The Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future program supports women from developing and emerging countries to pursue PhD or post-doctorate studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at leading academic institutions worldwide. Upon completion of their grants, Fellows return to their home countries and become ambassadors of STEM education. The goal of the program is to reduce the international gender gap in STEM disciplines.

Since the program’s launch 13 years ago, the Foundation has hosted 17 in-person gatherings for Faculty for the Future Fellows. The annual meetings are held in association with universities where Fellows are pursuing their studies, and bring together both current Fellows and program alumnae.

The most recent Forums took place in Cambridge, United Kingdom and Bandung, Indonesia. At the Forum in Indonesia, there were over 60 Fellows and alumnae in attendance, and the gathering in the UK brought together over 40 participants.

During the Forums, the Fellows engage with distinguished scientists and hear accomplished leaders share their insights on topics such as how to support the next generation of females in STEM. Through knowledge-sharing sessions and panel discussions, participants learn skills and techniques to improve their chance of successfully impacting their community—both in their fields of science and socially, by creating conditions to enable more girls and women to follow their path.

Schlumberger Foundation president, Roseline Chapel, notes that “Through the Faculty for the Future Forums the Fellows become part of an international network of women leaders in STEM. The Forums provide the opportunity to dialogue about the unique challenges facing women in scientific disciplines and inspire the Fellows to return to their home countries with ideas to strengthen the teaching and research faculties of their home institutions as well as to support future policy-making in STEM.”

About Faculty for the Future

The program’s long-term goal is to generate conditions that result in more women pursuing scientific careers in STEM disciplines, thus reducing the gender gap. Faculty for the Future Fellows are expected to return to their home countries after completion of their studies to contribute to economic, social and technological advancement by strengthening the STEM teaching and research faculties of their home institutions, and to pursue positions in the public sector where their newly acquired technical and scientific skills can help provide evidence-based support for STEM policy making. In so doing, they become powerful role models and help to inspire other girls and women. Since its launch in 2004, 635 women from 81 developing and emerging countries have received Faculty for the Future fellowships to pursue PhD and post-doctorate study in STEM. The program also helps build a community for the Fellows through Forums, both online and in person.

About the Schlumberger Foundation

The Schlumberger Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports science and technology education. Recognizing the link between science, technology, and socio-economic development, as well as the key role of education in realizing individual potential, the Schlumberger Foundation flagship program is Faculty for the Future.