Category Archives: Community

March 2010 Scientist of the Month: Nicole Neubarth

by Heather King

Nicole Neubarth, a third year undergraduate at the University of Chicago, has a lot on her plate. She works part time in Dr. Melina Hale’s lab as an undergraduate research assistant. She also takes a full load of biology and core curriculum courses, volunteers for the university’s film society, and is a fellow in the Computational NeuroscienceResearch Training Program, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse at NIH. Despite the time she spends on these activities, she maintains her enthusiasm for biology and research.

“My interest in biology came from my fascination with animals,” Nicole says. “There wasn’t a particular moment that I became interested in biology, it was just what came naturally to me.” Nicole, like many future biologists, spent her childhood catching insects and fish in containers to see what they would eat and where they would hide. As a high school student, she became interested in neuroscience by reading popular science articles and, in particular, an article about the evolution of morality in primates caught her eye. She saw neuroscience as the study of the ‘black boxes’ between the brain and a behavior, and wanted to understand their components. “To study these inner components would be like going back in time,” explains Nicole, “or even understanding what it’s like to be another organism, or having a better understanding of my fellow humans.”

Primate researched piqued her interest, but Nicole chose to work with Dr. Melina Hale studying locomotion in fish. While moral behavior was very interesting to Nicole, she realized that such complex behaviors were challenging to quantify. Locomotion in fish is a much simpler system, and provides the opportunity to make direct connections between a particular behavior and its corresponding neuron or neurological pathway. Her current project, with Dr. Hale and collaborators George Lauder at Harvard University and James Tangorra at Drexel University, is aimed at understanding the mechanism fish use to sense changes in the surrounding environment. The group hopes to gain insight into the neurological pathways in the pectoral fins used to send information to the brain about the turbulence of the water, and the pathways the brain uses to respond and give instructions to the fins on how to respond to the turbulence. Using this information, they hope to build an autonomous swimming robot with the ability to correct for irregularities in the surrounding fluid.

Working in Dr. Hale’s lab also inspires Nicole as a female scientist. “Not only is Melina a respected scientist, she also has a family. I admire her ability to perform two very difficult jobs at once.” Nicole plans to earn a faculty position at a university, where she can continue to contribute to the field of neuroscience. We wish Nicole the best of luck in the pursuit of her goals!

Nomination and article submitted by AWIS Chicago Staff Writer Heather King. Ms. King is a PhD candidate at University of Chicago. Photograph courtesy of Yen-Chyi Liu.

*Know a scientist you think should be featured in an upcoming “Scientist of the Month” article? Send nominations to Jessica Reimer. Your nominee does not need to be an AWIS member or a woman, but should promote the advancement of women in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.

Want to keep yourself up-to-date on AWIS Chicago activities? Follow AWIS Chicago on Twitter! You can request to be added to our listserve by clicking here, and join the AWIS Chicago group on LinkedIn and Facebook by clicking the icons on the bottom right of this page.

February 2010 Scientist of the Month: Katherine L. Knight, Ph.D.

by Michelle Merrigan

Dr. Katherine Knight is an immunologist and recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as chair of the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. To celebrate this anniversary, alumni and colleagues returned to Loyola for a symposium to share their recollections of Dr. Knight and her role in their development as scientists. The theme was “20 Years of Doing It Together”, which is appropriate because Dr. Knight has always emphasized that science is about relationships. “Everyone is a mentor to somebody,” she says.

The mentoring relationship between faculty members and students is at the core of the department’s educational focus. As chair, Dr. Knight has put in place programs that help students recognize and develop positive mentoring relationships. For example, at the annual department retreat, new students participate in discussions about choosing a graduate advisor. Dr. Knight advises students to choose someone that they are going to enjoy interacting with personally. She points out that everyone has different needs. “Some PI’s are more directive, and some students need more direction than others.” Ideally, a mentor should be able to respond to whatever the student requires. She suggests students choose based on the environment of the laboratory, not necessarily on the project.

Dr. Knight holds regular informal meetings to discuss any issues students choose, which can range from how to find a post-doctoral fellowship to tips on making effective PowerPoint slides for lectures. Indeed, the department has a strong focus on communication skills, which Dr. Knight feels are the most important skills to acquire outside of designing a sound experiment. All first year students participate in a special course dedicated to learning speaking and presentation skills. This gives all students a core competency on which they and their graduate advisors can build. She emphasizes always adapting your talk to your audience, and maintaining a “teaching frame of mind.”

Dr. Knight demonstrates good mentoring practices.

Dr Knight has shared her philosophy of mentoring with the department on multiple occasions. She particularly emphasizes that a good mentor sees what the student/mentee needs, rather than his or her own needs as an advisor. She admits that in the current academic climate, mentors have their own pressures to publish and be productive, and yet at the same time must allow the student time to develop his or her own scientific mind. She advises new faculty on balancing the personal motives of productivity and the care-giving motives involved in mentoring students. She insists that these motives need not be mutually exclusive. “There’s a study that shows that for people who have been well-mentored, their institutions are much better off because those people stay.” Dr. Knight also prepares senior students for the transition to being mentors themselves, saying, “If you’ve been treated well, you will subsequently treat other people well.”

On January 22, 2010, Dr. Knight gave a presentation on mentoring at the annual meeting of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs. Not only did this event occur during National Mentoring Month, but also the day on which she gave the talk was “Thank Your Mentor Day”. At the symposium in May 2009, a group of colleagues, alumni and students established the Katherine L. Knight Fund for Mentoring in honor of her guidance and mentorship. In keeping with her philosophy of adapting to whatever the mentee needs, this fund will be used to enhance the mentoring experience for students, whatever form that might require, such as student travel or professional development programs.

Nomination and article submitted by AWIS Chicago Staff Writer Michelle Merrigan. Ms. Merrigan is a PhD candidate in the Microbiology and Immunology Department at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the pathogenesis of the bacterium Clostridium difficile. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in scientific writing or communications.

January 2010 Scientist of the Month: Sandy Pearce, Ph.D.

by Jessica Reimer, Ph.D.

Dr. Sandy Pearce is a Senior Scientist at Abbott Laboratories and the current President of the AWIS Chicago Chapter. She received her Ph.D. at the University of Virginia in Biology, followed by a stint as a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of Professor Craig Jordan, studying the role of the estrogen receptor and signal transduction in breast cancer, at Northwestern University. She joined Abbott Laboratories Diagnostics Division as a Senior Technical Support Scientist in 2003.

Sandy got an early start planning her future as a scientist when at her 6th grade graduation, she responded to the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with “medical researcher.” She enjoyed studying astronomy and geology as a youngster, but when it came time to choose a career path she pursued a degree in Biology. Her coursework and research as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was primarily in molecular biology. She had special interest in infectious diseases and wrote a senior thesis entitled “Cytokines and Immune Responses of Rhesus Monkey’s Infected with SIV.” Her graduate thesis work studying the interaction of the calcium-binding protein p22 with microtubules brought her back to basic cell biology. When it came time to choose a post-doctoral position, Sandy said: “I wanted to do something that was more medically relevant. The Jordan lab received funding from Avon and participated in the annual Breast Cancer Walk. There was more of a connection between the research itself and why you’re really doing it.” She eventually left the Jordan lab to take a position at Abbott Laboratories.

Sandy had been interested in working at Abbott for some time and fortuitously found a position there in 2003. “A friend was asked to interview and ended up turning it down; she referred me for it instead,” Sandy said. She currently works as a Senior Scientist in research and development in the infectious diseases area. As she concisely puts it: “I work on improving current on-market diagnostic tests for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen that detect virus in blood using automated immunoassays.” Dr. Pearce has achieved work-life balance, a struggle for many women in science, by prioritizing. She recommends, contrary to what most academic advisors suggest, planning an 8-9 hour workday even in graduate school. In her experience: “you need organization and a plan to have a normal workday and be successful and accomplished.” Sandy and her husband recently had their first child, and prioritizing has become even more essential. Family is important, “but I wouldn’t want to give up the intellectual stimulation and fun that science still is for me. Getting out and being able to work makes me a better mom.” She advises women interested in balancing a career in industry with parenthood to “look for something with flexibility and have a good support system.” She recenlty shifted to working 4 days a week to spend more time with her son and found that the Abbott culture is supportive of this change.

Dr. Pearce became the President of AWIS Chicago in 2008. She first got involved in AWIS as a graduate student in Charlottesville, VA. While there was no official chapter, Sandy learned of the organization from a career panel. “The President of AWIS at the time was attending as a panelist. My first contact with the group was picking up her up from the airport,” she said. When she moved to Chicago, Sandy became involved in the local AWIS Chapter as a way to meet people and look for a job. She served on the Chapter board as Treasurer prior to becoming President. As President, one thing she takes pride in is “seeing how the organization has grown over the last couple years, having a full board, and the increased member attendance at events. It’s nice to see the progression.” When she joined AWIS Chicago, the board was composed mostly of post-docs and lacked continuity as positions were vacated. As AWIS Chicago President, Sandy strives to “keep the momentum going.”

Sandy’s reserved demeanor provides a grounding force for AWIS Chicago and lends itself to a more behind-the-scenes approach. At events, Sandy is quiet and tends to stick to the background. But draw her out into conversation and you’ll find a warm, engaging person eager to share experiences and insight into being a successful woman in science!

Nomination and article contributed by Jessica Reimer, Ph.D. Dr. Reimer is the former AWIS Chicago VP of Communications and received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Northwestern University in 2009. She is currently a Senior Account Executive-Healthcare with Weber Shandwick.

*AWIS Chicago hopes you enjoyed meeting our Chapter President. Know a scientist you think should be featured in an upcoming “Scientist of the Month” article? Send nominations to Jessica Reimer. Your nominee does not need to be an AWIS member or a woman, but should promote the advancement of women in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.

Updated Resources Page

AWIS Chicago has been working hard to update the Resources page with timely and useful information.

AWIS Chicago’s Resources page now contains:

Link to National AWIS website, which provides valuable resources for members including quarterly magazines, career development webinars and job postings. Be sure to check out the Career Library section under the Careers tab.
Links to other Chicago area science organizations for women (including campus post-doctoral organizations and professional societies)
Information about funding sources and program opportunities
Tools for job searching and career advice resources (NEW! Links to science career podcasts)
Links to Chicago area science institutes and programming
Links to Chicago area science companies
NEW! Links to science podcasts
Recommended reading on careers in science

Did we miss something? Have you listened to a good podcast, found a helpful career website, know of an organization for women in the area, or read a good book recently that you want to share? If so, please email awiscommunications@gmail.com with your suggestions. Also, let us know if you come across any broken links on our Resources page.

New AWIS Chicago Website

AWIS Chicago (formerly AWIS-CAC) has a new website and a new logo! We hope you find the website more user-friendly and utilize it to keep up-to-date on exciting AWIS Chicago news, events and career development opportunities.

AWIS Recieves NSF Funding

AWIS Receives NSF ADVANCE PAID Grant to Partner with Discipline Societies to Improve Recognition for Women and Minorities in STEM. This grant will fund a new project: “Advancing Ways of Awarding Recognition in Disciplinary Societies (AWARDS),”designed to create a sustainable framework for assuring progress towards more equitable rewards and recognition for women and members of underrepresented groups in a wide range of scientific communities. For information about this and other recent funding received by National AWIS, please visit www.awis.org.

Women in Science Day in Chicago

Mayor Daley declares February 15th, 2009 “Women in Science Day in Chicago”. Mayor Daley’s surprising endorsement is a symbol of support and encouragement to female scientist in the Chicago Area. We are honored by the recognition of our achievements and contributions to all fields of science. Sandy Pearce, our chapter president, read the proclamation at the AWIS Fellows Reception on February 15th. View the proclamation.

Volunteer and Outreach Opportunities

Information about volunteering for specific AWIS events and other area science events can now be found in the Chicago section of the Events tab. If you know of a science-related event that needs volunteers or would like to partner with AWIS Chicago, please send an email to info@awis-chicago.org.

Third Annual Innovator Award (2009)

2009 Innovator Award Winner Dr. Tijana Rajh (right) and AWIS Chicago Chapter President Sandra Pearce (left)

3rd Annual AWIS-CAC Innovator Award: Capturing Life at the Interface.
Dr. Tijana Rajh was honored as the 2009 AWIS Innovator Award winner.
Dr. Rajh is a chemist at Argonne National Laboraties. She gave a brief talk at the dinner about her career and experiences as a female scientist. *Support for Northwestern University students generously provided by the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Integrated Graduate Program.

Second Annual Innovator Award (2008)

2008 Innovator Award Winner, Dr. Teresa Woodruff

Dr. Teresa Woodruff is the Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Woodruff is the Executive Director of the Institute for Women’s Health Research and Division Chief of the newly created Division of Fertility Preservation, and Professor of Neurobiology and Physiology, Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Woodruff serves as Associate Director for Basic Sciences in the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, the Associate Director of Center for Reproductive Science, and the Director of the Center for Reproductive Research.

She is also pioneering interdisciplinary research in an emerging new field in cancer and reproductive biology, which she has termed “oncofertility”. In fact, in addition to her many current positions, she is also the Director and Founder of the newly-formed “Oncofertility Consortium”, a national, interdisciplinary initiative designed to explore the reproductive future of cancer survivors and funded by an NIH roadmap grant.

Dr. Woodruff is definitely an innovator in many academic and clinical research areas but perhaps just as importantly, she has also been a supportive and enthusiastic mentor to students and colleagues both within her own lab and outside of it. It is for these key leadership roles as well as innovative science that we have selected Dr. Woodruff as the recipient for the 2008 AWIS-CAC Innovator Award.