RISE Stories is the official blog of the India RISE Fellowship. It is a space for reflective, first-person writing on research, leadership, and the evolving landscape of women in STEMM. Through these essays, we aim to amplify lived experience, surface institutional questions, and build a thoughtful public archive of women’s scientific journeys.

Call for Pitches

We invite pitches from:

• India RISE Fellows (current and alumnae)
• India RISE Mentors, Steering Committee, Program Team, Partners
• External STEMM experts, researchers, and practitioners whose work intersects with women’s leadership, equity, and innovation

We welcome first-person essays that explore:

• Your research journey
• A question that drives your work
• A turning point in your STEMM career
• Leadership lessons from the lab, clinic, classroom, or field
• Structural barriers in research ecosystems and what must change
• The human story behind scientific work
• Institutional reform, mentorship models, or translational pathways

We are particularly interested in writing that connects lived experience with broader questions of research leadership, gender equity, and systemic change in India and globally.

Format Requirements

• First-person voice strongly encouraged
• 600–850 words
• Accessible to a broad, non-technical audience
• Clear, reflective, and grounded in experience or evidence

Selected authors will receive editorial guidance from the communications team. We may suggest revisions for clarity and structure while preserving your voice.

How to Pitch

• A 100–150-word summary of your proposed piece
• 2–3 sentences on why this perspective is timely or important
• A brief bio (2–3 lines)
• Links to previously published pieces

We review pitches on a rolling basis. Please email us at jhii@jh.edu.