Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN) is a regional professional organization that unites experts in nuclear fields from Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and other countries.
We are experts from the Black Sea countries representing civil society and academia, national governments, and industries. Interdisciplinary by nature, our network brings together women in STEM and policy. We join together to support the safe and secure use of peaceful nuclear technologies and prevent nuclear proliferation.
The network serves as a platform for professionals to support the advancement of women in nuclear fields by encouraging greater representation in leadership roles and offering opportunities for knowledge exchange, mentoring, and career development.
Mission
BSWN aims to connect and support women by encouraging greater participation and representation in nuclear-related professions.
Vision
BSWN envisions expanding opportunities for women from the Black Sea region to thrive in nuclear fields and take on leadership roles.
Strategic Goals 2025- 2030
The BSWN strategy, prepared by our Board of Directors and Leadership Team, outlines our commitment to empowering professionals in the nuclear field through strong leadership and effective communication, focusing on growth, partnerships, and sustainability from 2025 to 2030.
BSWN
Activities
Who we are
As a regional nonprofit professional organization, BSWN unites experts in nuclear fields from Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and other countries. It comprises women and men from Black Sea countries representing civil society and academia, national governments, and industries. Members and partners join to support the safe and secure use of peaceful nuclear technologies and prevent proliferation in the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear fields.
Black Sea Women in Nuclear is a network dedicated to fostering a supportive community where members can build both professional and personal connections. Our key priorities include showcasing the wealth of regional expertise, encouraging dialogue on shared challenges and experiences in the field, and creating opportunities for mentorship, skills development, and professional networking to support individuals pursuing careers in nuclear science and technology.
History of creation
The idea to establish the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network emerged during a 2019 conference focused on strengthening women’s participation in nuclear-related sectors, held at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Discussions emphasized the need to expand opportunities for women in nuclear science and security, especially through education and capacity building. The event concluded with a shared vision: to build a regional platform to amplify women’s contributions to the nuclear field.
Building on this idea, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory, supported by the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, further developed the Black Sea initiative. This would not have been possible without the tireless work of Margarita Kalinina-Pohl, Olga Martin, and Nataliia Klos, who were at the forefront of initiating the creation of BSWN and bringing together key stakeholders to keep the network running.
These efforts culminated in a conference organized by CNS and the Odesa Center for Nonproliferation to launch the network. The event brought together over 50 participants to celebrate the network and amplify the voices of women in nuclear fields.
Aligned with the conference’s goal of fostering collaboration among women professionals, participants engaged in open dialogue with guest speakers in both formal and informal settings. These sessions featured women at various career stages sharing their professional journeys, workplace experiences, and insights related to the nuclear sector across different national contexts.
The panels also included male colleagues who reflected on how to be constructive collaborators in the professional environment. The inclusion of men in these conversations was based on recommendations from previous regional meetings that emphasized the importance of wider engagement in fostering supportive work environments. The value of mentorship and peer support was a recurring theme raised by both regional and international participants.
The conference set the tone for the following BSWN initiatives to promote informal and intimate discussions that reveal common struggles shared by women in the field and create powerful bonds that translate across linguistic barriers, unlikely partnerships and collaborations, and geographic distance. Today the BSWN is a network that aims to create strong ties between women in the Black Sea region and beyond who deal with nuclear-related issues.