On Friday, April 17th, Oak Park-River Forest High School’s Club Women in Leadership hosted a virtual version of their 3rd Annual STEM Education and Career Fair. AWIS-Chicago President Mary Khetani created this presentation for the event featuring several AWIS Chicago Executive Board Members and the new Innovators & Motivators Podcast!
Category Archives: Events
STEM CIRCUIT 2019-2020
Dear AWIS-Chicago members,
Are you interested in a gaining a new perspective on your career path? We are thrilled to present the first STEM Circuit of the 2019-20 academic year on Northwestern’s Chicago campus! Join Chicago Women in STEM Initiative on Tuesday, Nov. 19th from 5 pm to 7:30 pm for “Career Transitions Between Academia & Industry, and Beyond”.
- Learn first-hand advice from women who have successfully navigated various career transitions.
- Be inspired by women’s stories of forging their own path and thriving beyond academia.
- Connect across disciplines and career levels with invited industry professionals and academics during small group discussions.
Please register here. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/career-transitions-between-academia-industry-and-beyond-tickets-79182491965
Everyone is welcome to this free event! Light appetizers and refreshments will be provided.
Invited speakers:
Oncology Ventures Associate
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
University of Chicago
Owner & Scientific Communications Consultant
Damiano Group Scientific Communications
Please visit our website for more information about STEM Circuits, a monthly interdisciplinary and cross-career level mentoring program for Chicago-area women in STEM.
AWIS Chicago announced the awardees of the 2019 Motivator Awards!
Colleen Zaccard has been awarded the AWIS Motivator Award (Early Career) for her significant contributions and service as the Inaugural Chair of the Chicago Women in STEM Initiative, providing new resources and opportunities for women pursuing a career scientist trajectory.
Marilene Pavan has been awarded the AWIS Motivator Award (Mid-Senior Career) for her remarkable professional journey to overcome adversity in the pursuit of a scientist trajectory, coupled with her efforts to contribute to the STEMM Pathways program and IGEM, building capacity for inclusive excellence in STEMM.
The Award’s Ceremony was held October 24, 2019 at ENO Bar on North Michigan.
Innovators and Motivators Podcast!
CPS Annual Science Fair
The best science projects from students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system will once again be featured at the annual CPS Science Fair http://chicagosciencefair.com. This is the last year that the CPS Annual Science Fair will be held at the Museum of Science and Industry.
AWIS Chicago has been a proud supporter of this science fair for many years, choosing which young girls show the most promise and deserve a Special Award. We provide a rubric for judging and choose five girls as awardees.
This rewarding volunteer opportunity was open to both AWIS-Chicago members and non-members.
WHEN: Friday, March 16th, 2018
WHERE: Museum of Science and Industry
All Previous Scientists of the Month
- Fall 2024 SOTM: Suguna Pappu, M.D./Ph.D.
- Summer 2024 SOTM: Rinku Gupta, M.S.
- Spring 2024 SOTM: Carolyn Carta, M.S., Ph.D.
- Winter 2023/2024 SOTM: Diana Rose E. Ranoa, Ph.D.
- Fall 2023 SOTM: Lisa Volpatti, M.S., Ph.D.
- Summer 2023 SOTM: Stephanie Jones, Ph.D.
- Spring 2023 SOTM: Barbara Adaikpoh, M.Sc, Ph.D.
- Fall 2022 SOTM: Amrita Iyer, PhD
- Summer 2022 SOTM: Lisa Utschig, PhD
- Winter 2022 SOTM: Esther Ngumbi, PhD
- November 2021 SOTM: Toyya Pujol, PhD
- September 2021 SOTM: Shivani Garg, PhD
- July 2021 SOTM: Dr. Barbara Di Eugenio
- May 2021 SOTM: Dr. Anisha Martin
- February 2021 SOTM: Illinois State Senator Laura Ellman
- December 2020 SOTM: Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, PhD
- September 2020 SOTM
- July 2020 SOTM: Dr. Amanda M. Schalk
- June 2020 SOTM: Monica Vajani
- May SOTM: Jennifer Bogs
- April SOTM: Dr. Sylvia Perry
- SOTM: Sangeetha Madhavan
- November SOTM: Mary Ellen Stoykov
- October SOTM: Toni Pak
- May SOTM: Doris Espiritu
- April SOTM: Dr. Yarrow Axford
- November SOTM: Kay Macleod
- September SOTM: Deborah Nelson
- August SOTM: Kathryn Levin
- April SOTM: Corinna Raimondo
- March SOTM: Oni Basu
- February SOTM: Kari Barlan
- January SOTM: Rebecca Toroney
- December SOTM: Erin Adams
- October SOTM: Yulia Dzhashiashvili
- September SOTM: Melody Swartz
- August SOTM: Nancy Schwartz
- July SOTM: Sui Huang
- June SOTM: Jian Cao
- March SOTM: Jocelyn Malamy
- February SOTM: Laura Thorp
- January SOTM: Julia Kalow
- December SOTM: Anna Spagnoli
- November SOTM: Victoria Prince
- October SOTM: Christiane Carney
- June SOTM: Kelly Fahrbach
- May SOTM: Suzanne Bell
- March SOTM: Dorothy Kozlowski
- February SOTM: Dima Elissa
- December SOTM: Virginie Buggia-Prévot
- November SOTM: Eileen Dolan
- October SOTM: Guylaine Haché
- September SOTM: Joan Cook-Mills
- August SOTM: Jelena Radulovic
- July SOTM: Marta New
- June SOTM: Brooke Shipley
- May SOTM: Dimitra Georganopoulou
- April 2015 SOTM: Lisa Durham
- March 2015 SOTM: Ursula Storb
- February 2015 SOTM: Kirsten Moisio
- January 2015 SOTM: Lucy A. Godley
- December 2014 SOTM: Teri Odom
- November 2014 SOTM: Janet Elizabeth Richmond
- SOTM June 2014: Andrea Dunaif
- May 2014 SOTM: Quinetta Shelby
- April 2014 SOTM: Dr. Rabiah Mayas
- SOTM March 2014: Sharon Feng
- SOTM February 2014: Jacqueline Jeruss
- January 2014 SOTM: Krisztina Eleki
- SOTM November 2013: Mary Pellettieri
- SOTM October 2013: Marla Issac
- SOTM September 2013: Victoria Prince
- July SOTM: Gayle Woloschak
- SOTM June 2013: Gail Karet
- SOTM: Katharine Radwanski
- April SOTM: Arabela Grigorescu
- March SOTM: Maryellen Giger
- February SOTM: Michelle Paulsen
- January SOTM: Christine McCary
- November SOTM: Catching up with Chinonye (Chi-Chi) Nnakwe
- November SOTM: Matthew Grayson
- October SOTM: Angela Kwiatek
- 1st Annual Motivator Award Nominee and July 2012 Scientist of the Month: Laura Marie Letellier
- 1st Annual Motivator Award Winner and June 2012 Scientist of the Month: Ami LeFevre
- April 2012 Scientist of the Month: Liesje Spaepen
- March 2012 Scientist of the Month: Chinonye (Chi-Chi) Nnakwe
- January 2012 Scientist of the Month:Tracy Gluckman
- December 2011 Scientist of the Month: Elsa Rodriguez
- October 2011 Scientist of the Month: Ramille N. Shah
- September 2011 Scientist of the Month: Isabel Rodriguez
- August Scientist of the Month: Dr. Brandy Frost
- June 2011 Scientist of the Month: Margrit Urbanek
- May 2011 Scientist of the Month: Julie Kim
- April 2011 Scientist of the Month: Lisa Gilbert-Hill
- March 2011 Scientist of the Month: Louise Giam
- February 2011 Scientist of the Month: Kawtar Hafidi
- January 2011 Scientist of the Month: Francesca McInerney
- November 2010 Scientist of the Month- Sacha Patera
- October 2010 Scientist of the Month: Jacklyn Naughton
- Seeking “Scientist of the Month” Nominations
Join AWIS Chicago for our 10th Annual Awards Dinner
Please join AWIS Chicago in our 10th year of celebration of women in science, as we honor Yamuna Krishnan and Miiri Kotche, recipients of the 2016 Innovator and Motivator Awards. Our annual awards dinner will include short talks by our distinguished awardees about their work, career paths, and insights on women in science. Registration includes family style dinner, unlimited water and pop, and networking.
When: Thursday, July 14, 2016 from 6:00 Pm to 9:00 PM (CDT)
Where: Athena Greek Restaurant 212 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60661
For more information and to register please click here.
We hope to see you there!
AWIS-Chicago Awards Female Students at the 66th CPS Science Fair
By Ana Shulla-Mesi, PhD
The 66th annual Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Student Science Fair took place at the Museum of Science and Industry on March 17-20, 2016. Representatives from the Association of Women in Science (AWIS) Chicago served as Special Award Judges to recognize outstanding female students in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The STEM areas represented at this year’s Science Fair were Aerospace Science, Behavioral Science, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science, Electronics, Engineering, Environmental Science, Health Science, Materials Science, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics and Zoology. There were a total of 357 science projects presented and more than sixty percent of these projects (223) were led by female students. Female students comprised a large majority of presenters in the areas of Zoology, Behavioral Science and Biochemistry. In the future it would be great to see more girls presenting in other fields including Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science.
This year awardees were:
Madeline Yu, 8th Grade/Environmental Science
Nadiya Tarnavchyk, 7th Grade/Chemistry
Hanna Mularczyk, 11th Grade/Mathematics
Veronica Garklavs, 10th Grade/Chemistry
Samone Patterson, 10th Grade/Electronics
AWIS-Chicago will continue the tradition of recognizing and promoting female student scientists. The next Science Fair will be held at the end of March 2017. If interested in volunteering at this event keep an eye for the announcement from AWIS Communications.
Nominations are NOW OPEN for the Annual Innovator Award and Motivator Award by AWIS Chicago
The annual AWIS Chicago “Innovator Award” exemplifies AWIS Chicago’s commitment to recognizing women in the Chicagoland area who have provided innovative research contributions in science and engineering. We are also aware that although good mentors are an important component to a successful career, their contributions are often overlooked. To highlight the invaluable support that a great mentor provides, AWIS Chicago is also accepting nominations for the recipient of our “Motivator Award”. Superb mentors from any or the broad branches of STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) are eligible for this award.
Criteria for both awards are listed below:
Innovator Award Criteria:
· A female scientist with innovative contributions to fields of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM)
· Geographically located within the Chicagoland area
· AWIS membership not required
Motivator Award Criteria:
· An individual (male or female) with demonstrated service, support, and mentorship of women in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM)
· Geographically located within the Chicagoland area
· AWIS membership not required
The Innovator Nomination Form and Motivator Nomination Form can be submitted by March 15, 2016 to info@awis-chicago.org. Any other questions please feel free to email us.
We look forward to hearing about your favorite mentors and leaders!
Mentoring Circles Kickoff-October 31, 2015
AWIS Chicago has started a mentorship program “Mentoring Circles”! This pilot program matches students/postdocs/early career scientists with experienced mentors across the Chicagoland area. The Kickoff training event was held on October 31st at Northwestern University Chicago campus, featuring Dr. Rick McGee, Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment & Professional Development at Northwestern University, who led an engaging and interactive workshop on mentoring relationships.
For more information on joining the Mentoring Circles program please email awischicago.circle@gmail.com.