SeedWISE: Enterprise training for women DPhil researchers
Unlock opportunities to broaden your skills, grow your networks and pursue new horizons in both industry and academia. SeedWISE offers crucial personal and career insights for DPhil students as they look toward the future.
SeedWISE michaelmas 2025-2026 - APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN - click here to apply!
The SeedWISE application deadline is 5pm on Friday 12 September and applications are made via a short, online form.
You will be notified of the outcome after selection has taken place in w/c 15 September.
The programme kicks off with a short online welcome call followed by three in-person days:
- Online introduction - Tuesday 7 October (1 hour - 16.00 - 17.00)
- Day 1 (in-person) - Tuesday 14 October, 09.30 - 16.30
- Day 2 (in-person) - Tuesday 4 November, 09.30 - 16.30
- Day 3 (in-person) - Tuesday 25 November, 09.30 - 16.30
apply FOR YOUR PLACE HERE!
Uncovering opportunities for women in STEM
Educational institutions at all levels offer programmes and schemes to inspire women in STEM – and these women often excel! Yet further up the career ladder, we continue to see huge gender disparities in long-term success and leadership roles.
SeedWISE helps address this challenge, bringing together women* DPhil students from the University of Oxford’s STEM disciplines. Here, you can meet with women who have gone on to work in industry, set up ventures, or stayed in academia, and who face similar challenges. We work closely with industry to build mutual relationships that benefit women both working and studying in STEM roles.
*We also welcome nonbinary people who are comfortable in a space that uses women-focused language to discuss women-focused experiences.
My thoughts on my career path have changed because of SeedWISE.
Illuminating enterprise and industrial opportunities
Many career routes lie ahead for STEM DPhil researchers. At SeedWISE, we encourage you to explore opportunities beyond those you may expect to pursue as an early-career researcher, from large-scale industrial settings to small- or mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to microbusinesses and entrepreneurial endeavours.
I felt emboldened to reach out directly to someone whose career I admire and she offered to arrange a call – I’m speaking to her in 2 weeks!
Developing networks with fellow women in STEM
Professional networks offer support, advice and opportunities at all stages of your career, but they can be most crucial as you emerge from your DPhil studies into your initial professional roles.
SeedWISE itself has become a network of both early-career and experienced women in STEM, and through these new connections you can find guidance on mentorship and creating new networks at events, online and in your day-to-day practice.
I have become more proactive with networking, reaching out for help, and I have learned about many opportunities from the educators and women attending the course.
Impacting our world
In better understanding your strengths, values and marketable skills, you can prepare to pitch yourself for roles that align with your potential. We ask hard-hitting questions about where you can go next, what you bring to the world and how your career choices can have wide-ranging impacts, both for your life and your role in the global community.
Putting Action Learning into practice
SeedWISE builds on the principles of Action Learning, a future-forward coaching approach to solving problems and developing leaders. Throughout the programme, we will push you to think critically, work collaboratively, and tackle complex issues with creative approaches and solutions. In Action Learning sets, you will explain your ideas, respond to clarifying questions, receive feedback and advice, and make a commitment to action.
Contact the SeedWISE team
Get in touch with Louisa Trevail at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk for any queries about the SeedWISE application, schedule, deposit payment, time commitment, and more.
You can apply for SeedWISE as a University of Oxford DPhil student in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
SeedWISE is tailored specifically by women, for women, though we also welcome nonbinary participants who are willing to join a women-orientated professional space.
SeedWISE gave me the platform to grow my confidence and more importantly made me realise that my values are as important as my professional goals, and I owe it to myself and to society to make every effort to grow and realise my full potential in order to have impact both in and outside academia. SeedWISE helped me realise I can achieve both!
Lessah Mandoloma
Cohort 3, SeedWISE
DPhil student, Biology
African Universities Ambassador
Read further alumni testimonials in our 'alumni spotlight' here!
SeedWISE enables you to build an impactful toolkit using enterprise skills.
You will:
- Understand and adopt tools for self-actualisation to enable you to realise your full potential and become the best version of yourself
- Develop collaboration, networking and communication skills to build community and support broad career options
- Explore enterprise thinking and concepts as tools for reflection
We are running SeedWISE IN-PERSON and attendance is required for the full three days. We also invite you to an online Meet & Greet event which will give you a flavour of what to expect and gives you a chance to meet the team and each other before we begin.
The three days are different in theme and build upon one another. Our expert trainer will lead days one and three, and our team of facilitators will guide you through day two:
- Day One: REFLECT- Day Two: EXPLORE
- Day Three: ACTION
Sessions are designed to be fun, interactive and will feature a mixture of speakers from a variety of career backgrounds, group work and action learning sets.
All additional material will be available on the Canvas learning hub. This includes resources discussed in each session, video lessons, exercises and further information for those who want to delve deeper.
How: Apply for your place online by 1700 on Friday 12 September.
Selection will take place W/c 15 September and you will be notified of the outcome.
If you have any queries, please contact Louisa at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk
When and where: Our next venue for SeedWISE is still tbc and we will update this page as soon as we can.
Please ensure you are available for all programme days so that you can attend the course in its entirety. Please note that we ask for a fully refundable £30.00 deposit when enrolling; this is refunded to you on successful completion of the course.
|
DATE |
TIME |
LOCATION |
|
Tuesday 7 October |
16.00 - 17.00 Welcome and introduction call (please note that attendance to this induction confirms your place) |
ONLINE |
|
Tuesday 14 October |
0930 - 1630 Day One: Reflect |
TBC |
|
Tuesday 04 November |
0930 - 1630 Day Two: Explore |
TBC |
| Tuesday 25 November |
0930 - 1630 Day Three: Action |
TBC |
|
|
|
|
DR EMMA WILLIAMS, COURSE DIRECTOR, SEEDWISE
Dr Emma Williams is driven by her mission for ensuring early career researchers take their next career step in a proactive and positive manner. Her business is built on her background in medical physics research and university professional services. A qualified coach she provides training, facilitation and online courses packed with creativity, empathy and challenge. Emma delivers the SeedWISE programme on behalf of Enterprising Women. Emma Williams on LinkedIn
Louisa Trevail, Enterprising Women Programme Manager
Louisa has a background in education and have worked as a senior teacher in various primary schools for a number of years, including roles in leadership. Before completing her Postgraduate Certificate of Education she worked as a Conference Manager for events agencies and for Oxfam GB, and previously as a graduate in public relations in London. She now works in the Training and Researcher Culture Development Team at the University of Oxford for MPLS (Maths, Physics and Life Sciences division) delivering the ambitious Enterprising Women programme of activities. Our training courses are run partly in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and are for women DPhil and Postdoc researchers working in traditionally male-dominated STEM subjects. Louisa Trevail on LinkedIn
Sally Charles, Enterprise Programme Manager
Sally Charles FHEA, is the Mathematical & Physical Life Sciences (MPLS) divisional lead for Enterprise Training and Events curated for the Researcher community within the division. She has been involved in University Enterprise Education for more than five years and previously worked at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen where she led on a number of initiatives. Before moving to Higher Education she ran her own business for nearly a decade and prior to that she worked in Film Finance, was an Authorised Person with the Financial Services Authority and worked in tax planning. Find Sally on LinkedIn.
If you are offered a place on the programme, we will ask you to confirm your place by payment of a £30 deposit.
This deposit is fully refundable on completion of the course in its entirety.