WoMent, the first CSIC mentoring program aimed at female PhD candidates in training at CSIC centers across the Valencian Community, concluded its first edition with an event at the Casa de la Ciencia (CSIC Valencia). The IBMCP actively participated in this initiative, contributing to both the organization of the program and through the involvement of six mentors and four mentees.
The closing event brought together the mentors and the female PhD candidates (mentees) who participated in the program. The event was chaired by Dr. Marta Feliz, program coordinator and researcher at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ CSIC-UPV), Dr. Cristina Martínez, vice-director of the ITQ (CSIC-UPV), and Dr. Amparo Querol, deputy delegate of the CSIC in the Valencian Community.
Subsequently, a panel discussion titled “Experiences and General Evaluation of the Mentoring Program” took place, moderated by Mª Dolores Gómez (IBMCP CSIC-UPV). The panel featured mentees Júlia Pérez Pérez (IBMCP) and Elena Vicente Cayuela (ITQ), alongside mentors Carla Rubio-Villena (I2sysbio CSIC-UV), Elena Villa, and Ethel Queralt (IBV). Both mentors and mentees discussed whether WoMent had met their expectations, if it had guided them in making professional career decisions, and, for the mentors, whether the program had helped them reflect on the questions and concerns of their own students. Finally, the panel concluded with an analysis of this first edition of WoMent, with the aim of improving the program’s next edition.
The event continued with the talk “Beyond the PhD: Building a Professional Career in Industry,” given by Dr. Cristina Vilanova, Chief Executive Officer at Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence. In her presentation, Dr. Vilanova shared how she developed her R&D career within the business sector.
The day concluded with a Q&A session and an open dialogue among the attendees.
WoMent: From Experience to Excellence. Mentoring for Female Researchers
The goal of WoMent is to foster and inspire the academic and technological career paths of future female PhDs from CSIC Research Centers in the Valencian Community (CSIC-CVA). This is achieved through personalized guidance by professionals from the scientific or technological fields within these same institutions, aiming to reduce the gender gap. The mentoring sessions were conducted individually over four 1-hour sessions, both in-person and online.
This first edition of WoMent was promoted by Dr. Marta Feliz, a member of the Equality Committee at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ CSIC-UPV), and was carried out through the collective effort of the Equality Committees of the CSIC centers in the Valencian Community.
