Aagat Awasthi

Experience

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  Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN)

  Nov 2011 - Sept 2012

  - Managed day-to-day laboratory operations and activities, ensuring smooth functioning.- Facilitated the establishment of an in-house bioinformatics facility, enhancing research capabilities.- Contributed to the development, design, and population of the database for the Nepal Tiger Genome Project (NTGP), supporting vital genetic research.- Facilitated training workshops, seminars, and conferences.- Led the coordination of the "Natural Products Conference" in 2012, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy, Nepal, and the Government of Nepal’s then Ministry of Science and Technology, and in association with B P Koirala India-Nepal Foundation, providing a platform for impactful scientific exchange. Show less

  • Research Associate

    Mar 2012 - Sept 2012

  • Research Trainee

    Nov 2011 - Feb 2012
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  RIBB - Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology

  Feb 2013 - Mar 2015

  Research Associate

  - Facilitated a community-based education programme among community members in Solambu Village, Kavrepalanchok, in 2014, to promote indigenous/traditional knowledge and sustainable practices.- Coordinated and carried out research project activities related to scientific development.- Facilitated training workshops, seminars, and conferences.- Demonstrated strong visual branding skills by managing the organization's visual identity for various events.

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  UNESCO

  Mar 2015 - Dec 2021

  Consultant, and Programme Officer

  - Programme Officer, Aug 2016 – Dec 2021; Consultant, Mar 2015 – Aug 2016- Coordinated and managed more than 10 projects focused on empowering adolescent girls and women through education, gender equality and social inclusion, skills development, ICT in education, education in emergencies, and sustainable development. Additionally, facilitated results-based monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and documentation of lessons learned.- Provided technical support to the government for the development/revision of policy documents, tools and instruments.- Contributed to the planning, programming and budgeting of new projects. Developed proposals for ECW-funded post-flood response project (in 2017), post-earthquake emergency projects (in 2015), and KOICA-funded UNESCO-UNFPA-UN Women Joint Project (in 2016), which were funded and successfully launched.- Contributed to the development of IEC and resource materials- Designed and launched the Female Champions Fellowship Programme which provided a leadership platform to more than 200 young women, aged 19-25, who later developed and led community and school-level projects to work with marginalized adolescent girls and train them to become champions in the communities.- Convened regular meetings to foster strong partnerships and close collaboration with UN agencies, the government, and stakeholders, ensuring effective programme alignment and communication. Additionally, contributed to the Local Education Development Partners’ Group, Nepal Education Cluster, UN Youth Group, and UN SDG Working Group.- Coordinated, facilitated and contributed to studies and research activities.- Participated in national, regional and global forums on education, and facilitated workshops and capacity-building activities.- Supervised more than 10 individuals and ensured their professional development and successful contributions to project goals and objectives.- Officer in charge (OIC) of the Education Unit from Sep 2016 to Feb 2017. Show less

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  Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI)

  Jan 2023 - Apr 2024

  Consultant

  - Developed a 4-day training module for an innovative pilot intervention in nutrition education aimed at empowering both in-school and out-of-school adolescents. Training based on the module reached more than 220 in-school and 34 out-of-school adolescents in Sarlahi district (Nepal) and had a direct impact on enhancing their nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice. The initiative is part of the DoHS/MoHP-led and UNICEF-supported ‘National Consultancy to Test School-Based Interventions for Improving Adolescent Nutrition.’ - Facilitating capacity-building activities to train facilitators, government officials, school teachers, and key stakeholders. Led the Training of Trainers for 10 facilitators, enhancing their knowledge and skills for effective training based on the developed module.- Providing advisory support to the project team in implementing results-based monitoring, reporting, and documenting lessons learned for evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement in achieving project objectives. Show less

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  Kathmandu University School of Education

  Aug 2023 - now

  Visiting Faculty

  - Designing and delivering a comprehensive course on ‘Theory and Practice in Education’ for the Master of Sustainable Development programme, accommodating a diverse group of students from multidisciplinary fields. Mentoring 20+ students and equipping them with a forward-looking perspective on education in the 21st century and beyond, and empowering them to recognize education's pivotal role in advancing sustainable development and global well-being.

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  UNESCO

  Apr 2024 - now

  Education Programme Consultant

  - Coordinate and manage programmes focusing on greening education, STEM education, and transversal competencies.- Contribute to the strategic planning, programming, and budgeting new projects.- Coordinate, facilitate and contribute to policy reviews, studies and development of resource materials.- Facilitate collaboration among UN agencies, government, development partners and stakeholders.- Serve as the focal point for monitoring and evaluation activities within the office.