Together for More Women in Nuclear

The Agency works to address the under-representation of women in the nuclear field through the IAEA Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) and the Lise Meitner Programme (LMP). By enabling more women to enter and pursue careers in the nuclear field, these programmes help to build the future nuclear workforce.

Established in 2020, the MSCFP provides scholarships for relevant master’s degrees and opportunities to complete internships, participate in technical events and join the MSCFP/LMP student and alumni LinkedIn group. By the end of 2024, there were 760 MSCFP fellows from 129 Member States, of whom 320 had completed their master’s studies with support from the programme. Of these graduates, 167 progressed to internships facilitated by the Agency while others pursued doctoral studies or employment.

Launched in 2023, the LMP provides women working in the nuclear sector in the early and middle stages of their careers with career development opportunities through a visiting professional programme. Participants gain valuable technical experience in different facilities, focused on their area of expertise, and enhance their leadership skills. They also become part of the MSCFP/LMP LinkedIn group and benefit from participation in technical events organized by the Agency and its partners. The third LMP cohort was hosted in 2024 by the Korea Nuclear International Cooperation Foundation.

In March 2024, the Agency held an event entitled ‘For More Women in Nuclear: IAEA Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Fellowship and Lise Meitner Programmes’, which featured career talks and discussions with nuclear experts and recipients of the two programmes. More than 400 MSCFP and LMP participants attended the event.

The MSCFP and the LMP are funded by extrabudgetary financial and in-kind contributions. As of December 2024, the MSCFP had received pledges amounting to €15.2 million and in-kind contributions for 110 students. Donors include Member States, the European Union, private sector partners and academic institutions.