WIS, a Mentoring Program for Women in Science: an Experience Report

Abstract

Women in Science: UK-Brazil Gender Equality Partnerships" is a mentoring program proposed by the British Council in Brazil with the collaboration of three main institutes: Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) and King's College London (KCL). With focus on the STEM areas, and a 6-month duration, the main goals of this program are to (i) strengthen the female participation in research, (ii) discuss the main challenges faced by women that hinder their career progression and undermine gender equality, and (iii) encourage the networking as well as the exchange of experiences between the Brazilian and British institutes. The mentors are Brazilian postdoctoral researchers, while the mentees are undergraduate or MSc. students from STEM areas. In this work, we present the topics that have been addressed so far by this program, and the methodological framework employed in our discussions.