Program Overview

The India RISE (Research Innovation & STEMM Empowerment) Fellowship is a prestigious 12-month, flexible, part-time program designed to support early-career Indian women researchers in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine). Launched by the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and anchored under the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment, the Fellowship seeks to accelerate research leadership in STEMM fields across India. Fellows continue in their institutional roles while engaging in a self-paced, structured online curriculum, live virtual learning, and two in-person convenings in India. The program combines advanced research training, leadership development, and personalized mentorship with global networking opportunities.

What makes the India RISE Fellowship Distinctive?

The India RISE Fellowship uniquely integrates technical research training, behavioral leadership development, and personalized mentorship into one cohesive, 12-month immersive learning experience. Designed specifically for early-career Indian women in STEMM and the unique challenges they face, the fellowship is deeply contextualized to the Indian research landscape and guided by a Theory of Change that addresses barriers to participation of Women in STEMM at the individual, institutional, and societal levels.

The program is committed to continuous improvement through ongoing assessment, evaluation, and research to deliver sustainable solutions for systems-level outcomes. India RISE’s flexible format is designed to offer accessible, self-paced online learning combined with high-impact virtual training workshops and engaging in-person events. Through a project-based curriculum culminating in a Capstone research project, fellows apply their learning directly to real-world challenges, enhancing motivation, retention, and relevance to India’s STEMM research and development priorities.

Participants gain access to a curated library of more than 500 resources and opportunities, including grants, scholarships, career pathways, and premium learning courses. They will also have the opportunity to compete for a $50,000 research grant challenge. In addition, fellows benefit from a unique triad mentorship model, Individual Development Plans (IDPs) tailored to their professional goals, and travel funding support, all while being part of the lifelong India RISE peer network.

This holistic experience enables participants not only to strengthen their technical expertise but also to build the confidence, visibility, and global connections necessary to advance their careers and emerge as influential leaders shaping the future of STEMM in India and beyond.

Key features

  1. Structured Research Curriculum: Experts from Hopkins & India have designed curriculum in proposal development, project management, research ethics, grant writing, scientific communications & presentations. Fellows apply this learning directly through a year-long Capstone project aligned with national STEMM priorities.  
  2. Leadership Masterclass / Workshops: Experts from Hopkins and India provide engaging leadership panels, interactive workshops with integrated leadership curriculum to inspire and develop confidence in next generation of researchers. 
  3. Individual Development Plans: Each fellow creates an individual development plan (IDP) to chart personalized goals in research, leadership and career advancement. This IDP is a roadmap to track progress and outcomes. 
  4. StrengthsFinder Top 5 Assessment: The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment by Gallup, a validated tool used to support self-awareness and leadership growth, explored throughout the fellowship’s dedicated module on Global Women in Leadership, revisited during the Capstone and IDPs to reflect on fellows’ personal development throughout the curriculum.
  5. Supportive Peer Network: Fellows engage in regular peer learning sessions, cross-cohort collaborations, and network-building activities with researchers, mentors, and leaders across disciplines.

Program Learning Goals

Equip early-career women STEMM researchers with the technical expertise and innovative capabilities needed to design, conduct, and analyze high-impact research, emphasizing project-based learning and hands-on experience.

Develop the ability to plan, execute, and oversee research projects efficiently, including defining scope and objectives, managing budgets and timelines, coordinating resources and stakeholders, and adapting to challenges to ensure successful project completion.

Strengthen the ability of women STEMM researchers to secure competitive funding by developing research proposals that meet international standards and align with funding priorities.

Deepen understanding of ethical research principles, regulatory frameworks, and compliance requirements, ensuring research integrity and alignment with both global standards and local Indian contexts.

Build proficiency in scientific writing, data visualization, and research dissemination, ensuring fellows can effectively communicate their findings to scientific audiences, policymakers, the media, and the public through publications, reports, and conference presentations.

Strengthen fellows’ ability to evaluate research outcomes for quality improvement, assess impact, and translate findings into policy and practice. Equip fellows to collaborate with stakeholders through participatory approaches that enhance dissemination, relevance, and the societal impact of research.

Enable fellows to develop confidence, resilience, and strategic leadership skills, empowering them to take on leadership roles and drive change within their research teams, institutions, and broader scientific communities.

Enhance fellows’ ability to collaborate across disciplines, engage in effective teamwork, and build professional networks, fostering long-term partnerships that support career advancement.

Utilize Individual Development Plans (IDPs) to support personalized career planning, enabling fellows to set, track, and achieve professional goals aligned with their aspirations as Indian women in STEMM.

Equip fellows with the skills and confidence to mentor the next generation of women in STEMM, using a train-the-trainer model to foster communities of practice and mentorship networks in India.

Fellowship Benefits