Techwomen 2012: Why should you apply?

Guest post by Lamia Ben Hiba

You are insatiable. Foolish and hungry. You want to make a dent in the universe. Be one of those people who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world. Say no more, I know exactly how you feel. I wake up everyday with the hope I can make a difference, I can upgrade my knowledge, I can turn the potential (mine and that of people around me) into action…It sometimes feels like a lonely state, but the truth is, it really is everything but that. There are lots of people out there just as passionate, as driven as you are. All you have to do is find them. And that’s why I’m here. I’m here to sell you the ‘apply-to-techwomen’ approach. A novel way to open up to a whole network of innovative, technical savvy women from the famous Silicon Valley and from all over the Arab world. The official version actually goes like this. :)

TechWomen Eligibility Criteria – Apply Today!

The 2012 TechWomen Application is Now Open!

The TechWomen initiative will identify approximately 42 women who are emerging leaders in technology sectors for a five-week program, including project-based mentorships at leading companies in California, workshops, networking events, a conference, and meetings in Washington, D.C.

Participants will be women engaged or rising in professional careers that require significant expertise/knowledge of technology and/or innovative application of these skills, and who already are – or show promise of being – role models for others in their countries, particularly for women. “Technology” should be interpreted broadly to include – but not be limited to – the fields of science, education, and business.

TechWomen Now Accepting Applications for 2012

U.S. Department of State Press Release Media Note

2011 TechWomen Mentees visiting the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced today that the TechWomen initiative – an international exchange that uses technology as a means to empower women and girls worldwide – is now accepting online applications from women in selected countries for 2012. Candidates may apply at www.techwomen.org between December 15, 2011 and February 15, 2012.

The 42 selectees from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, and Yemen will participate in a five-week mentorship with their American counterparts at U.S.-based technology companies in Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Using Comics to Encourage Girls’ Involvement in STEM

Rayane Hazimeh with fellow TechWomen mentees and colleagues at her host company, Symantec

If someone had asked Rayane Hazimeh a few years ago why she had become an engineer, she probably would have said that it was by mistake. “I was always the black sheep,” Rayane explains, “and often that meant walking away from the norm.” Rayane has always had a taste for adventure and challenges, and the fact that no other girls around her were choosing to pursue engineering degrees because “it was not for girls and was too hard” was enough of an incentive. “I didn’t need more than that to make it my goal” she says. “I wanted to prove to the world that women are as competent as men in this field.”

What is TechWomen?

 

We are pleased to present What is TechWomen: A video montage which showcases TechWomen Mentors and Mentees from the 2011 program. Each woman describes the program in her own words. We encourage you to apply to participate in the program! The online application for Mentees opens December 15, 2011. The mentor application will be available March 1, 2012.

Harnessing the power of business, technology and innovation, TechWomen brings emerging women leaders in the technology sectors from the Middle East and North Africa together with their American counterparts for a professional mentorship and exchange program at leading companies in the United States. To learn more about the program, visit the TechWomen website at www.techwomen.org.