MSET AND UWI PARTNER FOR FEMALE STEM MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME

The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology and the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies Mona, have partnered for the ‘Walking in Her Footsteps’ Stem Mentorship Programme.

The programme which was launched on February 11, 2022 during a public seminar commemorating International Day of Women and Girls in Science, aims to connect young girls at the secondary and tertiary level across the region with female STEM professionals. This is with a view of mentoring and motivating them to pursue careers in STEM.

According to Science, Energy and Technology Minister the Hon. Daryl Vaz, “the Ministry’s collaboration with the UWI is one of several initiatives being undertaken to popularize science in schools”. He further noted that “the Ministry through its departments and agencies will be actively pursuing public/private partnerships and initiatives to ensure the promotion of science and to increase scientific literacy and awareness across society”. 

Dean in the Faculty of Science and Technology Professor Michael Taylor explained that “the UWI is happy for the partnership with the Ministry and what it represents”. He further noted that “the partnership is a collaborative approach amongst all stakeholders including government and academia, that will allow for a meaningful culture of scientific knowledge generation and application; the country and the region will only benefit from the opportunities we can jointly create for young persons and especially girls to engage with science.”