Category Archives: Community

Fall 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Ashlynn Stillwell

Our fall 2023 Innovators and Motivators podcast hosts Dr. Ashlynn S. Stillwell, an Associate Professor and the Elaine F. and William J. Hall Excellence Faculty Scholar in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri (2006), and an M.S. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2010), M.P.Aff in Public Affairs (2010), and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (2013) from The University of Texas at Austin. Her previous positions include consulting engineering at Burns & McDonnell (2006-2007) and policy research at the Congressional Research Service (2009).

Dr. Stillwell’s research focuses on creating sustainable water and energy systems in a policy-relevant context. Some of her current projects include examining performance of green storm water infrastructure, as well as the connections between water and electricity generation. Additionally, she is currently working on water, energy, and carbon policy and modeling.

Dr. Stillwell’s research work on the energy-water nexus has resulted in several awards, including the National Science Foundation CAREER award and the UCOWR Early Career Award for Applied Research. Additionally, she was honored with the 2015 Girl Scouts of Central Illinois Woman of Distinction Award in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the 2018 Rose Award for Teaching Excellence, and the 2018 AEESP Award for Outstanding Teaching in Environmental Engineering and Science. Dr. Stillwell has also been among the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students at Illinois. Previously, she served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Central Illinois and Faith in Place.


E-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com if you’re interested in nominating someone to be on the podcast!

Fall 2023 SOTM: Lisa Volpatti, M.S., Ph.D.

Written by Delia Alkhatib, edited by Christina Nowicki and Lisa Volpatti

Starting in STEM

Dr. Lisa Volpatti was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Although she is now a distinguished scientist, she only discovered research during her junior year of college. After a semester of conducting research using biomaterials to make artificial blood vessels, she decided she wanted to pursue a career in academia.

In high school, Lisa’s AP Chemistry teacher encouraged her to study chemical engineering at Pitt. He knew (even before she did) that she would go on to pursue a Ph.D. Lisa, on the other hand, was unfamiliar with the concept of research. She jokes that when prompted to fill out a survey of “lab experience” for the Society of Women Engineers during her sophomore year, she wrote “Gen Chem I Lab.” Not knowing about research, she completed an internship after her sophomore year at a chemical process plant, where her role was to scale up the reactions from the benchtop to medium-sized reactors. While she notes that this is important work, Lisa decided that being a process engineer was not the path for her. She wanted to be more freely creative to push the boundaries of science, a freedom that she found in the biomaterials research lab her junior year.

Pursuing further education

Following her undergraduate degree, Lisa continued her education at the University of Cambridge in the UK, where she received a research-based master’s degree in chemistry on a Whitaker International Fellowship. She then moved from Cambridge, UK to Cambridge, MA to complete her Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her thesis focused on improving diabetes therapies with biomaterials. Her goal was to create a drug that diabetic patients could give themselves once in the morning and not have to worry about measuring blood sugar or injecting insulin multiple times per day.  She developed an insulin delivery system that achieved this goal in diabetic mice. By self-regulating, this system would better manage blood sugar and also ease the burden placed on diabetic patients.

In 2020, Lisa moved to Chicago to begin her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago. Currently, she is working at the intersection of immunology and engineering. In January 2024, she will begin a new position as an Assistant Professor in the Biomedical Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering Departments at Northwestern University, where she will continue researching in the area of immunoengineering. Lisa is motivated to stay in academia in hopes of developing new technologies and therapies with the potential to help millions of people around the world. She is also excited to mentor and inspire students to pursue their passions.

She believes that everyone should work on something they’re passionate about and she feels that passion in her own research every day in the laboratory. The scientific challenges she faces fuel her motivation to engineer new therapies for a variety of diseases. Currently, Lisa is investigating new technologies that could treat some of the leading causes of death around the globe, including heart disease and cancer. Lisa enjoys the freedom to investigate, discover, and explore in academic research.

“Balancing work and life is key for success.”

While Lisa enjoys spending time working on her research, she also likes to have some activities outside the laboratory. Lisa enjoys running, swimming, and biking as ways to reduce stress and clear her mind. Last year, she ran the Chicago marathon and found that long runs were helpful when preparing for faculty applications. She believes that mental and physical health should always be priorities and that balancing outside life with work can help in being more productive and avoiding burning out.

“Be your own advocate!”

Lisa’s advice to upcoming students is to be your own advocate, to take opportunities that exist, and to make opportunities when they don’t. It can be really hard to advocate for yourself, especially as a female scientist. Even though she struggled with confidence early on, Lisa has learned throughout her career that “you’ll never know if you don’t ask.”  As an example, when Lisa learned about the possibility of obtaining funding to go to the University of Cambridge for a master’s degree, her heart was set on it. She sent so many emails – to professors who could be potential advisors at Cambridge, to professors at Pitt who could read her application materials, to people who were awarded fellowships in the past, and to mentors who could advocate on her behalf. She did everything in her power, including asking for help from others, to accomplish her goal of going abroad. While she was rejected from many fellowships that she applied for, she successfully received the Whitaker International Fellowship, which turned out to be the best fit for her goals. She encourages others to persevere in the face of adversity, noting that it is never too late to find your passion.


Interested in nominating an amazing woman in STEM that you know for our Scientist of the Month Series? E-mail us at awiscommunications@gmail.com! Click here to check out our other SOTM spotlights!

Summer 2023 SOTM: Stephanie Jones, Ph.D.

Written by Elodie Kadjo

Stephanie Jones is a Lead scientist in the enzymology team at LanzaTech. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. Stephanie has always been fascinated by science and technology. As a child, she was an avid reader of science fiction. The stories she read instilled in her optimism that technology could help make the world better. Stephanie’s love for science prompted her to study chemistry after high school.

As an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina, Stephanie had the opportunity to experience the day-to-day life of a scientist and connect with other scientists while working on self-assembled monolayers for stem cell differentiation. She enjoyed working on open-ended questions that were different from what was taught in the classroom. Encouraged by her advisors, Dr. Yousaf and Dr. Thorp, to explore many scientific fields, Stephanie moved to the University of Cambridge. At Cambridge, she worked on polymer biomaterials and obtained a master’s degree of philosophy.

Stephanie then went on to do a Ph.D. at UC Berkley in magnetite biomineralization. “Building on my undergraduate and master’s degree, I decided to study how bacteria themselves were making materials,” she explains. Graduate school was an overwhelming experience for her, but it also allowed her to learn more about herself, her weaknesses, and her strengths. “I questioned my life and what I wanted to do with it. I did not think I would be working at a bench 15 years from then,” she reflects.

After graduation, Stephanie took a Postdoctoral position in a microbial water remediation laboratory working with anaerobic microbes at UC Berkley. Around the same time, she began consulting for Industrial Microbes, Inc. These two positions required a lot of time but also helped her overcome her imposter syndrome. “I was able to use my experience working with proteins while consulting for Industrial Microbes and use transferable skills from my chemistry and material science studies in my postdoctoral position,” she explains. “Those two positions increased my confidence and made me realize that science can be a creative endeavor.”

As a result of her strengthened confidence, Stephanie enjoyed her work even more and took a full-time position with Industrial Microbes. There, she worked on one of the highlights of her career: the successful heterologous expression of methane monooxygenase in E. coli and yeast. “It’s a great opportunity to work in industry because many people are involved in a project, and you get to learn from their perspective,” she says. “You get creative on solutions because of the short timeline and monetary constraints.”

In 2019, Stephanie moved to Chicago to be closer to her spouse. After several months of unemployment, she landed a position at a carbon utilization company, LanzaTech, as a scientist in the enzymology team. “LanzaTech is a great place to work,” she says. “I got hired 7 months pregnant and they worked with me on a flexible start plan so I could bond with my child. When the pandemic started a few months later, the company emphasized the well-being of their employees.”

Stephanie credits her success to both her scientific expertise and her communication skills. One of her favorite books is “How to Have a Good Day” by Caroline Webb. “It’s a great guide to communication,” she says. “It taught me that how you say something matters as much as what you say.”

After giving birth to her second child, Stephanie hopes to inspire other women that it is possible to make good decisions for both their career and their family. When asked how to balance work and life, she shares a story based on quotes from Brian Dyson and Nora Roberts: “Work-life balance is like juggling glass and rubber balls in the air,” she says. “Each task or obligation is a ball. Rubber balls can bounce back when dropped, but glass balls break. The key to success is making sure you catch the glass balls.” Stephanie also mentions that she has had good mentors throughout her career who have helped her make good decisions for her personal and professional development.

Outside of her work, Stephanie plays video games, soccer, reads science fiction, and enjoys the development of her son as he picks up his own hobbies.

Her advice for other women that want to follow her steps is to develop their communication skills, not to neglect their personal life because of their work and vice versa, and to use unemployment as an opportunity to learn new skills.


Interested in nominating someone for AWIS-CAC Scientist of the Month? Reach out to us at awiscommunications@gmail.com and check out our SOTM page for more info!

2023 AWIS Distinguished Doctoral Research Scholar: Interview with Jessica Ramirez

Written by Christina Nowicki, Ph.D.

Jessica Ramirez, M.S., is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Integrative Biomedical Sciences at Rush University in ovarian cancer research. She is a current AWIS-CAC member and a recipient of the 2023 AWIS Distinguished Doctoral Research Scholarship.

Jessica earned her BS in biology from Loyola University Chicago, before working at Rush University Medical Center in the Flow Cytometry, Molecular Oncology, and HLA laboratories as a laboratory technician for five years. During this time, she received her M.S. in molecular medicine from Drexel University while completing her thesis on lung cancer with the Molecular Oncology Laboratory at Rush University. She then began her Ph.D., also at Rush University, in 2020 in Dr. Animesh Barua’s laboratory for translational research in ovarian cancer. Here, her thesis currently focuses on aging and ovarian cancer. The goal of her research is to identify factors or biomarkers that could lead to advancements in early detection methods for ovarian cancer.

Check out our scholarships page for more information about scholarships for women in STEM!


Tell me a little about your background. What made you want to get into science?

Growing up, my family was always big on science. My dad was a chemical engineer, so he was already in a STEM field. He really pushed us to be the best that we could be in those fields. For me, I just ran with it. In the summertime for fun, we would do math and science books for kids. I know that’s weird, but that’s what I would do. I still had friends I would hang out with! Progressing, going into high school, math and science were always the two subjects I loved most.

How did you initially become involved/interested in cancer research?

When I started college, I took a human genetics class and loved it. The professor was amazing, and she made the information easy for students to understand. For my undergraduate, I did a biology degree and started working at Rush immediately afterward. I started as a lab technician in the flow cytometry department, as well as HLA (human leukocyte antigen) testing, and then moved to molecular oncology. While I was working there, I pushed because I wanted to learn more and didn’t want to get bored doing the same repetitive task. So, they continued to train me, ultimately leading to molecular oncology. That’s what really started my love for research in oncology. 

While working there, I knew I wanted to return to school and began a master’s degree in molecular medicine through Drexel University. I loved it because you could do your degree online and I didn’t have to stop working. Since I was already working in molecular oncology, I was able to do my thesis research with the director at the time. I continued to work after that, but knew I still wanted to go further. That led me to the Integrative Biomedical Sciences program at Rush, and it just took off from there. Working at Rush in the oncology field and being connected firsthand to the pathologists and oncologists there made me realize “Cancer research is what I want to do”.

What is your Ph.D. thesis currently on?

My research focuses on aging and the development of ovarian cancer. Women are typically diagnosed with ovarian cancer in their early to mid-60s. When you age, your cells are exposed to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. My work aims to find mechanisms or biomarkers that influence chronic inflammation and oxidative stress that can lead to the onset of ovarian cancer. This includes looking at ovaries, fimbria, epigenetic changes, or if there are any mutagenic DNA adducts that form.

Another section of my research also focuses on how we can reverse epigenetic changes. We’re asking, “if we see these epigenetic changes occurring and what mechanisms lead to those changes, how can we reverse them?” That’s where Withaferin A comes into play, which is the active ingredient in ashwagandha. We’re interested in looking at age-associated malignant transformation and how Withaferin A could possibly reverse these changes to prevent or slow the progression of ovarian cancer.

Why ovarian cancer specifically?

Women who get diagnosed with ovarian cancer often don’t get diagnosed until the late stages because many are asymptomatic, so they believe the symptoms they’re having are part of the normal progression of menopause. Unfortunately, that’s why a lot of doctors also miss the initial symptoms.

There are also invasive procedures required to have ovarian cancer diagnosed. We’re interested in finding an early detection mechanism or creating an early detection product that isn’t as invasive as current methods but is still reliable. The blood/serum marker they currently use to detect ovarian cancer is not reliable. Sometimes, it has lower expression even if you have ovarian cancer or will show increased expression if you instead have an autoimmune disease. The end goal of this research is to identify markers that could lead to the diagnosis of ovarian cancer at earlier stages with less invasive methods.

What are your plans/career goals after you graduate?

I would like to go into the industry field, specifically as a medical science liaison. I like that they’re a middleman between a product and physicians. I did KOL (key opinion leader**) engagement when I was doing research and I really enjoyed it. I’m hoping to stay in oncology, not necessarily ovarian cancer, but I would like to stay in the cancer field. 

How has being a woman in science impacted your career? How has being a member of AWIS benefited your journey?

Growing up from elementary all the way to college, I’ve always been one of a handful of women in my courses. For a long time, it seemed so male-dominated that it could be a bit discouraging. Unfortunately, some professors would dismiss you or even talk down to you. On the other hand, you’d have other professors that were all about lifting you up and pushing you to do the best that you could. I don’t want to say it’s been challenging, but it has been an interesting journey.

I do see things slowly changing, though. Like AWIS – it’s amazing to have this community that pushes women to do and be their best. And further, having scholarships to help get them to the next level hugely helps the community. I get a bit emotional talking about it.

I come from a family where in my dad’s generation, the women weren’t allowed to go to school past high school because it was thought they needed to be home taking care of their family. My dad raised three girls and that’s why he pushed us so hard in science. He knew we could advance in STEM and wanted to give us opportunities his sisters never had. It’s great to see AWIS and other organizations also pushing to make a change. 

If you had one piece of advice for girls entering the STEM field, what would it be?

Try to find a person, group, or organization that will give you support within your field. It’s easy to become and feel discouraged when things don’t pan out the way you’ve planned but having that support system can help through the rough times and keep you from giving up. Always remember, there is nothing wrong with standing out and being confident. 


**KOL (key opinion leader): A well-known and trusted professional who is an expert in their particular field. For example, a well-respected physician who gets reports on research and helps to decide how to implement that research in a clinical setting.

Summer 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Yamilé Molina

Dr. Molina is an Associate Professor in the Division of Community Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, an Associate Director for Community Engaged Research for the Mile Square Health Center, one of the oldest FQHCs and one of the few affiliated with an academic medical center, and the Associate Director for Community Outreach & Engagement at the University of Illinois Cancer Center.

Inequities in cancer have been the primary focus of Dr. Molina’s efforts as a researcher, administrative leader, and community advocate, with a focus on racial/ethnic minorities, rural residents, and LGBTQ communities. Their work leverages an asset-based perspective to address adverse social determinants of health and barriers to care, including costs and transportation, through enriched community-clinical partnerships. They have published 130 publications, many in collaboration with >50+ trainee partners, ranging from high school students through early career faculty members.

AWIS Chicago is now on Instagram!

We’re now on Instagram! Give us a follow at @AWISChicago and feel free to reach out to us at awiscommunications@gmail.com if you have any relevant events that you would like advertised to our members!

Spring 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Kajal Gupta

Written by Kajal Gupta and edited by Christina Nowicki.

Check out the Spring 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Kajal Gupta! (scroll to the bottom of this page to listen now)

Dr. Kajal Gupta discovered her passion for science at a young age. She has always been naturally inquisitive and eager to learn new things.  While she decided to become a research scientist early on in her life, picking a specialty was not as obvious. Born and raised in a small town in India, Dr. Gupta received her Ph.D. from one of India’s premier schools in infectious diseases. Her desire to learn more and further her education led her to relocate to the United States, where she chose the University of Notre Dame to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship.

She had no idea what the future held. Immigrating to the United States on a J1 visa made it difficult for her to obtain an independent research position in academia. In her pursuit of a fulfilling academic career, she decided to pursue various post-doctoral fellowships at major U.S. schools such as the University of Notre Dame, the State University of New York, and Rush University Medical Center to keep her visa status while simultaneously climbing up the academic ladder. Despite all the obstacles, Dr. Gupta’s resilient character landed her an independent position, and she is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. Her research focuses on the development of new immunotherapies for breast and pancreatic cancer. She is well-published and well-funded, and she is well-known for her unwavering dedication to her job and students.

Dr. Gupta’s career at the crossroads of science, technology, human contact, and intellectual problem-solving is both gratifying and fascinating, although she sometimes finds portions of her job difficult due to the unique hurdles of being a woman in science. Her strongest advice to young women is to never compromise and to never let someone tell you that you can’t attain your aspirations. She also suggests compartmentalizing, prioritizing time management, and, most importantly, finding outlets for relaxation.

Dr. Gupta is pushing the edge by participating in efforts that encourage more women to pursue careers in research, in addition to juggling family life and the rigorous demands of her jobs. Dr. Gupta also aims to help her trainees develop the skills needed to allow them to navigate through the uncomfortable situations that arise during the course of their career, for which little formal training exists – imparting wisdom on everything from daily work ethics to dealing with unwelcome comments as part of her casual teaching style.

Spring 2023 SOTM: Barbara Adaikpoh, M.Sc, Ph.D.

Written by Elodie Kadjo

Barbara I. Adaikpoh is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on developing a bacterial host for natural product discovery and development.

Dr. Adaikpoh decided to study pharmacy because of her fascination with the use of plants and microorganisms to produce therapeutic compounds. She obtained her Pharm.D. from the University of Benin (Nigeria), followed by an MSc. in Pharmacognosy from the University College London (UK). Insatiable for knowledge, she went on to get a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Mississippi.

Barbara describes her journey as exciting and very rewarding. The most gratifying part of her work is experiencing the developing curiosity and excitement of her mentees during their research projects. Nonetheless, she does sometimes face difficulties. Recounting one of those difficult moments, she said: “While in graduate school, my first application for a travel grant to attend a conference was rejected. I was very disappointed and questioned my ability to be successful in my chosen career path because I had invested a lot of time and effort into preparing the application. Rather than give up, I decided to improve my writing skills by attending writing-focused workshops organized by my institution. I also attended workshops that focused on improving mental health and overcoming imposter syndrome – I wanted to better deal with future rejections. In addition to being successful in my next application for a travel grant, I developed skills that would enable me to better navigate my future career.”

Barbara often uses her experience to encourage her co-workers and mentees. She has benefitted from various mentorships and has been shaped by unique experiences while developing her career path. Now, Barbara wishes to pursue an academic career. This will provide the opportunity to give back by serving as a role model and a mentor to inspire confidence and scientific curiosity among underserved groups and help facilitate their success in their chosen careers.

Outside of work, Barbara loves to run and visit new cities.

AWIS Announces 2022 ‘Shooting Star’ Chapter Awards

The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) has designated nine ‘Shooting Star’ Chapters in recognition of their initiatives throughout 2022 that supported the AWIS mission of advancing women in science. These chapters include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, East Bay California, New York Women in Natural Sciences, Notre Dame, Philadelphia, Sacramento Valley, and Seattle.

The winning chapters were determined by AWIS’ Chapter Advisory Committee based on the information submitted in each chapter’s annual report. Each of these chapters will receive a $350 grant for use in chapter activities that impact their community and raise the profile of women in science.

Meredith Gibson, AWIS CEO, stated, “Once again, AWIS members and chapters have showcased their abilities to have a significant impact on their communities, regardless of the chapter size. We are fortunate to have many dedicated members and volunteer leaders working to advance women in science.”

Shooting Star for Mentoring

  • AWIS Chicago added a “Speed Circle” to their successful Summer Mentoring Circles program that allowed participants to meet more mentors and mentees. They also had AWIS leaders engage rising high schoolers and create a podcast interviewing their middle school science teacher.

Click here to read the full article!