Only 10 days left to apply to the 2013 TechWomen program!

The application deadline for the 2013 TechWomen program is quickly approaching!

With the deadline only 10 days away, here are a few tips to ensure that your application is complete:

1. The deadline to submit your application is 23:59 Cairo time, February 22, 2013.

All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by this deadline.

2. A complete application consists of:

• A submitted online application;
• CV/Resume; and
• Two letters of recommendation (a third letter is optional).

Kicking off TechWomen Delegation in Amman, Jordan

Guest blog by Ayori Z. Selassie, TechWomen Mentor

First official day of volunteer work with the TechWomen for the U.S. Department of State Delegation to Jordanwas incredible. Many of us began Monday morning sleep deprived and jetlagged, however it didn’t take long for the excitement, inspiration, joy and love for the work that we were doing in Jordan to re-energize us. The agenda was packed with a visit to N2V, a technology investment holdings company, followed by visits to different companies, then presentations at Amman Tech Tuesdays (yes, Tech Tuesday happened on a Monday).It turned out to be a day of learning what Entrepreneurship and ICT (Information Communications Technology) mean for the people of Jordan and sharing our knowledge of technology, resources and connections.

Rami Al-Karmi kicked us off with presentations and pitches from local entrepreneurs in Jordan, followed by talking about what N2V does, and allowing us to ask questions. He was such a good sport when he was grilled on how he planned to provide strategy and support for women in technology and even offered to setup an online network where women can contribute and facilitate technical discussions, collaboration and strategy for the advancement of women. Kudos to Rami!

Continue reading →

What Career Advice Would You Give to Your Younger Self?

Recently, women and girls across the globe have been asking us for advice on launching successful careers in STEM and advancing their young professional careers to the next level.

Although we generally loathe dwelling on the woulda, coulda, shoulda moments in life, we can’t deny that sometimes, hindsight can be a very insightful form of wisdom. What better way to prepare for the future than learning from the experience of others?

In an effort to tap into the secrets of remarkable women with successful careers in STEM, we reached out to the TechWomen community of past emerging leaders, mentors, female tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, investors and role models through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and asked, “What career advice would you give to your younger self?”

Explore. Dream. Discover.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – U.S. Author, Mark Twain

Calling women around the world!

Calling leaders in technology!

Calling entrepreneurs!

Calling dreamers and adventurers!

We are currently seeking candidates for the next cohort of TechWomen Emerging Leaders from across the Middle East and Africa. We invite you to apply for the fall 2013 program. The application deadline is less than a month away.

Ambassador Verveer Convenes Forum on Women in ICT

Photo courtesy of Katy Dickinson

Melanne S. Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is co-hosting the inaugural international forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (WICTAD), today at the Institute of International Education (IIE) office in Washington, D.C.

The two-day forum, co-hosted by the Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and UN Women, has brought together representatives from civil society, academia, government, the private sector, and the UN to assess the social, economic, and political implications of the gender gap in internet access, according to the press notice released by the Department of State on January 8, 2013.

Ambassador Melanne S. Verveer addressed the 2012 TechWomen Delegation at a luncheon hosted at the Department of State in October.

Read more regarding the inaugural international forum on women, information and communication technologies and development.

The TechWomen Emerging Leader application is open until February 22, 2013.

Follow the conference hashtag #WICTAD and TechWomen Director Heather Ramsey (@hramseyiiesf) for updates from Washington, DC.