WIB-Pittsburgh: End of Winter Mentoring Cycle Celebration & Networking Event

On February 21, WIB-Pittsburgh held a MAPS mentorship program end-of-cycle celebration at the University of Pittsburgh's Biomedical Science Tower. Throughout the last 6-month cycle, this program hosted an exceptional cohort of dedicated mentors and mentees. Participants were organized into small mentorship groups, meeting monthly at times and locations that best suited individual preferences. Each group delved into unique topics of interest, including transition from academia to industry, effective leadership, science communication, and building, growing, and maintaining a network. The event provided a platform for attendees to connect with and learn from members across mentorship groups, as well as meet new faces from WIB and beyond. MAPS members reflected as a group on the most impactful parts of their experiences as well as what can be done to continue strengthening the program.

Rama Bala and Ariel Barreiro, leaders of StemNetX, shared information about their fellowship program, which is focused on increasing the participation of undergraduate students from historically underserved groups in high-impact research experiences at local colleges and universities. Their vision is to empower those students to become future leaders in STEM fields.

As we gear up for recruiting the next cohort for WIB-Pittsburgh MAPS, this gathering served as a meaningful moment to celebrate the dedication of our mentors and mentees to the program and to one another. We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of Women In Bio for our upcoming cycle!

Submitted by Vonya Eisinger