New Delhi: The national capital of New Delhi recently hosted an inaugural project designed to empower women participants in the field of research and development (R&D). The program titled Women’s Involvement in Science and Engineering Research (WISER) was the brainchild of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC). It aimed at encouraging women researchers in joint R&D projects.
WISER is intended to promote gender equality through increased women’s participation in science and technology through the efforts of IGSTC programs, said SK Varshney who heads the International Cooperation Division from the Department of Science & Technology (DST). A spokesperson from the German side, Dr. Ulrike Wolters said that the currently envisaged program is intended to augment the ongoing flagship projects that were envisaged by both countries.
Spokespersons from both countries declared that the participation in the program will be possible through lateral entries and there was no age bar for this. From the IGSTC stables, the individual research endeavors can avail a maximum of INR 39 lakhs from the Indian side and Euro 48,000 from the German side. Every year, the WISER project will be open for a maximum of 20 awardees.
Eminent women scientists from both countries were present on the occasion. This included DRDO’s Dr. Tess Thomas and ISRO’s Muthayya Vanitha from the Indian side. The German side was represented by Dr. Nicola Marsden (from University of Applied Sciences Heilbronn) and Petra Lucht (from Technical University Berlin).
-global bihari bureau
