Johns Hopkins University Introduces Program In India To Promote Women Leadership In R&D

Johns Hopkins University has introduced two programs in India to promote gender equality in STEMM and eliminate TB from India.

Study Abroad: Recently, a high-level delegation of the Johns Hopkins University in the US visited India to explore collaboration opportunities. The university has now launched two programs in India. One is to promote gender equality in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) and the other is to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in India.

While commenting on this, Dr. Urvashi B. Singh, Deputy Director General, Central Tuberculosis Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “Addressing childhood TB is critical for eliminating tuberculosis in India. This initiative offers cost-effective screening methods that can be deployed in schools nationwide," as reported by Indian Express.

Johns Hopkins University's New TB Program In India Details

While announcing these programs, President Ronald J. Daniels said that approx. 6% of the TB cases reported to the TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) are of kids below 15 years of age. The researchers at Johns Hopkins University will be partnering with Indian researchers to introduce the TB-Free Schools initiative. This program is based on another project in Himachal Pradesh which was not only cost-effective but also reduced the TB cases in residential schools by 87%.

The initiative will scale the approach to three states - Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The university has collaborated with the AIIMS Gorakhpur, Serum Institute of India, Government of India, and the Mukul Madhav Foundation for this initiative. The initiative will comprise the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of active TB cases in school students of India and providing them with counselling, education and care.

Johns Hopkins University Invests In STEMM India

The university has launched a fellowship for the career advancement of women in STEMM. The funding will help women prepare for senior R&D roles. This is to address the lack of gender equality in this stream. As per the World Economic Forum, women represent only 29% of all STEMM workers. Some of the factors contributing to this are gender bias, less mentorship support, and limited information about research grants.

Ronald J. Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University said, “India is a place of tremendous talent and opportunity, and Johns Hopkins values its enduring collaborations in India and their impact. We are excited to launch these two initiatives that reflect our shared commitment to innovation and human flourishing.”

US Ambassador Eric Garcetti also joined the President of Johns Hopkins University Ron Daniels in the launch of the U.S.-India Alliance for Women in STEMM Fellowship.

His message on the X platform reads, "I was delighted to join Ron Daniels, President of @JohnsHopkins to launch the U.S.-India Alliance for Women in STEMM Fellowship. This ambitious initiative under the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment will empower early-career women scientists and researchers in India to become leaders in STEMM fields, paving the way for a prosperous future for all."

Read more:

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• Rice University US Introduces $2 Million Scholarship Programme For Indian Students