STEM for Development

STEM for Development has received funding to test a pilot connecting selected early-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries with real R&D projects at U.S. companies. We are looking for a few company R&D partners who may be open to an exploratory conversation.

SFD works with talented researchers from around the world – many with strong academic preparation, real technical promise, and the drive to contribute to world-class science. The barrier is often access: to advanced research environments, professional networks, and career-shaping opportunities that are much easier to reach from wealthier countries.

For this pilot, we want to test a more curated model than a large internship pipeline. SFD’s strongest contribution is scientific judgment, candidate preparation, and close matching between a real R&D need and a researcher we know well. We would identify and prepare strong candidates from our community, then work closely with host teams to make sure the research fit is real.

A good partner would have:
– A defined R&D need
– Capacity to supervise an early-career researcher well
– Interest in global STEM workforce development
– Work in areas such as life sciences, biotech, bioinformatics, data science, energy, engineering, materials, or computational research

Right now, the most helpful thing would be introductions to R&D leaders who might be willing to speak with us. If someone comes to mind – or if you know people who may be connected to company R&D teams – we would be grateful if you sent us a note or shared this!

Registration is now open for the 2026–2027 STEM for Development (SFD) Graduate Application Mentorship Program!

This program is designed for students from the Global South who are planning to apply to STEM Master’s or PhD programs and will complete their current degree by August 2027.

The 2026–2027 program has been restructured to provide practical, student-centered, and effective mentorship for graduate school applicants. Please see the flyer below for details.

- Register here: t.ly/pZ7hj
- New to SFD? Become a member here: t.ly/E9r5
- For more details visit stemfordevelopment.org

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks and with STEM students who may benefit from graduate school application support.

STEM for Development will be holding Office Hours tomorrow, Saturday, June 6, from 2 to 3 PM GMT.

These sessions are meant to be practical and interactive. Students can come with specific questions about graduate applications, CVs, cold emails, research interests, fee waivers, or professional development more broadly, and talk them through in a real conversation with our team.

This week's session will feature Hauwa Adedo, Joe Adabouk Amooli, and Michael Adu.

Join us here: http://t.ly/Dmfhw

If you would like to receive our biweekly reminders and calendar invitations for future Office Hours, you can sign up here: https://t.ly/4AJKD

To learn more about STEM for Development’s upcoming programs and events, you can also join our network at https://t.ly/E9r5 or visit stemfordevelopment.org.

STEM for Development is pleased to announce the next session in our Workforce Skills Webinar Series: Transitioning from Academia to Industry.

This session will be presented by Kourtney Goode, PhD, Business Process Improvement Director at Cayman Chemical.

After earning her Ph.D. in 2017, Dr. Goode transitioned directly into industry as a technical writer before expanding into academic relations, STEM outreach, hazard communication, and project management. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience navigating this career path, she will discuss the realities of industry hiring, strategies for the interview process, and the transferable skills that help scientists build successful careers beyond academia.

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM GMT
Register: t.ly/72fN

Not yet an SFD member? Join here: t.ly/E9r5

Please share with students, early-career researchers, and scientists who are thinking seriously about careers beyond academia.

STEM for Development will be holding Office Hours today, Saturday, May 23, from 2 to 3 PM GMT.

These sessions are meant to be practical and interactive. Students can come with specific questions about graduate applications, CVs, cold emails, research interests, fee waivers, or professional development more broadly, and talk them through in a real conversation with our team. In many cases, that kind of space to ask questions openly and get direct feedback is just as valuable as any formal workshop.

Today’s session will feature Hauwa Adedo, Joe Adabouk Amooli, and Michael Adu.

Join us here: http://t.ly/Dmfhw

If you would like to receive our biweekly reminders and calendar invitations for future Office Hours, you can sign up here: https://t.ly/4AJKD

To learn more about STEM for Development’s upcoming programs and events, you can also join our network at https://t.ly/E9r5 or visit stemfordevelopment.org.

After a brief pause in our public updates, STEM for Development is excited to return with renewed energy. We have been strengthening our organization behind the scenes, and in the coming weeks, students and early-career researchers can expect to see more opportunities, programs, and stories from SFD.

To begin, we are pleased to highlight the career journey of Wealth Okete, who is currently a master’s student in Clinical Science and Immunology at the University of Cape Town. Wealth is from Nigeria and serves as a Public Affairs & Communication Associate with SFD. He earned his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Benin, Nigeria, where his interest in immunology and infectious diseases was sparked by the historical context of the field, which he first encountered in his Immunochemistry course. He is now pursuing his Master’s degree in Clinical Science and Immunology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where he investigates immune responses in HIV-uninfected infants born to women living with HIV.

Outside the laboratory, Wealth facilitates scientific conversations about the immune system, health, and disease through The Immunology in Africa Podcast. He also serves as co-founder of Biospherea, an Afrocentric bioscience community that promotes learning, skill development, and collaboration among young scientists. Wealth’s interest in advancing science, which aligns closely with SFD’s mission to democratize access to opportunity, inspired him to join the organization. As a Public Affairs & Communication Associate, he interviews and celebrates the accomplishments of SFD students and team members by sharing inspiring stories about their career journeys and experiences.

Wealth encourages students to allow themselves to make mistakes, relearn, and, when necessary, start over. “We must intentionally make room for the unfamiliar and the uncomfortable,” he says.

STEM for Development will be holding Office Hours tomorrow, Saturday, May 9, from 2 to 3 PM GMT.

These sessions are meant to be practical and interactive. Students can come with specific questions about graduate applications, CVs, cold emails, research interests, fee waivers, or professional development more broadly, and talk them through in a real conversation with our team. In many cases, that kind of space to ask questions openly and get direct feedback is just as valuable as any formal workshop.

Today’s session will feature Hauwa Adedo, Joe Adabouk Amooli, and Nahom Belete.

Join us here: http://t.ly/Dmfhw

If you would like to receive our biweekly reminders and calendar invitations for future Office Hours, you can sign up here: https://t.ly/4AJKD

To learn more about STEM for Development’s upcoming programs and events, you can also join our network at https://t.ly/E9r5 or visit stemfordevelopment.org.

STEM for Development will be holding Office Hours today, Saturday, April 25, from 2 to 3 PM GMT.

These sessions are meant to be practical and interactive. Students can come with specific questions about graduate applications, CVs, cold emails, research interests, fee waivers, or professional development more broadly, and talk them through in a real conversation with our team. In many cases, that kind of space to ask questions openly and get direct feedback is just as valuable as any formal workshop.

Today’s session will feature Hauwa Adedo, Joe Adabouk Amooli, and Nahom Belete.

Join us here: http://t.ly/Dmfhw

If you would like to receive our biweekly reminders and calendar invitations for future Office Hours, you can sign up here: https://t.ly/4AJKD

To learn more about STEM for Development’s upcoming programs and events, you can also join our network at https://t.ly/E9r5 or visit stemfordevelopment.org.

STEM for Development will be holding Office Hours today, Saturday, April 11, from 2 to 3 PM GMT.

These sessions are meant to be practical and interactive. Students can come with specific questions about graduate applications, CVs, cold emails, research interests, fee waivers, or professional development more broadly, and talk them through in a real conversation with our team. In many cases, that kind of space to ask questions openly and get direct feedback is just as valuable as any formal workshop.

Today’s session will feature Hauwa Adedo, Joe Adabouk Amooli, and Michael Adu.

Join us here: http://t.ly/Dmfhw

If you would like to receive our biweekly reminders and calendar invitations for future Office Hours, you can sign up here: https://t.ly/4AJKD

To learn more about STEM for Development’s upcoming programs and events, you can also join our network at https://t.ly/E9r5 or visit stemfordevelopment.org.

STEM for Development is gathering community feedback to help shape our mentorship programming for students from the Global South applying to STEM graduate programs. We are especially interested in understanding where students are applying, which destinations they most prefer, and why.

If you are a student from the Global South who applied to a STEM Master’s or PhD program for Fall 2026, we would greatly appreciate your response to this short survey. It takes less than two minutes:

t.ly/4cS8-

Please feel free to share this with eligible students in your network! Thank you very much for helping us better direct our programming.

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Join STEM for Development and support our efforts:
• Become a member today: t.ly/E9r5
• Visit our website: t.ly/XfqVi
• Follow us on Instagram: t.ly/ee_v-
• Like our page on Facebook: t.ly/oKi4Q
• Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g4rd6jJF

STEM for Development | LinkedIn STEM for Development | 23,578 followers on LinkedIn. We provide free mentorship and professional/research skills training to STEM students in developing countries. | STEM for Development is a U.S.-based non-profit organization aimed at increasing the accessibility of world-class graduate degree prog...