Dr. Shema Tariq Awarded Wellcome New Writing Award

Dr. Shema Tariq, Principal Clinical Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Health, has been awarded the prestigious Wellcome New Writing Award. This accolade will support Dr. Tariq in writing her first book, aimed at a general public audience.

The Wellcome New Writing Award programme (run in partnership with the literary development agency Spread the Word) offers six non-fiction writers a £2,000 bursary, funding for travel and access, mentoring with an author, five masterclasses on writing non-fiction, insight and industry days, and the opportunity to meet with agents. Additionally, a public programme of masterclasses and panel events will provide broader support to aspiring non-fiction writers. 

Each writer will also receive one-to-one sessions with Wellcome Collection’s publishing team, research specialists, and editorial teams.

Dr. Tariq’s project, titled "Speculum: A History of Women’s Bodies Through One Object," will tell the story of the vaginal speculum and what it says about society’s attitudes towards women’s bodies throughout history.

Shema writes “I am really grateful to Wellcome and Spread the Word for believing and investing in me. I have always wanted to be a writer and am excited to work with the teams at Wellcome and Spread the Word, and my fellow awardees, to develop my book.”

Congratulations to Dr. Shema Tariq on this remarkable achievement!

Links

• Dr Shema Tariq UCL Profiles
• Spread the Word press release
• Listen to Dr Shema Tariq on BBC Women's hour (51 minutes 40 seconds).