Deadline: March 11, 2025
Applications are open for the NATO STO Women & Girls in Science Challenge 2025. Launched in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the WGS25 challenge invites young women and girls to submit visionary research proposals addressing pressing challenges in the field of security and defence research.
Proposals should aim to solve an existing issue or prevent the emergence of new threats. Each submission should address one of the following NATO Science & Technology priorities: deterrence, energy, resilience, space and climate.
Award
- All 12 finalists will be formally recognised by the NATO Chief Scientist for their contributions to the challenge.
- Additionally, the three winners will receive an exclusive opportunity to visit the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in La Spezia, Italy during the summer of 2025.
Eligibility
- Young women aged 18-35 who are nationals of NATO member countries and are enrolled in or have completed university-level studies in STEM fields (including social sciences).
- This challenge is open to university students (bachelor, master, PhD), early career researchers, or individuals interested in starting a career in STEM and/or defence.
Application
The application form will prompt applicants to provide:
- a title for their proposal;
- their chosen NATO Science & Technology priority;
- relevant background information for the proposal;
- their proposal’s relevance to defence and security;
- clear scientific objectives;
- key scientific topics to be addressed; and
- their proposal’s potential societal impact.
To participate in the challenge, complete the application form in English. Note that, to ensure consistency during the selection process, submissions in other languages cannot be accepted.
The deadline for submissions is 11 March 2025, 23:59 CET. Late entries will not be considered.
For more information, visit NATO STO Women & Girls in Science Challenge.
