Abolaji Adebayo 
Women In Technology In Nigeria ( W I TIN ) Girls STEM Clubs and Outreaches in Nigeria has been announced as the winner of this year’s Inspiring Women in Science Outreach Award organised by Nature in London.
The organisation was recognised for its attention to providing solutions to the reasons behind low representation of girls in STEM in health, security, safe and supportive environment.
Executive Director and Founder of WITIN Girls STEM Clubs & Outreaches, Martha Alade, who received the award in London, said: “It is both humbling and affirming to be presented with this award.
We approach girls in underserved areas with a single idea that access to knowledge is a human right. At WITIN, we work extremely hard to be an inspiration to girls who otherwise would not have these opportunities, and we persist because there is a great need.
The judges were impressed by WITIN’s clear aims, with goals that are aligned to their mission to expand representation in STEM. They also noted the focus on girls and teachers as well as the organisation’s drawing on the strengths of the community and using their teachers’ network.
Editor in Chief of Nature, Dr. Magdalena Skipper, said: “Diversity of thought fuels innovation, so when women and girls are empowered to contribute their skills and talents in research we all benefit from the re-sults.
Science shapes the future and it is crucial that women are equally represented in research. We must ensure that girls and women see no limits to their aspirations.”
The Nature Awards for Inspiring Women in Science is held by Nature Awards in partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies. They champion those, who are working to encourage girls and women ‘to engage with STEM’ subjects and who work to support women to stay in STEM careers around the world.
The Scientific Achievement Award recognises early-career women researchers who have made an exceptional, demonstrable contribution to scientific discovery and may have faced significant personal or professional challenges.
