Women in STEMM Fellowship
US-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment
About the Alliance
The U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment is a collaborative initiative designed to promote the economic participation and empowerment of women in India. The Alliance brings together government agencies, non-profits, academic institutions, and corporate partners to create an enabling environment for women to thrive in various sectors.
To further that goal, the U.S. Department of State announced the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University (GKII-JHU), and the American India Foundation (AIF) as the three new anchor partners of the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment. The anchor partners will work with the U.S. Department of State and Alliance members to support umbrella initiatives under which different companies, academic actors, and non-profits in the U.S. and India can collaborate.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti announces the partnership.
About the Fellowship
The Women in STEMM Fellowship is a signature initiative of the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment and the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University supporting early-career women researchers across India. The focus of our signature initiative longitudinal health research fellowship program aimed at developing technical research skills, providing mentorship, cultivating leadership, and offering opportunities for experiential learning and networking to empower early-career Indian women researchers from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities to excel in STEMM research careers.
This fellowship aims to address the “leaky pipeline” challenge:
- 43% of India’s STEM graduates are women; however,
- Women only make up 17% of the India research workforce; global benchmark is 30%
- Only 4 women currently lead key academic institutes and 14% in C-suite positions in India
JHU-GKII Signature Initiative Program Overview
Goal: Advance and retain early-career Indian women in STEMM* research and development through a holistic capacity-building model, increasing quality research while promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEMM fields.
*STEMM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Medicine
Theory of Change Approach: This goal will be achieved by addressing individual, organizational, and societal barriers that Indian women in STEMM research careers uniquely face. Our evidence-based interventions are targeted at the initial stages of research careers when Indian women are at highest risk for exiting the field.
Key Strategies
- Provide personalized group and peer mentorship to support career growth.
- Enhance research skills through specialized education and training programs.
- Develop leadership capabilities to help women overcome internal barriers to success.
- Address organizational barriers by expanding networking opportunities and career connections.
- Tackle societal barriers by advocating for gender-inclusive workplace policies and training.
Outcomes and Impact
Specific short-term program outcomes include:
- Scalable Mentorship Model: Developed a sustainable and scalable research fellowship curriculum and mentorship program tailored for women scientists in India, fostering long-term growth and empowering the next generation of leaders.
- Skills Development & Workforce Impact: Expanded access to specialized online courses and training programs, strengthening research capacity and supporting STEMM workforce and economic goals.
- Collaborative Network: Established a diverse, ongoing peer network of Indian women researchers to promote collaboration, support, and shared innovation across academia and industry.
- Increased Leadership & Representation: Boosted representation, leadership, and retention of Indian women in STEMM, enhancing research quality, industry partnerships, and global visibility.
Prior Events
Consultation Workshop with Higher Education Experts to Understand Gaps in Women in STEMM Leadership
GKII hosted the first consultation workshop with higher education partners, under the aegis of the US India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment. The group discussed key gaps and potential solutions to address girls’ and women’s participation in STEM fields, especially in the Research and Development domain. The conversation largely explored the role of the US and Indian universities in creating pathways for women researchers to excel as leaders in their domains. We were joined by Olivia Holt-Ivry and Ketan Thakkar from the US State Department and by our fellow anchor partners from the American India Foundation and USIBC – US India Business Council.
GKII Presents Women in STEM Initiative at USBIC Summit
On September 11, 2024, the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment convened its first in-person meeting on the margins of USIBC’s Ideas Summit in New Delhi. The meeting aimed to foster collaboration between public and private sectors to advance women’s economic participation. Participants included Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and Alliance co-chair Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, Assistant Secretary Donald Lu, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Änjali Kaur, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Nancy Izzo Jackson. As an anchor partner of the Alliance, GKII highlighted its Women in STEM initiative, which focuses on empowering women in India through leadership development, training, and mentorship opportunities.
Contact Us for Queries and Partnership Requests
Faculty and Team Leads
- Anita Shet, MD. PhD, Research Professor and Faculty Champion
- Kunal Pal, GKII Executive Director
- Neetisha Besra, GKII Deputy Director
- Beth Romanski, GKII Program Manager