NATO STO
Women & Girls in Science
2025 Challenge

NATO STO Women & Girls in Science 2025 Challenge

Inspiring young women to pursue careers in STEM by providing a platform to share innovative research ideas with a real impact on global security and defence

About NATO STO

The NATO Science & Technology Organization (STO) is proud to announce the second edition of its award-winning initiative – the NATO STO Women & Girls in Science (WGS25) Challenge. Launched in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the WGS25 Challenge invites young women and girls to submit visionary research proposals addressing pressing challenges in the field of defence research.

About the challenge

The WGS25 Challenge is calling for applications from young women who are university students (bachelor, master, PhD), early career researchers, or simply interested in starting a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and/or defence.

Proposals should aim to solve an existing issue or prevent the emergence of new threats. Each submission should address one of the following NATO Science & Technology (S&T) priorities: Deterrence, Energy, Climate, Space and Resilience.

Up to 12 finalists will be selected to present their ideas in person at NATO Headquarters on 6 June 2025.

How to apply

Applicants must be young women aged 18-35 years, affiliated with a university and nationals of NATO countries.

Applications must be submitted in English through a form guided by the following over-arching question:

what research idea would you like to see NATO pursue over the next five years?

The deadline for submissions is 11 March 2025, 23:59 CET. Late entries will not be considered.

This form will ask participants to indicate:

1
a title for their proposal,
2
the chosen Science & Technology (S&T) theme (Deterrence/Energy/Resilience/Space/Climate),
3
relevant background information,
4
the proposal’s relevance to defence and security,
5
clear scientific objectives,
6
key scientific topics to be addressed, and
7
the expected exploitation potential and societal impact.

What happens after applying?

NATO STO experts will evaluate proposals based on novelty, relevance, coherence, feasibility and potential positive impact. They will select 12 finalists to present their proposals at the Grand Finale, 6 June at NATO HQ. Each finalist will deliver a 10-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. A panel of experts will then select the top three winners.

Testimonials WGS24 Challenge Finalists

“Investing in knowledge from women and girls in science, technology and engineering empowers not only women but also everyone else.”

Lyana USA

“A unique and inspiring experience for women in STEM.”

Sandra Gusi

“This challenge opened doors and started conversations that give me hope for tomorrow.”

Elise Devoie

“Increased awareness about the potentiality to share passion, sacrifices, and commitment in scientific and technological research with a global, yet closely-knit, community.”

Vittoria Stan

Awards

In addition to all finalists receiving formal recognition by the NATO Chief Scientist, the winners will benefit from a wealth of opportunities, from visits and interactions with CMRE experts, to joining a community of world-class experts across STO and NATO and so much more.

Frequently asked questions

How would my application be utilized if I’m not a finalist?Administrator2025-02-10T12:36:42+00:00

How would my application be utilized if I’m not a finalist?

Information provided as part of this challenge will be handled in line with the NATO Personal Data Protection Policy

What is the STO?Administrator2025-02-10T12:36:13+00:00

What is the STO?

The NATO Science & Technology Organization (STO) is NATO’s hub for collaborative research for defence purposes, and the organiser of the NATO STO Women & Girls in Science challenge. Find out more here (link to the About NATO STO).

To what information do the reviewers have access from my application?Administrator2025-02-10T12:35:54+00:00

To what information do the reviewers have access from my application?

The expert reviewers who will score the proposals will only have access to the information related to the research idea. All personal data will be handled only by the STO.

What is the review process that will be used to evaluate my application?Administrator2025-02-10T12:35:31+00:00

What is the review process that will be used to evaluate my application?

Each application will be subject to a pre-screening to ensure it complies with every requirement. If all requirements are met, the proposals will be evaluated by three different experts and given a score based on novelty, relevance, coherence, feasibility and potential positive impact.

The 12 proposals with the highest scores will be the finalists selected to present their ideas at NATO HQ.

What are the age requirements to apply?Administrator2025-02-10T12:35:08+00:00

What are the age requirements to apply?

Only applicants between 18 and 35 years old will be considered.

Can my team participate?Administrator2025-02-10T12:34:22+00:00

Can my team participate?

The proposals must be submitted by individuals.

How many participants are going to the finale?Administrator2025-02-10T12:33:58+00:00

How many participants are going to the finale?

Twelve finalists are chosen to present their ideas at NATO HQ. All of their travel and accommodation is covered by the NATO Science & Technology Organization.

Will I need to provide any additional information or documentation beyond the online application?Administrator2025-02-10T12:31:00+00:00

Will I need to provide any additional information or documentation beyond the online application?

No additional information is required upon submission of the application; however, shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide additional documentation as needed in the context of preparation for the Finale.

Is there a template for the written proposal? I would like to learn about the word limit and other requirements.Administrator2025-02-10T12:31:00+00:00

Is there a template for the written proposal? I would like to learn about the word limit and other requirements.

Your proposal should be described in no more than 1400 words, excluding title. Please see here the description of the structure that should guide your application, with indicative number of words per question:

Title of Proposal – short title that indicates the subject of your proposal

Which of the themes does the proposal address? – choose one of the five themes that applies to your proposal

Background (max 250 words) – What is the value, what gap is being addressed?

Defence Relevance (max 100 words) – How does your research contribute to NATO’s work on global security and stability? Is there a dual-use application* ( civil applications activities which could serve military purposes ?

Scientific Objectives (max 200 words) – What is the question your research is trying to answer? What would be the goal/outcome of seeing your research being pursued?

Scientific topics to be covered? (max 350 words) – What scientific areas would your research include and be based on? What would your methodology be?

Exploitation (max 350 words) – What would it require to conduct your research and what would be a realistic timeline? What would be the main challenges?

Impact (max 150 words) – What positive contribution would your research make to NATO’s mission success?)

What’s in it for me?Administrator2025-02-10T12:31:00+00:00

What’s in it for me?

A unique experience to share your research ideas that impact global security with NATO leadership. All 12 finalists will receive formal recognition from the NATO Chief Scientist, and the three selected winners will receive the opportunity to visit the Centre for Maritime Research Experimentation (CMRE) in la Spezia, Italy.

Finalists will also have the opportunity to join STEM Forward, a community that brings together professionals and experts from the STEM ecosystem for the benefit of scientific collaboration and enhancement of the NATO S&T knowledge base.

How long is the challenge?Administrator2025-02-10T12:31:00+00:00