Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST) was introduced by Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. WEST is a new I-STEM (Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map) initiative.
The WEST initiative will support women with STEM backgrounds and give them the tools they need to participate in the ecosystem of science, technology, and innovation.
I-STEM is a national web portal for sharing research resources, and it serves as the hub for numerous initiatives aimed at fostering R&D and technological innovation partnerships between academia and industry, particularly startups.
I-STEM will give scientifically inclined women researchers, scientists, and technologists a separate platform through the WEST initiative to pursue research in fundamental or applied sciences in cutting-edge fields of science and engineering. Women who participate in the WEST programme can explore opportunities to become active participants in various industries and to pursue careers in R&D at various levels, including those of technicians, technologists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. Opportunities range from operating scientific equipment and maintaining them, to designing and manufacturing them.
By solving critical holes in the nation's R&D infrastructure, the WEST initiative's skill development programmes will enable women with S&T backgrounds to brush up on their skills and work "in the field" as lab technicians and maintenance engineers.
This initiative will also help bring women back into S&T domains after a career break.
With this knowledge, women can start their own businesses and work as consultants on the I-STEM platform for the upkeep and operation of complex machinery. This would help close a "skills gap" and make proper use of equipment that was purchased with public money.
The current assistance that I-STEM offers to female entrepreneurs starting S&T businesses will be improved as a result of the WEST initiative. Women in S&T will have strong support networks owing to the access to R&D facilities and R&D software platforms (COMSOL, MATLAB, LABVIEW, AUTOCAD) made possible through the I-STEM portal.
I-STEM will give female researchers a place to discuss their accomplishments, difficulties, and strategies for moving the nation forward through innovation, science, and technology. Additionally, through the I-STEM WhatsApp and Telegram platforms, a digital consortium called "Connect Quickly" for online conversation and immediate help has also been developed. The WEST programme will be implemented successfully by a dedicated team of women.
