Due to the difficulties we are all facing in the COVID19 pandemic, the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) has decided to extend the deadline for the BIST ‘To the Mothers of Science’ programme. Applications will now be accepted until May 5th, 2020.
The BIST ‘To the Mothers of Science‘ programme aims to support researchers who are mothers and working towards positions of scientific leadership. The initiative, in its second edition this year, will award 10 grants, each of which includes a salary top-up of 400€ per month, for one year.
Applicants must be either working in one of the seven BIST centres, or have a contract with an external organization with a connection to a BIST centre. The grants also include a coaching programme for each recipient and for finalists in the selection process. Winners will be selected by a panel of external specialists who will take into consideration candidates’ scientific excellence and their potential to reach leadership positions. All researchers who are mothers and hold a position as a PhD student, Postdoctoral Fellow, Associate Researcher, or similar are encouraged to apply.
Of the 11 researchers who were awarded in the first edition of the ‘To the Mother of Science’ programme, seven have already made significant progress in their scientific careers, having reached coordination or senior research positions, both in public research centres and private companies.
The 2020 call of the programme will remain open until May 5th. This initiative is part of the BIST Women in Science programme whose objective is to reach gender balance within the BIST Community and, especially, in leadership positions. Women make up 44% of the BIST community, yet only occupy 18% of group leader positions (although some progress has been made since 2018 when the percentage was 15%). The BIST Women in Science programme includes activities such as the BIST Trobada de 100tífiques, co-organized with FCRI, which brought together more than 200 researchers on January 30th to reflect on science and education, and to prepare the talks they delivered in schools throughout Catalonia on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11th).
More information:
Detailed programme information and application instructions
