Our Mission

STEM for Development (SFD) expands access to global research, education, and career opportunities for talented STEM students and early-career professionals from developing and underrepresented regions. We provide free mentorship, professional development, and research training that prepare participants to thrive in international academic and industry environments.

 We envision a world where scientific talent everywhere can contribute fully to discovery and innovation — regardless of geography, background, or economic circumstance. 

International exchange in education is fundamental to innovation in science and technology (S&T). For instance, ~50% of America’s top 50 AI companies have foreign-born founders who came to the US on student visas, and international students comprise a substantial proportion of US doctorate degree earners in the life sciences (27%), physical/earth sciences (37%), mathematics/computer science (56%), and engineering (57%). Though some of these students will settle in their host country and others will not, they all contribute to the global research enterprise, build international collaboration networks, and act as science diplomats for their respective countries.

While STEM talent is clearly not bound by national borders, the world's top graduate programs are disproportionately composed of students from the world's wealthiest economies, with low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) largely left behind. For instance, despite being home to >1.1 billion people, only ~2,500 students from Sub-Saharan Africa are admitted to top countries like the US each year to pursue a Master's or PhD in any field, with success rates from application to matriculation at less than 10%. Representation from other global regions is similarly poor: the US draws only ~4,000 graduate students from Latin America and the Caribbean each year (population: >650 million) and only ~4,100 from South and Southeast Asia and Oceania (when excluding China and India; population: ~1.2 billion).

With students from LMICs lacking access to and representation in top STEM graduate programs abroad, and often facing low-resource universities at home, many brilliant and innovative minds are lost from the global S&T ecosystem. This has led to a shortage of highly-skilled STEM talent in their home countries and deprives host countries of valued contributions. At STEM for Development, we see this challenge as an opportunity to raise the quality of STEM training at universities around the world, while also enabling the mobility of talent for the benefit of all.

Talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. Students in low-resource settings often complete strong undergraduate coursework and research projects, yet they face obstacles unrelated to ability. Common barriers include:

• Limited access to professional mentorship and role models
• Few opportunities to publish or participate in international research
• Limited understanding of academic and workplace expectations across borders
• Insufficient training in scientific communication and proposal writing

Without structured support, even the most capable students may struggle to compete for international research, education, and career opportunities.

 STEM for Development addresses these structural gaps by creating pathways for students and young scientists to access global learning and research opportunities.

We do this through:

• Mentorship and Career Guidance: Personalized support that helps participants prepare for graduate study, research placements, and professional advancement.
• Professional Skills Training: More than forty annual webinars and courses on CV writing, research communication, advisor outreach, and career readiness.
• Research Exposure: Virtual and collaborative research experiences with partners such as the University at Albany’s RNA Institute, UCSI University in Malaysia, and INES Ruhengeri in Rwanda.
• Industry Engagement: Connecting early-career STEM graduates from developing regions with company-based research and development roles.
• Global Networks: A growing community of ~15,000 students across 100 countries, supported by more than 35 staff and an even higher number of mentors. Many of our mentors are former participants who now guide others along the same path.
   

Our programs integrate mentorship, training, and practical research experience. They prepare participants for success in graduate education, in research organizations, and in globally connected industries.

 SFD is fully volunteer-led, bringing together educators, researchers, and policy specialists from across five continents. Our mentors include faculty members, government scientists, and professionals in the private sector who share the belief that global progress in science and technology depends on fair access to opportunity.

Together, we have helped hundreds of students gain admission to advanced degree programs, publish research, and begin meaningful scientific careers. We measure success not only by individual outcomes, but by the collective growth of a global community committed to equitable participation in science.

 Whether you are:

• A student or early-career professional seeking mentorship or research experience
• A university, company, or nonprofit interested in collaboration
• A supporter who believes in widening access to scientific opportunity
   

We welcome your partnership! Please consider becoming a member, contacting us, or supporting our work.