Women in STEM Network November Stakeholders Newsletter

Progress Update 

November 2025

🎄 Launch of the Christmas Appeal

We are delighted to launch the Women in STEM Network Christmas Appeal, inviting supporters to sponsor memberships for women who would benefit from joining but cannot yet afford the cost.
 

Each £50 sponsorship provides a full year of membership, giving access to mentoring, skills training, international collaboration, and our professional hubs. 

Larger sponsorships (£250 or £500) support multiple women and will be recognised in future communications.

👉 Learn more or donate: https://womeninstemnetwork.com/donate/

🤝 New Partnership with Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)

We are pleased to share that we have now partnered with Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), strengthening the connection between two global networks supporting women across STEM.

WiCyS Membership Discount for WiSN Members

Link: https://www.wicys.org/benefits/

Code: 2025WomenInSTEM20

Number of codes available: 20

Discount: $75, reducing all annual memberships to $20

Expiry: 31 December 2026

WiCyS members will also receive a reciprocal discount for joining WiSN, with further collaborations planned across events, visibility, and shared programmes.

🎁 New Member Offers Section Coming in Q2 2026

We are working towards launching a Member Offers section by Q2 next year, giving our community access to valuable, evergreen member benefits across STEM, wellbeing, professional development, and career progression.

If you or your organisation would like to contribute an offer, please get in touch.
We welcome evergreen, quality-led, career-supportive offers for our platform.

🎤 Representation at Cell UK 2025

This month, the Women in STEM Network was represented at Cell UK 2025, a major event bringing together leaders in cell therapy, gene therapy, bioprocessing, and regenerative medicine.

Taisiia Mukii – Founding Ambassador, WiSN

Participated in the Women in Life Sciences panel on the Visionary Voices stage, addressing:

Obstacles faced by women in advanced therapy

Inclusive culture-building

Leadership pathways for early-career women

The importance of visibility, mentoring, and community

Professor Vasiliki Kalodimou – European University Cyprus (Frankfurt Branch)

Presented in the Focused Stem Cells Session, sharing:

Two-year clinical outcomes using MFAT-based stem cell therapy

Mobility and pain improvements

Long-term safety data

Predictors of successful treatment

Impact

Our presence at Cell UK 2025:

Elevates the visibility of women in cutting-edge science

Strengthens WiSN’s global scientific credibility

Opens further collaboration and speaking opportunities

Demonstrates the calibre of professionals within our network

👥 Ambassador Community & Volunteer Updates

Our ambassador community continues to grow in structure and impact.

We have formalised our testimonial-gathering system, coordinated by Rim, using structured forms to capture powerful stories from both members and ambassadors.

Social media output remains strong thanks to Maimoona’s consistent posting across platforms.

Ambassadors are working more closely on event invitations, dissemination, and outreach, helping strengthen our visibility.

We will reconnect with our Facebook outreach volunteers and moderators to refine roles and ensure alignment with the network’s wider strategy.

🎉 Upcoming Virtual Seasonal Gathering

We are planning a virtual seasonal gathering for all members, partners, and ambassadors.
 

This informal Zoom event will give everyone the chance to meet, chat, and celebrate the end of the year together,  perhaps with a mulled wine and a mince pie in hand.

Full details will be shared trhough our members newsletter shortly, and we look forward to welcoming the entire community.

🌍 Future In-Person Country Groups (2026–2027)

Looking ahead, we plan to explore country-specific, real-world gatherings beginning in late 2026 and into 2027.
 

These will be light-touch, community-led meetups to help our global members connect locally.

We invite all ambassadors around the world to begin thinking about how such groups could work in their regions.
 

More formal guidance will follow next year.

🔗 Ongoing Community Growth

Membership continues to expand globally, supported by an active ambassador team and a dedicated volunteer base. Engagement across events, mentoring, and collaborative spaces remains strong. Planning is under way for the 2026 training and webinar programme, with new speakers and partners already expressing interest.

A Final Word of Thanks

As we wrap up November’s update and move towards the festive season, I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported the Women in STEM Network this year. Our progress,  from new partnerships and expanded ambassador infrastructure to global visibility and community growth,  is only possible because of the dedication, generosity, and commitment of our members, ambassadors, partners, and volunteers.

Thank you for your contributions, your enthusiasm, and your belief in what we are building together.

Wishing you all a warm, restful, and joyful holiday season.
 

We look forward to continuing this journey with you in the new year.

With appreciation,
Dr Shara Cohen
Founder, Women in STEM Network