The FeSTEM Platform: creating meaningful relationships with experts in the field
The FeSTEM community platform (https://festem.network/) was developed as part of the FeSTEM project (https://festemproject.eu/) that is co-funded by the Erasmus+ program. It is an e-mentoring platform that aims to link Higher Education (HE) students in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) with experienced mentors in the field.
More specifically, this platform aims at helping HE students to receive support and advice in terms of their professional development in STEM. The platform hosts various communities, the so-called “Circles’. Circles encourage discussion and interaction between users with common interests. Every Circle has its forum to encourage discussion, improve communication, increase collaborations and ultimately engage the members of their Circle and the platform in general. Except Circles, members can search for people that they know and then build up their network of friends.
The platform can be encouraging for students of secondary education as well, especially females, who want to pursue a career in STEM. Having in mind that there are tools available to support them in their future career in STEM fields, may motivate them to engage in the field and start thinking of the direction they want to follow. Students can also connect with people from the platform and discuss their concerns with regards to their career in the specific field, read about successful women in the field of STEM and how they decided to follow a STEM career from their early age.
Get involved!
Are you passionate about issues of gender equality in the field of STEM? Then join us… we are stronger together! See below how you can be involved and sign up here: https://festem.network/
About the author:
Eirini Christou is a post-graduate research associate at the Cyprus University of Technology. She has a BA in Primary Education and an MA in Technologies for Learning and Communication. Her research interests include learning and teaching, emerging technologies, STEM and gender equality.
Tags: Education, gender in STEM, STEM, STEM careers, Students, teachers