Women researchers in IISc, NCBS, IIT-M win fellowships

The five women in the picture above are part of the eight winners of the third edition of Hindustan Unilever’s Women in STEM Fellowship. They are, from left, Vishnudatha V, Sahana Kumar, Arpitha Jayanth, Ayushi Amin Dey, and Sakshi Shigvan.Vishnudatha is doing research in the area of clean water & sanitation in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Water Research at Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Sahana’s work is in the health & hygiene space in the department of bioengineering at IISc. Arpitha is doing research in the area of climate action & sustainability in the department of ecology and evolution at National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). Ayushi’s work is in the area of health & hygiene in the department of biochemistry at IISc, and Sakshi’s is in the area of health & hygiene in the department of cellular organisation and signalling at NCBS.

There were also winners from IIT Madras.These winners will receive financial grants to advance the pioneering research they are doing as part of their PhD work. They will also benefit from exclusive mentorship by senior leaders at Hindustan Unilever and renowned academics.Awards are given in areas that are vital to the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). The winners are selected based on a rigorous process led independently by the institutes. Priya Nair, CEO & MD at HUL, said such efforts are critical not only for creating more opportunities for young women scientists but also for fostering an inclusive and innovative future.