SeedWISE
SeedWISE is an enterprise programme born out of the success and demand for our flagship enterprise programme for women postdocs; RisingWISE. Specifically aimed at women DPhil researchers, we have taken the core RisingWISE aims and tailored the course for women at this important stage in their careers.
Our next iteration of SeedWISE takes place in Michaelmas Term from 1 November to 5 December 2023. Check the 'How, When and Where' section below for the rest of the dates and times.
Please do check you can make all the sessions in advance of registering and email Louisa Trevail with any queries at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk
click here to register for your place!
SeedWISE is tailored specifically for women* DPhil students who are working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
*We also welcome non-binary people who are comfortable in a space that will discuss women focused experiences.
Women are being urged to pursue careers in STEM subjects, where they often excel, but face a huge disparity in achieving success and leadership roles. SeedWISE has been developed to help address this challenge, bringing together women DPhil students from different STEM disciplines at the University of Oxford to meet with women working in industry and commerce, who face similar challenges. We work closely with industry to build mutual relationships, which aims to benefit women both working and studying in STEM roles.
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
The programme’s purpose is to illuminate potential industrial and enterprise career routes for women DPhil researchers. These routes will include working in or with as part of a collaboration from an academic setting large scale industrial settings, SMEs and micro businesses.
The 6-week programme will be delivered using a blended learning method chosen to fit in with researchers’ busy lives but also allowing the crucial networking and space to provide peer support. See the section 'What will the course look like?' for further information.
After an initial afternoon, the programme will revolve around 90 minute weekly clinic sessions exploring the online material interactively and developing yourself through action Learning.
The programme will include the following objectives:
- To increase awareness of the variety of industrial and enterprise careers
- To build self confidence in areas such as pitching, promoting and networking
- To give opportunities to learn from women working in a variety of settings
- To encourage an enterprising mindset irrespective of career destination
- To meet, network and encourage other DPhil students
The next iteration of SeedWISE takes place in Michaelmas Term 2023.
Please check the dates below and click here to register for your place!
|
DATE |
TIME |
| Wednesday 1 Nov | 14.00-17.00 in-person kick-off! Venue: Centenary Room, Careers Service, Banbury Road (please note the only Wednesday date!) |
|
Tuesday 7 Nov |
16.00-17.30 online |
| Tuesday 14 Nov | 16.00-17.30 online |
| Tuesday 21 Nov | 16.00-17.30 online |
| Tuesday 28 Nov | 16.00-17.30 online |
| Tuesday 5 Dec | 14.00-17.00 in-person wrap-up! Venue: Centenary Room, Careers Service, Banbury Road |
WHAT does THE COURSE LOOK LIKE?
SeedWISE is a blended learning programme. That means we will meet face-to-face (virtually and in-person in this instance) to work together and then in between sessions we have further resources for you to explore the topics.
Our fun, interactive face-to-face sessions will involve a mixture of speakers who have gone onto a variety of careers, group work and action learning sets. The latter is an amazing way to develop yourself and help clarify your thinking on the subject. You will be working in small groups of 4 or 5. Each person has 15 minutes ‘air time’ to present their thoughts on the topic and ask the group for help. It is a powerful way to learn as you get help but also learn from the advice to other people. Our initial and final meetings will be 3 hours long (with breaks) and the sessions in between will be 90 minutes. All of the online sessions will be held over Zoom, along with two extended in-person sessions to meet, connect, network and start/end the programme together.
Our further resources are there for you to look at between sessions on Canvas. There are video lessons, exercises and further information for those who want to delve deeper. We anticipate this will take you no more than an hour a week. There are chats to interact with the other women on the course and a way to chart your progress through the material.
You will be part of a cohort of likeminded women DPhil students and we really do hope to build a sense of community with the group. Our session will be fun, lively and interactive and we are hoping to get everyone together towards the end of the programme if guidelines allow.
For queries please contact Louisa at: mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk
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
DR ANNE MILLER, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR FOR RISINGWISE AND SEEDWISE
Dr Anne Miller has been instrumental in setting up the SeedWISE programme. She has since retired from her position as MPLS Enterprise Manager at the University of Oxford. Her previous roles included Associate Director of ESKTN, funded by Innovate UK , and principal environmental advisor at MAKE-UK, developing and delivering environmental training for industry in partnership with IEMA, the professional institute for environmental practitioners. She has been an academic and group leader in Environmental Sciences for over 25 years, developing and delivering numerous innovative programmes in different institutions, and co-founding the Oxfordshire social enterprise consultancy EiE.
SEEDWISE BEYOND michaelmas term
We conduct regular reviews after each round of SeedWISE and act on feedback accordingly.
We continue to run the programme twice a year and our next iteration will take place in Trinity Term 2024.
Please do contact Louisa at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk to register your interest for any future programmes. Thank you.