Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network

Black Sea Experts NucTalks
2023-08-29 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Helsinki)
Mark the date on your calendar and join our upcoming NucTalks on August 29!
This year, on the International Day against Nuclear Tests, we have the opportunity to hear first-hand testimony on the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and the hopes of the younger generation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Moderators: Masako Toki, Senior Project Manager and Research Associate, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey;
Dr. Valeria Gergiieva, Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (ISH) at the University of Hamburg.
Speakers: Ms. Wada, a resilient Hibakusha who will share her powerful narrative and experiences;
Suzuka Nakamura, co-founder of the Tokyo-based youth organization “KNOW NUKES TOKYO,” aimed to create a civilian movement to abolish nuclear weapons in Tokyo.
Date: August 29
Time: 15.00 Vienna time; Duration: 1 hour
Location: Zoom
Zoom registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sd-Chqj8jE9yjVbKPtATgY_leaAz-Kp3F
This event promises to be an enlightening exploration of our past, present, and future relationship with nuclear technologies. Do not miss!

HR for Everyone: Volume I. Competencies — Basis of HR
2023-09-12 18:00 - 19:00
Exciting News!
#BSWN is thrilled to announce the launch of a new training opportunity designed exclusively for our members — “HR for Everyone: Volume I. Competencies – Basis of HR.”
At #BSWN, we believe in empowering our members with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in their professional careers. To that end, we have collaborated with the #BSWN Mentorship Program leader, Madalina Stefanic, to bring you an exciting opportunity to enhance your HR-related skills.
Moderator: Nataliia Klos, BSWN Coordinator
Speaker: Madalina Stefanic, Leader of the BSWN Mentorship Program and BSWN Romania Coordinator
Date: September 12
Time: 18.00, Vienna time
Location: Zoom
Zoom registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqc-upqTwuEtY_X3TqEPIFCbtuSuULgziA
Register for the webinar, and you will receive a professional assessment to find out how HR sees you when you apply for a job, your occupational interests, and advice about which career would fit better for you.
Only #BSWN members are eligible to participate. Join us here if you have not done it yet!

BSWN Mentorship Program
2023-10-20
Why mentorship
alongside BSWN?

Because BSWN will accomplish
the following:

How to Apply

Create high-performing professionals, including leaders, who are adaptable, inspiring, motivating, and able to direct others to produce tangible results, mentor and challenge the others, and exhibit high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect.

Share expertise, accept responsibility for the program success factors, desired results, and evaluation of the breadth and caliber
of program activities.

Work to change how people view mentorship as opportunities for career advancement and lifetime learning.

Raise awareness and make sure the mentorship reflects diversity and inclusion.

The BSWN is committed to providing quality mentorship to develop, maintain, and improve performance andpromote a learning environment.

The two main objectives of a structured mentorship with a mission-driven focus are to:

Align mentorship as a tool for lifelong learning.

Ensure that the public is aware of the program’s advantages.

The mentorship will specifically deliver high performance and will focus on the following areas:

Skill Enhancement

Knowledge Management/Knowledge Transfer

Share knowledge and abilities to help those who need to learn specific skills.

Facilitate the sharing of information and knowledge.

Professional Identity

Support for Education

Help people grasp what it means to be professionals in the working environment of nuclear power. Professionals are self-initiating and self-regulating, and they exemplify the values of their field.

Assist in bridging the gap between theory and practice. The knowledge and practical experience of a skilled practitioner supplement formal education and training.

Career Development

Management and Leadership Development

People that receive mentoring also benefit from increased adaptability to change, professionalindependence, and accountability as self-directed learners.

Promote the growth of leadership skills. Instead of schooling and training, these competencies are frequently more readily acquired through application and supervised practice.

Benefits of mentoring
to the mentee

Of course, mentees gain a lot from being mentored but not only in terms of career development as people tend to assume.
Good mentor matching can lead to:

Increased self-confidence

Increased self-awareness

Improved communication skills

Better personal network within the business

Exposure to new and different perspectives

Increased capacity to self-reflect

Improved goal-setting skills

Increased job satisfaction

Being supported by someone

Learning to ask good questions

Being advocated for

Learning from other’s experiences

Increased chance of promotion

Remember: as a mentee you will also benefit from finding support and guidance outside of your line management.Widening networks is an important way to grow confidence and knowledge.Through greater access to leaders within your business, mentoring provides you with opportunities to expand personally and professionally that you might not have in your day to day role. This is why it is so powerful for career progression!

Benefits of mentoring to the mentor

There are a rangeof personal development benefits that mentors gain from the experience. These includes:

A reason for becoming a mentor
is often the feeling of ‘giving back’.
But remember, this isn’t the only positive outcome!

Increased self-confidence

Increased self-awareness

Leadership skill development

Strong communication skills

Mastering the art of delivering feedback

Asking better questions

Becoming a good listener

Exposure to new and different perspectives

Reduced levels of anxiety

Growing a personal network

Increased chance of promotion

Increased job satisfaction

Supporting another person

Paying it forward

Learning from someone else

Another key benefit of mentoring for mentors is the effect on leadership that mentoring has. Acting as a mentor means practicing the core skills needed to be a successful manager or team leader and prepares you for senior leadership.

BSWN Second Anniversary Celebration
2023-12-01 16:00 - 18:00
Mark the date on your calendars!
Join us for the second Anniversary Celebration of the BSWN on December, 1. Let’s gather together to recap our memories, meet old and new friends, and discuss our future steps.
Date: December 1Time: 16.00 Vienna time; Duration: 2 hoursLocation: Zoom
Zoom registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEldOygqjkuE92vPMXWxLwrzIkC3-r6rzfN
It’s time to secure your spot at our celebration now!

Black Sea Experts NucTalks
2023-12-12 16:00 - 17:00
Mark the date on your calendar and join our upcoming NucTalks on December 12!
BSWN is pleased to invite you to the special session of the NucTalks on the topic of “Getting beyond Why to Why Not” presented by Dr. Mary Hockaday. During the talk Dr. Hockaday will share her experience as a woman and leader in science and nonproliferation.
Moderator: Dr. Valeriia Gergiieva, Visiting Fellow at the IFSH, University of Hamburg.
Date: December 12
Time: 16.00 Vienna time
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Zoom
Registration: To participate, please register for the seminar using the following link. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to join the online event.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oc-yvqDIjHdf_3wdhpOhrKV-TOglTikkh
Please, don’t hesitate to follow up via email bswn.org@gmail.com if you have any questions. Do not miss!

Black Sea Experts NucTalks
2023-12-18 16:00 - 17:00
Mark the date on your calendar and join new round of NucTalks on December 18!
BSWN is pleased to invite you to the another session of the NucTalks on the topic of “Universalization of the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment: Benefits and Challenges”.
We will explore the regional implication, experience, and good practice of the Universalization of the CPPNM and its Amendment. We will talk about CPPNM and look at such countries as Ukraine, Moldova and Türkiye.
Moderator: Valeriia Gergiieva, Visiting Fellow at the IFSH, University of Hamburg.
Speakers:
Sarah Case, Senior Fellow at Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, Austria.
Nataliia Klos, Coordinator of Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network, Austria/Ukraine.
Elena Mursa, National Agency for Regulation of Nuclear and Radiological Activities (NARNRA), Moldova
Sebnem Udum, Hacettepe University, Türkiye.
Date: December 18
Time: 16.00 Vienna time
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Zoom
Registration: To participate, please register for the seminar using the following link. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to join the online event.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-yqqD8qG93wCLUYjABpxzsPIg41LeRA
Please, don’t hesitate to follow up via email bswn.org@gmail.com if you have any questions and stay tuned for the detailed agenda!

Black Sea Experts ChemBio Talks
2023-12-19 16:00 - 17:30
Mark the date on your calendars and join the launch of brand new BSWN Initiative Black Sea Experts NucTalks on December 19!
We are pleased to invite you to participate in the launching event of our new initiative Black Sea Experts ChemBio Talks “Chemical and Biological Security: Implications for the Black Sea Region”.
Panel discussion: Perspectives on Biological Threat Mitigation
Speakers: Ketevan Zaridze, National Center for Disease Control (Georgia), Stephanie Norlock, International Federation of Biosafety Associations
Moderator: Tatyana Novossiolova
Date: December 19
Time: 16.00 Vienna time
Duration: 1.5 hours
Location: Zoom
Registration: To participate, please register to the seminar using the following link. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to join the online event.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtfuyuqTovH9f52Y_gFJMlH2XmQJhaKilo
Please, do not hesitate to follow up via email bswn.org@gmail.com if you have any questions. Do not miss!

Call for applications for Ukrainian scientists from BSWN partners
2024-01-15
Ukrainian below
Call for applications for Ukrainian scientists, technicians, and engineers from BSWN friends Odesa Center for Nonproliferation.
Cost-free training in grant application writing, hybrid research vetting, individual cybersecurity, knowledge security training, and more.
Coalescion, a non-profit global security organization, in partnership with the Odesa Center for Nonproliferation and the Science & Technology Center in Ukraine, is pleased to invite interested Ukrainian scientists, technicians, and engineers (STEs) (professionals, Ph.D. researchers, and MS students) to attend a two-day training workshop.
If you are a Ukrainian scientist, technician, or engineer whose work has been disrupted due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, please join us.
The workshop will take place in Poland in early March 2024.
Benefits:* Cost-free training on grant writing best practices, research vetting, intellectual property, knowledge security, individual cybersecurity, and sustainability.* Coverage of travel to and accommodation at the place of the training.* Coverage of other expenses during training participation via per diem.* In some circumstances, online participation may be approved.
The language of the event is English, with consecutive translations into Ukrainian.
Eligibility:* Ukrainian specialists (MS/Ph.D. students, young, mid-career, and senior professionals) with advanced levels of CBRN-relevant knowledge and expertise in science, technology, and engineering who are interested in learning and applying the knowledge on the specified topics in their daily work.* Representatives of public and private educational institutions, government-affiliated institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit organizations.* Nonaffiliated individuals with careers in CBRN residing in Ukraine or relocated abroad due to the war (Ukrainian citizens/organizations legally residing in Ukraine on 24 February 2022).
To apply fill in the Google Form by January 15: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EYVdMLvVXoJn3hebS1NpEKQTLDY9ROZbbqklNgIIzHo/edit.
____
Ми хочемо поділитися ініціативою наших друзів з Одеського центру питань нерозповсюдження.
Можливість для українських науковців та інженерів, чия діяльність була перервана через російське вторгнення в Україну від Одеського центру з питань нерозповсюдження, Coalescion та Українського Науково-Технологічного Центру.
Запрошуємо зацікавлених українських науковців та інженерів (STE) (професіоналів, аспірантів та студентів магістратури) взяти участь у дводенному навчальному семінарі “Hybrid Research Vetting, Individual Cybersecurity, and Knowledge Security Training”.
Мова заходу англійська з послідовним перекладом українською.
Аби дізнатися більше та подати заявку, переходьте за посиланням https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EYVdMLvVXoJn3hebS1NpEKQTLDY9ROZbbqklNgIIzHo/edit.
Встигніть заповнити форму до 15 січня 2024.

BSWN is looking for a new Communications Officer
2024-01-21
As the new year starts, BSWN is looking for a new Communications Officer
Are you a student or an early career professional eager to expand your experience, contribute to network development and enrich your CV? Then this position is for you!
As a Communications Team Member you will play a crucial role in enhancing the visibility and impact of our network. The responsibilities of our team include Content Creation, Social Media Management, Website Maintenance, Event Promotion and Graphic Design.
We are looking for a person with strong communications skills in English (both written and verbal), ability to work collaboratively in a virtual team environment, commitment to volunteering time on a regular basis, and experience in or desire to learn quickly Social Media Management and Website Maintenance. Familiarity with Graphic Design tools is a plus.
This is a volunteer position but as a young network we aim to provide our team with as many benefits as possible including networking with the professionals in the field. Skill enhancement and the opportunity of professional growth.
Interested candidates should submit a CV, brief letter of interest, and samples of previous relevant work (if available) to bswn.org@gmail.com by January 21.
We look forward to welcoming a passionate and dedicated individual to join our Team as Communications Officer. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Black Sea Experts NucTalks
2024-02-27 16:30 - 17:30
Mark the date on your calendar and join the new round of NucTalks on February 27!
BSWN is pleased to invite you to another NucTalks session on “Universalization of the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment: Benefits and Challenges.”
We will explore the regional implications, experience, and good practice of the universalization of the CPPNM and its amendment.
Moderator: Valeriia Gergiieva, Visiting Fellow at the IFSH, University of Hamburg.
Speakers:
Tomas Bieda is a Senior Project Manager at the World Institute for Nuclear Security.
Madalina Coca, Head of the Nuclear Reactors Regulation and Oversight Section Nuclear Fuel Cycle Division, National Comission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), Romania.
Ina Grigalashvili, a Certified Radioactive Source Security and Nuclear Security Specialized Professional, has been serving as an Ambassador of the WINS since 2022, Georgia.
Date: February 27
Time: 16.30 Vienna time
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Zoom
Registration: To participate, please register for the seminar using the following link. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to join the online event.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrc-CsqDMoGtfttJ3qTFciWQxfO4TH0j9B
Please, don’t hesitate to follow up via email at bswn.org@gmail.com if you have any questions, and stay tuned for the detailed agenda!

First BSWN Annual Regional Conference “Empowering Women in Nuclear – We All Can Do It!”
2024-11-05 - 2024-11-06
BSWN starts
Mentorship Program

Expect the next round of enrollment in the fall of 2024

Why a mentorship program?

Because the desired skills and / or behaviors can be achieved only practicing! And it is better to have along your side the best mentors you can access.

Why to choose our solution?

Because BSWN mentors are PROFICIENT, ENTHUSIASTIC, ACCOUNTABLE PROFESSIONALS who work in a very challenging environment which give them more flexibility and a way to transform rapidly problems into solutions.

Target Mentees?

College students

Young professionals

Middle career experts

Our mentors – Area of mentorship:

Ukraine

Alona Samsonenko
Nuclear Security

Bulgaria

Desislava Spassova
Nuclear Security

US

Margarita Kalinina-Pohl
Radiological Security

Romania

Madalina Stefanic
HR

Bulgaria

Tatyana Novossiolova
Biological and Chemical Security

Ukraine

Valeriia Gergiieva
Nonproliferation

United Kingdom

Zenobia Sabrina Homan
HR, Training, Organization Of InternationalWorkshop And Events

Georgia

Tamara Pataraia
Nuclear Nonproliferation And Nuclear SecurityTraining, Professional Development Programs

Click here for the BSWN Mentoring Program Catalog

How to apply?

Because the desired skills and / or behaviors can be achieved only practicing! And it is better to have along your side the best mentors you can access.

Join us on www.bswn.org

Send an email to bswn.org@gmail.com where you mention Mentor(s) name(s) you are interested for, Topic(s) from our list and Other topics we should help you with.

Don’t forget!

It’s free of charge

Applicants will receive a bonus
to improve their professional career

The mentoring calendar will take
into consideration your needs

Join our First Regional Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN) Conference, Empowering Women in Nuclear—We All Can Do It!
2024-11-05 - 2024-11-06
Invitation to Students’ Essay Competition

First BSWN Annual Regional Conference “Empowering Women in Nuclear – We All Can Do It!”

Are you a student? Are you passionate about and interested in nuclear safeguards, security and safety, as well as nuclear science and technology, engaging youth, and promoting women’s empowerment, inclusion and equality in the nuclear field?
The Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network has the perfect opportunity for you.
Take part in the BSWN student essay competition for a chance to be a winner and speaker at the First Annual Regional Conference “Empowering Women in Nuclear – We All Can Do It!” to be held in Constanța, Romania, on 5-6 November 2024. Through this essay contest, today’s youth voices will be incorporated into the outcomes of the BSWN annual regional conference and BSWN’s future strategy.

Young people have a role to play in the future of nuclear fields – science, technology, security, and industry, where gender equality, equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion have paramount importance. Listening to the next generation and learning more about your innovative ideas and opinions is important and is one of the main reasons why the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network is excited to present your ideas and thoughts at the annual regional conference.
We invite students from Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, and Türkiye to take part in this competition and share how the nuclear field can be transformed into a place of equal opportunities for all.Those with a background and/or an interest in the topics of the competition are encouraged to submit an essay answering one of the questions pertaining to the topics in discussion at the regional conference, including, but limited.

What are the challenges for women in nuclear in the Black Sea Region, and how to overcome them?
How to increase the participation of the young generation in nuclear science and engineering?
How to ensure equal access to nuclear education – innovative insights to improve equal education opportunities?
How do new threats affect women’s empowerment?
Development of advanced nuclear technologies

Students between 18 and 25 years of age are eligible to take part in the competition. Submissions must be in English, and the deadline to submit an essay is the 10th of October, 2024.
The essay competition’s three winners will be announced on 15th October 2024, and finalists will be provided with financial support to travel to and participate in the conference in Romania.

Competition Rules
Submission deadline: Friday, 10 October 2024, at 11:59 p.m., Vienna Time (CET)

Length: Up to 1,000 words
Format: Word document, submission by email to bswnconferences@gmail.com. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for details.
Limit: One entry per person
Language: English

Terms and Conditions

The competition is only open to nationals of Black Sea Region Countries: Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, and Ukraine.
Applicants must be 25 years of age and under
Essay maximum word count: 1,000.
All essays must be original work by the applicant in their own words, except for quotations from published and unpublished sources, which are clearly indicated and acknowledged as such. Citations must follow internationally recognized styles (Chicago, MLA, ACS, IEEE, NLM, Vancouver, AAA, APA, APSA, etc.), and applicants can at any time be requested to provide clarification of the source. Any content that can be identified as plagiarism will immediately be disqualified. Essays generated with AI will be disqualified.

The submission e-mail should:

Contain “Students Essay Competition 2024”_” applicant’s family name” in the subject line – E.g., Students Essay Competition 2024_surname
Have the essay as an attachment in MS Word format
Contain the following information in the body of the e-mail:

Applicant’s first and last name as in the passport:
Title (Mr/Ms):
School/organization/affiliation:
Programme (bachelors, Masters, PhD)
