Dear Colleagues, 

I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.

Stay safe and sound, 

Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org 

 Calling all postdoc women in science! Applications for the 2022 L'Oréal USA For Women in Science fellows are now open.

The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Read more. Image: The 2021 L'Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellows.

Elizabeth Holmes verdict: researchers share lessons for science.
Elizabeth Holmes, the infamous biotech chief executive who promised to revolutionize blood testing, has been found guilty of fraud. The precedent set by the jury’s verdict in the Holmes case might ultimately compel biotech entrepreneurs to be more cautious — and honest — in their approach to investors, writes Emily Waltz. Read more.

Board diversity increased in 2021. Some ask what took so long.

Paula T. Hammond, who heads the chemical engineering department at MIT, was first sounded out about joining the board of a public company in 2020. Photo by Lauren O’Neil for The New York Times.

Under pressure to achieve more diversity in senior ranks — from advocates for social change and, at times, their own employees — companies appear to be discovering that a big talent pool of nonwhite people and women for board seats does, in fact, exist. Paula T. Hammond’s work makes her a natural pick to sit on the board of a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company. Yet it was only in 2020 that Dr. Hammond became a director of a publicly traded company. Read more. 

An evangelical climate scientist wonders what went wrong.
Katharine Hayhoe, whose most recent book is “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” has become a sought-after voice for climate activism and a leading advocate for communicating across ideological, political and theological differences, writes David Marchese in an article for the TheNew York Times. “For many people now, hope is a bad word,” says Hayhoe, the chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy as well as a professor of political science at Texas Tech. “They think that hope is false hope; it is wishful thinking. But there are things to do — and we should be doing them.” Read more.

Opinion: I helped develop COVID-19 vaccine, let's reach unvaccinated by listening not shaming.

Kizzmekia S. Corbett is an assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and led the team at the National Institutes of Health that designed and developed an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in collaboration with Moderna. “I don’t go around aggressively proselytizing for vaccines; that would just alienate people. If I did, even some people in my family would have been alienated by now,” wrote Dr. Corbett in an article for USA Today. Read more. Photo by Kent Dayton for Harvard Public Health.

Chemistry textbooks still portray men as scientists while women perform domestic duties.

School chemistry books overwhelmingly focus on men, and when women are included they are often portrayed doing domestic activities rather than science, an analysis from the UK and Ireland has found. Read more.

The University of Washington computer science school denounces retired professor’s tweet on women hires.

The University of Washington’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science repudiated a tweet by one of its emeritus faculty members who claimed that “half of the female STEM faculty in the U.S. were hired over more qualified men.” Read more.

The female ‘data lads’ crunching Covid numbers and keeping us informed throughout the pandemic.

Men have indeed been doing crucial Covid number-crunching, but because the pandemic did start a long time ago but not as far back as the Dark Ages, swathes of women have been doing it too, writes Kasia Delgado. Read more.

Stanford research reveals a hidden obstacle for women in academia.
Analyzing nearly 1 million doctoral dissertations, researchers found widespread bias against research that simply seems feminine, even if it’s not explicitly about women or gender. Read more.

Women in science textbooks.
In a study led by Ellen I. Damschen, the authors suggest that leaving women out of textbooks used in the undergraduate curriculum discourages them from developing their abilities in science. “While most blatant forms of sexism, such as the use of gendered pronouns and terminology, have been removed from modern science texts, more subtle forms, such as omitting contributions by women scientists or issues of central interest to women, still frequently occur.” Read more. 

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Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager

 

 

Dear Colleagues, 

I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.

The RFS Year-end virtual conference is in the works!

We are in the process of taping an impressive agenda which will share insights from cutting-edge fields such as precision medicine and outer space, from industry including corporate leadership and start-ups, as well as experience from journalists and new leadership in Washington.  

These productions will be shared through broadcast on January 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2:00-5:00 p.m. (EST). 

A link for registration will be posted soon. We know you will want to hear these presentations from prestigious scholars, authors, award winners, government leaders from CDC, OTPS, NASA, and the casting producer from Shark Tank! 

Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you, and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science. 

Stay safe and sound, 

Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org 

Vaccine scientists are TIME’s 2021 Heroes of the Year. 

Photograph by Mattia Balsamini.

Katalin Kariko, Drew Weissman, Kizzmekia Corbett, and Barney Graham achieved a breakthrough of singular importance, introducing an innovative and highly effective vaccine platform, based on mRNA, that will impact our health and well-being far beyond this pandemic. And make sure you watch the compelling interview with Dr. Kariko which RFS hosted on July 23, 2020.   Read more.

Shirley McBay, pioneering mathematician, is dead at 86.
Shirley McBay, who in 1966 became the first Black person to receive a doctorate from the University of Georgia, and who went on to be a leading voice for diversity in science and math education, died on November 27 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 86. Read more.

Nature’s 10: Ten people who helped shape science in 2021.
The Nature’s 10 list explores “key developments in science this year and some of the people who played important parts in these milestones. Along with their colleagues, these individuals helped to make amazing discoveries and brought attention to crucial issues. Nature’s 10 is not an award or a ranking. The selection is compiled by Nature’s editors to highlight key events in science through the compelling stories of those involved.” Read more.

Female founders are crashing the billionaire club.
As the women who created Bumble, Spanx, and 23andMe achieve new levels of wealth and success, can they open the door for the female entrepreneurs coming behind them? Maria Aspan and Emma Hinchliffe find out. Read more.

Event: Using Philanthropy to Spark Government Innovation.

Join Ruth Lehmann, Director of the Whitehead Institute, and Jill Shah, President of the Shah Family Foundation, as they discuss philanthropy as a catalyst for government innovation in the areas of nutrition, education, and economic support. What trends in science and technology excite them the most? Which innovations have the potential to dramatically impact the way we live and work? Be a part of the conversation on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 7:00 PM (ET).   Read more. “You can watch Dr. Lehmann’s presentation for RFS here.

Welcome to the 2021 NIH Director's Awards.
Please join us in congratulating the 2021 NIH Director’s Awards recipients. These individuals are being recognized for their outstanding contributions to support the mission of the National Institutes of Health. To browse the 2021 recipient list, visit the website.

June Lindsey, another forgotten woman in the story of DNA.

Her discovery of adenine and guanine’s structure was a key part of solving the DNA double helix puzzle – yet her contributions are almost forgotten. ‘I think that it could be argued that her work was as a sine qua non – without which would not be possible the DNA structure,’ says Alex MacKenzie, a professor of paediatrics at the University of Ottawa in Canada who first met Lindsey at a family birthday party and wrote an article about her in 2018. Read more. Image: The Globe and Mail.

Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager

Dear Colleagues, 

I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.

Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you, and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science. 

Stay safe and sound, 

Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org 

House science committee chair leaves bipartisan legacy as she bids farewell. 

U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) Credit: Wikipedia.

Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–TX) recently announced she would not seek a 16th 2-year term next fall, making her the 16th House Democrat to announce their departure in this election cycle. “Johnson is the first Black woman to chair the committee. Over the past 3 years she has teamed with the panel’s top Republican, Representative Frank Lucas (OK), to stake out a centrist position on a host of challenges facing the U.S. scientific community, from China’s growing scientific prowess to research misconduct,” writes Jeffrey Mervis. Read more.

The gene-synthesis revolution.
Researchers can now design and mass-produce genetic material — a technique that helped build the mRNA vaccines. What could it give us next? These fabulous female founders at Twist Bioscience and Ginkgo Bioworks were speakers at the RFS meeting last winter! Read more. Watch Emily Leproust’s RFS presentation here and Reshma Shetty’s presentation here.

There’s a lot of financial aid available to women pursuing STEM careers.
“Having access to scholarships can help to alleviate some of the burden that women face today, and it is vital to them receiving an education that will get them the same seat at a table as their fellow male classmates,” said Sasha Ramani, associate director of corporate strategy at MPOWER Financing, which offers scholarships to women pursuing STEM careers. Read more.

If academia better supported women scientists like me, I may have opted to stay.
Avika Dixit, director of clinical development at Moderna Therapeutics, encourages institutions to look closely at the challenges early-career researchers, especially scientist mothers, face and develop policies that give them a reason to stay. “We cannot afford to give up on closing the gender gap. The next medical discovery may depend on it,” she says. Read more.

Stereotypes about girls dissuade many from careers in computer science.
In a peer-reviewed study, researchers found that stereotypes about girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math – or lack thereof – are fairly widespread among young people today. They also found that stereotypes actually have an effect on girls’ motivation and sense of belonging in computer science and engineering. Read more.

Zena Stein, 99, dies; researcher championed women’s health.
Dr. Zena Stein, a South African-born epidemiologist whose influential work encompassed the effects of famine on children, the health of entire communities afflicted by poverty and the impact of the AIDS crisis on women in Africa, died on Nov. 7 at her home in Coatesville, Pa. She was 99. Read more.

Outcry as men win outsize share of Australian medical-research funding.
According to an analysis, men secure a greater share of medical-research funding than women in Australia’s largest grant-award program, despite applying at similar rates. The issue was first flagged by researchers in 2019; however, this time, nearly 6,000 people have signed a petition calling for the introduction of gender quotas, Holly Else reports. Read more.

MIT Future Founders Initiative announces prize competition to promote female entrepreneurs in biotech.

Despite increasing representation at MIT, female science and engineering faculty found biotech startups at a disproportionately low rate compared with their male colleagues, according to research led by the initiative’s founders, MIT Professor Sangeeta Bhatia, MIT Professor and President Emerita Susan Hockfield, and MIT Amgen Professor of Biology Emerita Nancy Hopkins. Read more.

Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager 

Dear Colleagues, 

I am pleased to include another issue of RFS Briefings with some timely and encouraging updates on women in science.

Of special interest, Google Doodle recently celebrated pioneering Indian biologist Kamal Ranadive.

It was the 104th birthday of Kamal Ranadive, an Indian biomedical researcher known for her groundbreaking research on the connection cancers have with certain viruses. Her work researching cancer among women and children inspired female scientists in India to work on cancer research. Read more.

Please continue to share important news and opportunities with us so that we may share it with you, and others who are committed to supporting the careers of exceptional women in science. 

Stay safe and sound, 

Karla Shepard Rubinger
Executive Director
Rosalind Franklin Society
www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org 

Susan Hockfield receives prestigious Charles L. Branch BrainHealth Award. 

Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) are launching a bipartisan caucus focused on creating more access and pathways for women and girls to participate in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. “We have to change the narrative for young girls, and maybe even for educators, because we want to have them be sure young girls see themselves doing these jobs and these jobs feel accessible,” Rosen told The Hill. Photos: © Greg Nash Read more.

The COVID pandemic has harmed researcher productivity – and mental health.
Surveys show that women, parents of young children and people of color are most affected by pandemic-related disruptions and need more support. Read more.

Promoting diversity and inclusion in STEMM starts at the top.

As leaders of one of the nation’s most preeminent scientific organizations, we have an obligation to enact change within the research community and within our own walls, and to ensure excellence, innovation and DEI in science. We can no longer simply say ‘we cannot find diverse talent’ or that the problem lies elsewhere. We must build our capacity, here at the top of the scientific enterprise, to lead DEI efforts and actively promote new approaches, practices and policies that bring about real results,” write Marcia McNutt and Laura Castillo-Page. Read more.

Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare – 2022 Nomination Form.
The Vilcek Foundation and The Arnold P. Gold Foundation announced an open call for nominations for the 2022 Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare. We are grateful that the Vilceks have been longtime supporters of RFS.The award shines a spotlight on immigrant leaders who have made an extraordinary contribution to humanism in healthcare in the United States. You may nominate any foreign-born person living and working in the United States whose work in healthcare exemplifies humanism and has created lasting and wide-spread change in U.S. healthcare. Read more. 

Carrying forward Marie Curie's legacy in the 21st century.
As we reflect on Curie’s legacy and the progress that has been made, many actions are still needed to prevent and cure cancer as well as to advance the careers of women in science and medicine. Read more.

Lost Women of Science, Episode 2: The Matilda Effect. 
A passionate outdoorswoman, a “rugged individualist” and a bit of an enigma—the few traces Dorothy Andersen left behind give us glimpses into who she was. In this episode,  the Lost Women of Science podcast tracks down people determined to stitch together her life. Read more.

This year's Fellows conduct research in the areas of neurobiology, microbiology and biogeochemistry, physics, and materials chemistry. In addition to grant funding, Fellows receive mentorship, career coaching and recognition. Read more.

Legislation would create entrepreneurship center for women in STEM.
Female entrepreneurship is on the rise in Massachusetts, but it needs a boost. Rep. Alan Silvia said he hopes the Abigail Adams Entrepreneurial Act will create a center to provide funding and mentorship opportunities for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Read more.

Scientists question Max Planck Society’s treatment of women leaders.
A group of 145 leading female scientists from across the world has signed an open letter to Germany’s Max Planck Society (MPS), expressing concern over “the highly publicized dismissals, demotions, and conflicts involving female directors of Max Planck Institutes”. Read more.

Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.
The Action Collaborative's Year 2 Annual Report summarizes the Action Collaborative's collective progress in the 2020-2021 year, identifies areas for future focus, discusses trends in organizations' reported areas of work, and highlights work shared by member organizations and partner network organizations. A complete collection of "descriptions of work" authored by member and partner network organizations is available in the repository. Read more.

Obituary: 'Unsung hero' of science laid the ground work for epic DNA discovery.
June Lindsey played a key role in the discovery of the DNA double helix, but she was never formally recognized for her work. Lindsey died in Ottawa earlier this month at the age of 99. Read more.

One of the billionaire scientists behind the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on what’s next.

Turkish-German scientist Özlem Türeci, who founded BioNTech with her husband Uğur Şahin, was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in March for work developing the BioNTech/Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. Abdulhamid Hosbas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.Read more.

Buck Institute awarded $12.7 million from NIH to join SenNet, Cellular Senescence Network.
Buck Institute professors Judith Campisi, PhD and Birgit Schilling PhD, have been awarded a $12 million grant from the NIH’s Common Fund to join the newly established Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet), a national “tissue and cell mapping” effort involving 13 research institutes. Read more. 

Marianna Limas, Social Media Manager
Nilda Rivera, Partnership and Events Manager