The keynote focused on the relationship between women and STEM careers and the role organisations play in shaping whether that relationship is sustained over time. While considerable progress has been made in encouraging women into STEM careers, Dr Cohen highlighted that the greatest challenge facing many organisations is not recruitment but retention.
Drawing on her work in workforce systems, leadership, and organisational development, she explored how workplace culture, leadership pathways, progression opportunities, and organisational structures influence long-term retention and advancement.
The
session also highlighted the similarities between workforce challenges across aviation, marine, transport, and wider STEM industries, reinforcing the importance of cross-sector collaboration and shared learning.
Women in Engineering and STEM Session
Capital City College, Enfield, London
February 2026
Presented by Dr Taisiia Mukii
During National Apprenticeship Week and the International Day of Women and Girls in
Science, Dr Taisiia Mukii represented the Women in STEM Network at a Women in Engineering and STEM event hosted by Capital City College.
The event brought together students, apprentices, educators, and industry professionals to discuss pathways into engineering and STEM careers.
The session focused on encouraging young women to consider careers in STEM and highlighted the importance of inclusive environments that enable women to succeed and thrive within technical
professions.
Dr Mukii's participation reflects the Women in STEM Network's ongoing commitment to educational engagement and supporting future generations of women entering STEM.
Advancing Mentorship and Skills Development for Women in EdTech
BETT UK,
London
January 2026
Presented by Dr Taisiia Mukii
As part of the Women in EdTech Mentorship Circle, Dr Taisiia Mukii contributed to international discussions around mentorship, professional development, and skills building within the education technology sector.
The session explored how structured mentoring programmes can support career progression, strengthen professional networks, facilitate knowledge sharing, and create
opportunities for women to develop leadership capabilities.
This work aligns closely with the Women in STEM Network's commitment to mentoring, lifelong learning, and professional development.
Your Personal Journey into STEM
St George International School and Preschool, Sofia, Bulgaria
11 February 2026
Presented by Chandan Seth Nanda and Paula Darley
Students from Grades 4 to 12 participated in a
session exploring personal journeys into STEM careers.
The session encouraged students to think about future career opportunities, explore different STEM pathways, and hear directly from professionals about their experiences.
Supporting early STEM engagement remains an important part of our long-term mission to strengthen future STEM talent pipelines.
Success Toolkit for Women in STEM Series.
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new book within our Success Toolkit for Women in STEM Series.
Changing the Face of Leadership in STEM, co-authored by Dr Vasiliki Kalodimou and Dr Shara Cohen, is now available free of charge to
Women in STEM Network members.
The book explores how leadership is evolving beyond traditional hierarchies and command-and-control approaches, highlighting the growing importance of empathy, collaboration, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and
inclusive leadership practices.
It examines how diverse perspectives strengthen decision-making, innovation, and organisational performance, while encouraging STEM professionals to develop leadership approaches that are fit for today's increasingly complex and interconnected world.
This publication forms part of our growing collection of member resources designed to support career development, leadership growth, workplace success, and professional
confidence.
Members can access the book here:
https://womeninstemnetwork.com/members-only-success-toolkit-books-for-women-in-stem-2/
Local Chapters Initiative
One of the most exciting developments currently underway is the preparation for the launch of the Women in STEM
Network Local Chapters programme.
As the network continues to grow internationally, we recognise the importance of creating opportunities for members to connect not only globally but also within their own countries, cities, and regions.
While the programme has not yet officially launched, planning is progressing well and an initial group of volunteer leaders has already been identified.
The Local Chapters programme is being developed to
support:
• Networking and relationship building
• Mentoring and peer support
• Local STEM events and meetups
• Community engagement activities
• Collaboration opportunities
• University and employer engagement
• STEM outreach initiatives
• Leadership development opportunities
The chapter leaders identified so far are:
Arab Region Director and Chapter Lead: Syria
Nibal Idlebi
Chapter Coordinator: South
Africa
Jenny Mohanlall
Chapter Coordinator: Tunisia
Salwa Mabrouk
Chapter Coordinator: Qatar
Dr Shilu Mathew
Chapter Coordinator: Nairobi, Kenya
Rose Mutende
Chapter Coordinator: Portugal
Jaci Harman
Chapter Coordinator: Chad
Rita Menodji
Chapter Coordinator: North Carolina, USA
Elizabeth Gilbert
Chapter Coordinator:
Marrakesh, Morocco
Mariem Mighiss
Over the coming months we will continue developing chapter frameworks, guidance, resources, and support systems to help ensure a successful launch.
We would like to thank all of our volunteer chapter leaders for helping shape this exciting initiative.
Members Conference and Community Engagement
A major focus this month has been strengthening member engagement and ensuring members have greater
opportunities to connect with one another.
To support this goal, the Women in STEM Network will now host two annual Members Conferences. This initiative is being led by our ambassador Grace Oke.
These events are designed to bring together members from around the world to network, exchange ideas, meet ambassadors, and contribute to the future direction of the network.
Each conference may include:
• A panel discussion featuring women from different
STEM disciplines
• Interactive discussions and Q&A sessions
• Networking breakout rooms
• Updates from ambassadors and leadership teams
• Opportunities for members to provide feedback and suggestions
To maximise accessibility across time zones:
March Members Conference
Focused primarily on members in:
• The Americas
• The UK
• Europe
September Members Conference
Focused primarily on members in:
• Europe
•
Africa
• The Middle East
• Asia
• Australia
Members may attend whichever session best suits their location and schedule.
Annual Meeting Planning
Grace provided an update on preparations for the upcoming Annual Meeting and is coordinating the planning and organisation of the event, working closely with ambassadors, volunteers, speakers, and leadership teams to ensure a successful and engaging programme.
Work continues on finalising
speakers, developing the programme structure, coordinating logistics, and ensuring that the event reflects the breadth of activity taking place across the Women in STEM Network globally.
The Annual Meeting will provide an important opportunity to celebrate achievements, recognise volunteers and ambassadors, review progress, and discuss future priorities.
More information can be found here: https://womeninstemnetwork.com/annual-members-meetings/
Live Events Programme
Our live events programme continues to perform strongly and remains one of the most valued aspects of the Women in STEM Network.
We would like to recognise the outstanding contribution of Jaci Harman, who is responsible for coordinating and overseeing our live
events programme. Jaci works closely with speakers, ambassadors, moderators, and volunteers to ensure events run smoothly and deliver a positive experience for attendees.
Through her efforts, the network continues to host a diverse range of webinars, panel discussions, workshops, and professional development sessions covering leadership, career development, STEM innovation, workplace challenges, and emerging technologies.
The continued success of these
events reflects both the quality of our speakers and the dedication of the volunteers who work behind the scenes to make them possible. These events remain an important way for members to learn, network, share experiences, and connect with STEM professionals from around the world.
Membership Engagement
Rim El Hajji has taken on responsibility for Membership Engagement and is leading initiatives to strengthen member participation across the
network.
Areas of focus include:
• Increasing member interaction
• Supporting networking opportunities
• Encouraging participation in events and discussions
• Improving member retention
• Gathering member feedback
• Helping members access available opportunities
As the community grows, maintaining strong engagement and ensuring members receive value from their membership remains a key priority.
Supporting Women in
Afghanistan
Rim El Hajji also provided an update on a new initiative focused on supporting women and girls in Afghanistan.
The Women in STEM Network has launched a dedicated Women in STEM Supporting Women in Afghanistan WhatsApp group to bring together members and ambassadors who are interested in exploring how the international STEM community may be able to support women whose access to education, employment, and professional opportunities has become
increasingly restricted.
As part of this initiative, the Women in STEM Network has agreed to offer free lifetime membership to women in Afghanistan, ensuring they have ongoing access to the network, its resources, opportunities, and global community.
The WhatsApp group will provide a space for members and ambassadors to discuss potential areas of support, share ideas, identify opportunities, and develop future initiatives. Topics may include
mentoring, educational support, career guidance, professional networking, skills development, and other ways in which the community may be able to make a meaningful difference.
The initiative remains in its early stages, and we look forward to working with members, ambassadors, and partners to explore practical ways of supporting women and girls in Afghanistan over the coming months.
African STEM Leadership Series
A significant new initiative currently in
development is the African STEM Leadership Series.
Led by Faith Egbuka, this series aims to showcase African and international expertise, leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship while creating opportunities for learning and collaboration across the global STEM community.
Planned panel discussions include:
• The Next Frontier: AI, HealthTech and Emerging Innovation
• Women Leading Africa's Energy Future
• From Idea to Investment: Funding STEM
and Energy Innovation
• The Reality of Leadership: What It Takes and What It Costs
• AI and the Future of Work: Where Women Fit
• Building STEM Careers: What Actually Works
• Early Exposure, Lasting Impact: STEM Before 18
The series reflects the depth of talent and expertise within our African and global communities and highlights the growing importance of African voices within global STEM conversations.
WhatsApp Communities
Another exciting
development this month has been the launch of a series of member-only WhatsApp communities designed to help members connect with others who share similar interests, experiences, career stages, or challenges.
While the Women in STEM Network provides opportunities for networking through webinars, events, and the wider membership community, these WhatsApp groups offer a more informal environment where members can ask questions, share experiences, seek advice, celebrate successes,
and support one another.
The groups are intended to provide a professional, respectful, and supportive space where members can have conversations that may not naturally arise in larger networking events.
Current communities include:
• Pharma & Biotech Careers
• Women in STEM PhD Network
• Under 18 STEM Engagement
• Single Mums in STEM
• Childfree Women in STEM
• Working Mothers in STEM
• Women in STEM Nigeria
• Supporting Women
in Afghanistan
As these communities are still very new, we are encouraging members to introduce themselves, start conversations, ask questions, and help shape the culture of each group.
The communities are available exclusively to active Women in STEM Network members and form part of our wider commitment to creating safe spaces where women can connect, learn from one another, and build supportive professional relationships.
We expect
additional groups to be launched over the coming months as the community grows and members identify new areas of interest where peer support and networking would be valuable.
Global Advisory Board
Alongside our Founding Board, we are also building an international Global Advisory Board to help support the continued growth and development of the Women in STEM Network.
The purpose of the Advisory Board is to bring together experienced
leaders, academics, industry experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and STEM professionals from around the world who can provide strategic guidance, regional insight, and specialist expertise.
As the Women in STEM Network continues to expand internationally, it is increasingly important that we understand the opportunities, challenges, and priorities within different countries and regions.
Our Advisory Board members will help us achieve this by providing
local knowledge, professional expertise, industry connections, and strategic advice.
The Advisory Board will support areas including:
• International growth and expansion
• Regional and country-specific insights
• Corporate partnerships and sponsorships
• Recruitment and workforce development
• STEM education and skills initiatives
• Leadership and professional development
• Diversity, inclusion, and retention strategies
• Strategic introductions and
collaborations
We are currently recruiting Advisory Board members from a range of countries and STEM sectors and have already received interest from senior professionals across industry, academia, healthcare, engineering, technology, and innovation.
By bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines and regions, we aim to ensure that the Women in STEM Network remains globally relevant while also responding effectively to local needs and
opportunities.
We look forward to announcing our first Advisory Board appointments in the coming months.
Looking Ahead
The Women in STEM Network continues to make progress towards its vision of becoming a truly global platform supporting women throughout every stage of their STEM careers.
Over the coming months, key priorities will include:
• Launch preparation for Local Chapters
• Growth of member engagement initiatives
• Expansion
of international ambassador representation
• Further development of the African STEM Leadership Series
• Support for women and girls in Afghanistan
• Delivery of the Annual Meeting
• Strengthening partnerships and sponsorship opportunities
• Continued growth of our global community
None of this progress would be possible without the commitment, passion, and generosity of our volunteers, ambassadors, speakers, members, and supporters.
Thank you
to everyone who continues to contribute their time, expertise, and energy to helping build a stronger and more connected global STEM community.
