The University of Waterloo has joined forces with five other Ontario universities to increase academic and industry diversity by creating new fellowships for Indigenous and Black students pursuing doctoral degrees in engineering.
Announced today, the Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) Momentum Fellowships address an urgent need to encourage and support the pursuit of graduate studies by under-represented groups. This lack of representation has hindered enrolment of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) and Black graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.
“Seeing is believing,” said Mary Wells, dean of Waterloo Engineering. “How can we encourage Indigenous and Black students to come to our nation’s engineering schools if they don’t regularly experience Indigenous or Black professors, teaching and undertaking research in the schools and programs we want them to attend? The IBET PhD Project is a step in the right direction to increase diversity in universities across Canada.”
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For more details on the IBET Momentum Fellowship and Graduate Funding and Awards for applicants.