Faculty of Mathematics-supported initiative to increase diversity in STEM finds new partners

Monday, November 15, 2021
Black woman in laboratory

The Faculty of Mathematics has been involved in a joint initiative to increase academic diversity, which has now expanded from six universities in Ontario to 12 institutions across the country.

Since its inception earlier this year, the Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) PhD project, which aims to support and build a network for Indigenous and Black graduate students, has named 16 doctoral fellows and 24 mentors.

IBET is for students considering a PhD, who are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents and who identify as Indigenous or Black. The fellowship application deadline is February 1, 2022, and provides the recipient with a total of $30,000 a year for four years.

Students in the Faculty of Mathematics can learn more about IBET and details on applying through the fellowship webpage.

The original partnership included the engineering and math faculties at the University of Waterloo, and the engineering faculties at McMaster University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto, Queen’s University and Western University.

Joining the project are the University of Alberta, the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, McGill University, Ryerson University, the University of Windsor, and the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University.

Along with funding, the IBET PhD Project provides a network of peer support with industry and academia mentors who have gone through the rigorous doctoral process.

Read more on Waterloo News.