Academy of
Mentors & Role models

Our Academy of Mentors and Role Models is a platform where we showcase inspiring and experienced women who have excelled in STEM fields. We provide resources and manuals for both mentors and mentees to use, and our collection of interesting materials is available for everyone to access. Moreover, we feature our documentary of WESTEM portraits and role models, which is a great source of inspiration for aspiring women in STEM.

WESTEM MENTORING MANUAL

Click the flag to select language for our mentoring program manual, which is for mentors and mentees alike.

MATERIAL & RESOURCES

When learning about gender in STEM, access our resources and materials in your preferred language.

POrtraits & Role models

Inspiring, fostering and encouraging a new generation

WESTEM Portraits Documentary

This is a short documentary of some of the things our mentors and role models have participated in. It also shows some of the interviews we have done.

To see all of our material go to our Community-page.

Our Academy of Mentors and ROle models

The intention of the mentoring program is to provide a direct link between influential female mentors and mentees while encouraging the mentees to pursue tertiary education in STEM studies and career paths. This relationship is dedicated to supporting the girls' and womens' personal and academic growth
over a period of time, focusing on:

• Addressing career aspirations: connecting undergraduate students considering a STEM graduate application or exploring post-grad opportunities with current students who can provide support and guidance.

• Fostering and encouraging the mentees' growth and
accomplishment of goals in their career.

• Inspiring a new generation of women in STEM.

• Create a support system for gender underrepresented
students in STEM.

Meet our mentors & role models

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Sweden

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Cyprus

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Greece

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Austria

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Italy

Video

Cindy Uruena

Geologist, I am a geologist interested in the process that forms mountains. I am in the last year of my doctoral studies at Lund University. I have mostly worked on research, and I like it because I can combine field and lab work. I am curious about many other things in the sciences and enjoy interdisciplinary work. Other things I enjoy are hiking, reading, and watercolour art.

Video

Elsa Nordén

Software Dev, I started studying biology but found I was more interested in technology than being out in the field… After my first job I did a 3 months intense course in software development and has worked with that now for four years. I’m interested in environmental issues, I love animals, gardening, hiking, arts and culture. I’m creative and like to do all kinds of crafts, drawing, and sewing.

Video

Ximena Cardozo

Cyber Security, Electronic Engineer, Information Security, and privacy specialist, with over twelve years' work experience dedicated to value generation in a startup,
government, financial, educational, and technology companies, through
identification, evaluation, and mitigation of information security risks in
technological platforms and different business areas.

Meet our mentors & role models from Sweden

Sweden

Meet our mentors & role models from Cyprus

Video

Maria Kola

Computer Science, Maria comes from Paleometocho, a village in Nicosia. She is a graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing of the University of Cyprus and she has a Masters in Data Analysis of the UCLAN Cyprus University.

Video

Anna Valianti

I am a Physicist in the field of Applied Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Medical Physicist-Radio physics MSc Graduate. I am also a PhD Candidate in Medical Physics -Radio physics

Video

Soteroula Thrasyvoulou

Molecular Biologist, working as a laboratory scientist at the General Hospital in Nicosia. Mostly focusing on next generation sequencing and cancer patients. I have a master in biotechnology from Greece and a PhD in Cancer Biology.

Cyprus

Video

Niki Patrinopoulou

I am a PhD student at the Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering department of the University of Patras. My first degree was in electrical and computer engineering, while now I am working in the field of robotics. I focus on the study, design and development of algorithms that enhance the autonomy of robots. I did my internship at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) of the European Space Agency (ESA). Since September of 2020 I have been working in various EU and US funded research projects to support swarming and drone technologies.

Video

Elisavet Cha

I am working with children education and STEM. I am from Greece, but started in Spain working in primary school. I am fascinated over how many women now study and graduate from technical schools and universities. I like robotics as a way to do fun activities with children in school.

Meet our mentors & role models from Greece

Greece

Meet our mentors & role models from Austria

Austria

Video

Christina Ipser

Christina Ipser has been part of the scientific staff and a research project manager at Danube University Krems since 2012. At the Centre for Real Estate and Facility Management of the Department of Building and Environment, her research and teaching focus is on topics such as life cycle costing, planning and operation of energy-efficient and climate-sensitive buildings, adaptation to climate change in buildings and neighbourhoods, as well as the complex interactions between humans and the built environment. She is currently head of the department's internal research co-ordination unit and deputy head of the Centre for Real Estate and Facility Management.

Video

Barbara Jocham

Barbara Reiter studied the bachelor program “Internet Technologies” at the FH JOANNEUM in Kapfenberg and is currently in their master program “IT Law & Management”. Already during her bachelor studies, she worked as a student assistant at FH JOANNEUM and after finishing her bachelor studies she worked as a researcher in different EU projects which mainly dealt with the transfer of IT knowledge to children and young people. Currently Barbara Reiter is project coordinator of the project KAIT Green Startupmark, which deals with support for sustainable and green IT startups.

Meet our mentors & role models from Italy

Italy

Video

Martina Lavagnini

Martina Lavagnini is a learning designer within Gruppo Pragma. Her research focuses on how technologies can help and innovate learning paths and experiences. Her interests in learning design born thanks to her university research in analysing how learning programs in primary schools are affected by gender bias.

Silvia Pallaver

I am a certified pedagogist with a strong focus on designing contents for digital and social learning programmes. I hold a master degree in Adult education and Life Long Learning from the University of Trieste. I have 20 years experience in designing and implementing learning and self-empowering strategies, focused on the person and the organization. I am in charge of the ecoaching programmes of DIVE - Immersive Change, Gruppo Pragma Digital suite for big companies of the ICT Sector, Finance and Travel.

Video

Michela Minigher

Computer Tech Networks, I did not start with a formal education within STEM. I had to start out finding my own ways into computer science, networks, cloud services, and internet structure. I started to work with a large company where I could develop my professional skills. There is always a way into tech, but its good to be part of a community like WESTEM, and also to get yourself a mentor!

Find more mentors and information on how to become a mentor in the Community.

Academy of Mentors & Role models

POrtraits & Role models

Inspiring, fostering and encouraging a new generation

WESTEM Portraits Documentary

Our Academy of Mentors and ROle models

Meet our mentors & role models

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Sweden

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Cyprus

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Greece

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Austria

Meet our Mentors and Role models from Italy

Meet our mentors & role models from Sweden

Meet our mentors & role models from Cyprus

Meet our mentors & role models from Greece

Meet our mentors & role models from Austria

Meet our mentors & role models from Italy

Be a member of the Community - Join on Discord now!

Academy of
Mentors & Role models

Be a member of the Community
- Join on Discord now!