Limited representation of women in science reduces the perspective, knowledge, and efforts of one portion of our population.
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The importance of women in science cannot be overstated. To learn more of these efforts, please see the World Health Organization's (WHO) and The Research on Disease and Poverty's report and the United Nation's SDG platform, describing SDG 5.