Summary
The programme encompasses the four STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
During the mentorship period, they will be exposed to foundational concepts in STEM disciplines, and also learn the experimental methods and techniques used in science labs
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has launched a STEM Mentorship Programme for schoolgirls with the aim to encourage them towards choosing science as their career. The programme encompasses the four STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
According to V Ramgopal Rao, director, IIT Delhi, STEM needs to have more women participation. Through this programme, the students will get exposure to some of the world class laboratories and research work going on at the institute.
“ I am hopeful that this mentorship at IIT Delhi will prove to be a turning point in their lives and they will be motivated to enter the world of science and technology and help society with their research work,” he added.
The primary objectives of the programme, designed for class XI girl students, are to train them to think creatively about science and innovation, to provide them novel hand-on experience in solving research problems, and to help them form a stronger knowledge foundation.
Under this initiative, each schoolgirl will be mentored by an IIT Delhi faculty along with their research scholars. During the mentorship period, they will be exposed to foundational concepts in STEM disciplines, and also learn the experimental methods and techniques used in science labs.
According to Pritha Chandra, associate dean, academic outreach and new initiatives, IIT Delhi, the programme will give the students required traction for getting into science and technology in the future.
Ten students from class XI will be chosen and it will be a three-level programme that will include:
- A two-week winter project, starting from the end of Dec 2021 and ending in early Jan 2022.
- An online lecture series, consisting of modules in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics and some Engineering branches. These lectures will be delivered by IIT Delhi professors during the period between Feb and Apr 2022. During this period, the students will also be interacting constantly with their mentors on their specific projects.
- Summer project (3-4 weeks in May-June 2022), where the students will get hands-on experience in labs, and finalize their project reports with their mentors.
The project areas of the students will cover different disciplines of science and engineering such as computer science, chemistry, mechanical engineering, physics, and biological sciences.
The 10 students of the first batch are from different Kendriya Vidyalayas in the Delhi region. In the future, there are plans to have participation from students from other regions in the country and turn the program into a residential one.
The STEM Mentorship Programme for schoolgirls is the second academic outreach initiative by IIT Delhi for school students. In September 2021, the institute had launched the SciTech Spins lecture series for students from Class IX to XII.
Last updated on 01 Jan 2022
