by Marion Thurnauer,
member of AWIS-CAC since its inception and President (1987-88)
Backdrop
During the last year I came across a file
containing documents pertaining to AWIS -CAC (Chicago Area Chapter). I have been a member of AWIS-CAC since its
inception. However, the extent of my
participation with the Chapter has varied over the years. One of the so-called silver linings of our
current isolation is that I have been able to re-establish some interactions
with Chicago AWIS virtually, as I currently live in Boulder, Colorado.
Here I present a selective ‘history’ of AWIS-CAC
from its formation in 1978 until 1988.
The ‘history’ is selective because it reflects the material I have saved
and my involvement with the Chapter. My
goal is to present the activities of the Chapter and hopefully a perspective on
why AWIS-CAC has remained relevant for
forty-two years.
First, I briefly digress. I received my PhD in Chemistry from the
University of Chicago and joined Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as a
Post-Doc in 1974. I was promoted to a Scientific
Staff position – Assistant Scientist in 1977.
Subsequently, I moved through the ‘ranks’ and currently I am retired
with the title Distinguished Fellow Emeritus.
During my career (thirty years) at Argonne, I also served eight years as
Director of the Chemistry Division. I
was president of AWIS-CAC, June, 1987 – December, 1988. Following my term as president, I became
involved with establishing and forwarding the Women in Science and Technology
(WIST) program at ANL and committed less time to AWIS-CAC.
Inception
of AWIS-CAC
My first memory of AWIS-CAC is from April, 1978
when I was invited to an informal lunchtime meeting in the cafeteria meeting
room. I believe that this was my first
experience (in the four years I had been at ANL) seeing so many women
scientists in one room – many more than I had imagined as I was alone as a
female PhD staff in the Chemistry Division (the different ANL divisions are
scattered over a large campus). As I
recall the main discussion at the meeting was whether or not to form a Chicago-area
chapter of AWIS or form an ANL organization called LINK (I do not remember much
about LINK, including the acronym.). It
may be that because of the potential for forming a Chicago Area Chapter of
AWIS, some attendees came from outside ANL; and this would explain the
perception of a relatively large group of women.
It was decided to proceed and establish the Chicago
Area Chapter (CAC) of AWIS. (see attached AWIS-CAC
Formed 1978.pdf article in Suburban Life Graphic, July 26, 1978).
Apparently, LINK was also formed. I believe that
LINK was an activity organized and run by ANL management (perhaps the
Affirmative Action Office – an archaic title that one could argue morphed into
Diversity and Inclusion offices today.)
I do not know how long LINK functioned.
I mention this detail to point out an observation; the programs that endure
and continue to make an impact are those that are organized and run by the
stakeholders.
AWIS-CAC
Activities, 1987-88
Once formed, CAC was a very active chapter, holding
meetings all over the Greater Chicago area.
The number of members and activities varied over the years. For example, during the period I was president,
the membership/participation was low. Nevertheless, we (a few women, many from
DuPage County) maintained the Chapter, and I am happy to see how well the Chapter
is doing today.
I have copies of AWIS-CAC Newsletters from 1987 and
1988 (June/July
1987, Sept/Oct
1987, Nov/Dec
1987, Nov/Dec
1988). They provide more than a
glimpse of Chapter activities and interesting reading. I select two newsletters and accompanying
material to highlight, as I consider them to be most informative. (note the
AWIS-CAC logo)
I attach a copy of the Newsletter.June.July
1987.pdf. This
Newsletter provides a detailed ‘flavor’ of AWIS activities, and includes the
AWIS-CAC outgoing President’s (Betty Windom) Annual Report for 1986 and the
1986 AWIS-CAC Treasurer’s Report. The
chapter was very busy in spite of the declining membership (one can see actual
membership numbers – 1983-1986 in the treasurer’s report).
I attachNewsletter
Nov.Dec 1988.pdf. In an
attempt to increase membership, we mailed this Newsletter to 104 national AWIS
members in the greater Chicago-land area who were not AWIS-CAC members. We included an AWIS-CAC information/profile
page and a page listing Major AWIS-CAC Activities 1981-1988 Addendum
Newsletter 1988.pdf.
In a separate attachment I provide a Long
List Past Activities.pdf that includes more activities than the one-page Addendum
list.
One can see from the Newsletters that AWIS-CAC continued
many activities regardless of the number of members. Most meetings had a
speaker on topics of interest, e.g., science, education, outreach related. I recall inviting an early career scientist
to speak. She was so appreciative to
have the opportunity and experience to speak about her research regardless of
the small audience.
The Newsletters show AWIS activities included
giving out awards, providing judges for local science fairs, annually
presenting plaques and monetary prizes to students at the Chicago Public
Schools Science Fair held at the Museum of Science and Industry, and
maintaining a Speaker’s Bureau to provide speakers on request to local schools
and events.
As I read the lists of past activities, I am struck
by how many of the activities are outreach activities, impacting relatively
large audiences. I was not present at
the “helping her LOOK AHEAD” workshops, but it was common knowledge that they
were highly successful. When we
organized the first “Science Careers in Search of Women” workshop, for college
women, at Argonne in 1987 (third item on short list), the “helping her LOOK
AHEAD” workshops provided a template.
The “Science Careers in Search of Women Conference” is still held
annually for high school students. Last
year it was a virtual conference.
The museum exhibit “MY DAUGHTER, THE SCIENTIST” had
a relatively long run at the Museum of Science and Industry and also became a
traveling exhibit. In the
September/October 1987 Newsletter, I wrote “.. we recently received a letter
from a teacher in Massachusetts who learned about AWIS-CAC via advance
publicity from the Museum of Science, Boston, which will be showing the exhibit
MY DAUGHTER, THE SCIENTIST.” She was requesting a copy of the “Bibliography of
Career Pamphlets” [see below] which also originated from AWIS-CAC.
AWIS-CAC
received a request from National AWIS to coordinate activities and plan
symposia for the AAAS meeting held in Chicago in February, 1987. This activity is described in Betty Windham’s
summary (Newsletter June.July
1987.pdf).
AWIS-CAC published a 37 page Bibliography of Career
Pamphlets and other useful material (1984) updated 1988 (see attached Front Page
Bibliography.pdf ). This
document was very popular and available from National AWIS and AWIS CAC. (This was the time before widespread
availability of the internet and Google.)
Involvement
in Congressional Task Force
The 1988 Annual
Report.pdf of my tenure as President June 1987 – December 1988
is attached. One activity summarized in
my annual report, is Testimony to the Congressionally-Mandated Task Force on
Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in Science and Technology. I also attach a copy of my Testimony
MCT.pdf.
Information about the Task Force can be found in the attached Interim
Report.pdf from the AWIS National Newsletter.
I was encouraged that the Task Force was mandated
and held hearings in seven US cities in 1987 and 1988. The attached Interim
Report.pdf states “The role of minorities, women, and people
with disabilities in science and engineering is widely seen only as an equity
issue, not as the key to future national strength in science and technology.” I
recall articles and discussions during the time of the hearings, that posed the
question “Who will do science in the year 2020?” At the time students choosing science and
engineering were predominantly white males.
Demographic projections showed that by 2000, white males would make-up
only 25% of the US work force.
I do not know what if any specific actions were
taken in response to the Task Force Report.
However, unforeseen events, such as the breakup of the Soviet Union, in
the late 1980’s and early 1990’s to some extent ameliorated the demographic
issues. Students and scientists from
Eastern Europe, Russia, and Asia joined the US scientific workforce. However, in 2021 the goals and recommendations
outlined in the Interim Report have not changed.
As I was considering how to present this AWIS-CAC
history, I received the following in my Email Inbox on 1/5/2021:
“The Journal of Chemical Education announces a call
for papers for an upcoming special issue on diversity, equity, inclusion, and
respect in chemistry education research and practice. Nationally, students exit
chemistry and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
disciplines at rates that threaten the stability of the STEM workforce. The departure of women and ethnic and racial
minorities from many STEM disciplines can be twice as high than other student
groups. This departure is preventing the nation from realizing an inclusive and
resilient economy.” (entire announcement
attached: Call
for Papers JChemEd)
After receiving this email, I thought, “In some
ways, the AWIS-CAC Testimony
MCT could be recycled today.” Note: Words from the Testimony: ‘Our purpose is to tell you about programs we
have organized which have been designed specifically to: 1) provide career
counseling to young women; 2) encourage young women to stay in science; and 3)
educate the general community …’
All of this is a long way of saying: In my
opinion, AWIS and AWIS-CAC has endured and remained relevant because the
organizations have not strayed from their original goals and values. (for goals and values see: Addendum
Newsletter 1988). The
AWIS-CAC activities described above are as relevant today (perhaps with some
updating) as they were thirty years ago.
Many members have dedicated volunteer time to outreach activities that
at the time had significant impact on a number of young women and
teachers. At the same time, AWIS served
(serves) to provide networking and visibility for its members.
Thoughts
about the future
The last year, 2020, brought incredible unexpected events. We certainly did not predict all that happened during the last year from the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, the election and attack on the Capitol building. I agree with those who say we are at a pivotal point, poised to see societal change. We cannot predict how these changes will play out, but we are witnessing much that is positive relevant to AWIS, women in STEM. For example, women have gained visibility: several articles have been written about the women who have made major contributions to COVID vaccine discovery and development. See this article published in Bloomberg, for example.
Many women scientists are called upon to comment
publicly on COVID-19 issues and questions.
I read that because of the pandemic, there is a surge in students
applying to medical schools. I am
hopeful that we will see a similar surge in students interested in STEM fields
as they are now witnessing science in real time.
On the other hand, the pandemic has resulted in
unpredicted setbacks for women. Many are
being challenged to find new ways to manage childcare and facilitate online
learning. Some are dropping out of the
workforce.
Again, as I was writing this, my weekly issue of the American Chemical Society’s ‘Chemical and Engineering News’, Jan 18/25, 2021 arrived in my Inbox. The attached C&ENews.pdf and the link below of the same article from this issue: ‘How COVID 19 Has Changed the Culture of Science’ (the Good and the Bad and the Unknown) expresses the issues I mention above and more. I recommend reading the article.
At the same time, we are experiencing an incredible (to me) and hopefully authentic focus on equity, inclusion, and diversity triggered by the events that led to the Black Lives Matter protests and the realization that people of color are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. I am encouraged to read the important issue of unconscious bias was discussed in David Brooks, NYTimes Opinion Piece, January 1, 2021. Although he was mainly referring to racial bias his comments are relevant to the gender bias, we have recognized and studied for at least twenty plus years.
Of course, I must add – 100 years after women
gained the right to vote—we have elected a woman Vice President; and
importantly, the news media continue to point out that Kamala Harris’s election
is historic.
Bottom line:
I am cautiously optimistic that the new emphasis on diversity and
equity across many fields, e.g., music, entertainment, science, etc., is
authentic. I hope this snapshot
(1978-1988) of AWIS-CAC illustrates that organizations such as AWIS have laid the
groundwork and continue to develop the tools to be proactive in addressing both
the positive and negative issues that will be the outcome of these challenging
times.
