Deadline: May 8, 2026
Applications are open for the ACARE African Women in Science Program 2026. The African Center for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE) African Women in Science program is a transformative initiative for early-career African women scientists from the African Great Lakes region. The program aims to build capacity and offer mentorship opportunities for African women scientists who are actively engaged in African Great Lakes and freshwater research.
AWIS supports and guides African women scientists to catalyze positive change on the African Great Lakes and their tributaries. Participants will be a part of a 11-month cohort of African women scientists and become the next generation of African women scientists catalyzing positive change in the African Great Lakes. The AWIS Program:
- Builds capacity for African women in science through professional development, that enhances their endeavors and progress as scientists
- Advances science on the African Great Lakes and their tributaries by adding more women scientists’ perspectives and knowledge to the scientific community.
Benefits
- Make peer connections in a trans-boundary cohort
- Build their professional network, locally, regionally, globally
- Receive feedback from the larger scientific community
- Grow their professional network
- Take part in relevant skills training
- Gain insight to grow leadership
Eligibility
- Applicant should be a woman between the ages of 23-40;
- A national of one of the ten riparian countries of the African Great Lakes region (Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia);
- Conducting scientific work, research, or studies on aspects of the African Great Lakes. Such work can include any focus on these lakes or their tributaries or wetlands and including human dimensions (management, value-chains, etc);
- Appropriate vaccinations*
- Be able to travel to the US and Canada mid-May through mid-June:
- Have a valid passport
- Have employer, university, family, and other obligations allowing you the time to travel
- Approved to participate in the programme by your institution, organization, or university
- Agree to return to your home country (or pre-determined location) after the excursion
- Willing to submit an abstract to the International Association of Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) conference to be held during the North American excursion. Accepted participants will be expected to give an oral presentation on your work, studies, or research.
*ACARE follows the direction of each nation’s health requirements. Participants should be prepared to have required vaccinations.
Application
Prior to filling out the application, be aware that you will need the following:
- A prepared CV or resume in PDF form
- Two (2) references from university, college, or work. You will only need their name, the organization/university they are/were affiliated with, and their email address.
- Answers to the following questions:
- List your current affiliation (institution, organization, and/or university). If you do not have an affiliation, please put “none”.
- What type of research do you conduct (e.g. limnology, biology, meteorology, socio-economic, etc)?
- Provide a summary (or an abstract) of your work, studies, or research on the African Great Lakes (AGL) or other freshwater bodies within the AGL region (200-300 words).
- What is your motivation for wanting to be in the AWIS program? (max 250 words)
- What is your motivation for working on the African Great Lakes or other freshwater resources? (max 200 words)
- Where do you see yourself in five years, regarding your career? (max 200 words)
- What do you think you can contribute to ACARE’s AWIS program as a participant? State how you will contribute to the ACARE-AWIS program. (max 200 words)
- What could be done to remove barriers that women in science face? (max 200 words)
- What skills and knowledge would help you to be more successful in your scientific career? (max 100 words)
- How did you find out about ACARE’s AWIS program?
For more information, visit ACARE African Women in Science Program.
