Carnegie scholarships for women in science

Last week, the Dean of the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), Professor Nan Yeld, hosted a function to launch the UCT/Carnegie Undergraduate Scholarships for Women in Science and Engineering.

Women have been under-represented in this group and efforts are being made to boost their numbers on graduation podia.

Speaking at the event, where the guests had an opportunity to introduce themselves and describe their fields of study, Yeld said she was heartened to see so many women in the numerate areas of the hard sciences.

"At graduation ceremonies I see so many women getting class medals, but I don't see them in the postgraduate or career tracks. This kind of programme, by providing financial and mentoring support for talented women, will help to change that."

Yeld said she hoped the scholarship programme - ably administered by Kathy Erasmus, and modelled in part on the highly successful Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows programme operating in CHED - would make a difference, helping transform the university, not only on the gender side but in other areas too.

"Whatever we can do to support you, we will do," Yeld told the gathering.

Among the guests were some familiar faces, including Thandi Lewin of the Department of Education, formerly of UCT, and Andrea Johnson, programme officer (international development) of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.