Dear Colleagues, 

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

Despite the tough market conditions for the industry over the past 2–3 years, the biotechnology sector is poised for big things moving forward. Exciting advances in precision genome editing, cell therapy, synthetic biology, organs-on-chips, next-gen sequencing and artificial intelligence all bode well for the development of new therapies and the health of patients and the industry.

In The State of Biotech 2023—sponsored exclusively by Cytiva—GEN proudly brings together a host of luminaries from industry and academia to discuss the latest research developments, innovations and disruptive technologies that will spur biotech forward to bigger and better things. Register now.

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

Announcing the 2023 Rita Allen Foundation Scholars.
Congratulations to the 2023 Rita Allen Foundation Scholars! Three of the nine scholars are exceptional early-career women in science. The selected Scholars will receive grants of up to $110,000 annually for a maximum of five years to conduct innovative research on critical topics in cancer, immunology, neuroscience, and pain. Read more.

Celebrating the Establishment of the David Baltimore Chair in Biomedical Research.

Please join the Whitehead Institute community on Friday, September 22, 2023, as they honor Biologist, Nobelist, and California Institute of Technology President Emeritus, David Baltimore, Founding Director of Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Congratulations to Mary Gehring, Whitehead Institute Member and Inaugural Incumbent of the David Baltimore Chair in Biomedical Research. Read more. Image: Mary Gehring, Whitehead Institute.

Double helix double crossing? What really happened between Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick?
Dr. Kat Arney sits down for a chat with Professor Matthew Cobb to get the inside track on what really happened between James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin during the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. Read more. In this webinar—the first in a “Women in Science” series co-hosted by GEN and the Rosalind Franklin Society—British biologist and author Dr. Matthew Cobb explored Franklin’s contribution to DNA structure and how they have been seen in popular culture. Read more.

This book dissects the years-long battle for gender equality at MIT. 
In their pursuit of science and discovery, the few female scientists at MIT in the late 20th century found themselves faced with hurdles related to their gender, rather than their research. So they did what scientists do: they quantified it. One journalist took notice. Read more. Please watch Kate Zernike's interview from the RFS 2022 Year-end meeting, 

Michelson Philanthropies & Science Prize for Immunology. 
Apply today for the 2023 Michelson Philanthropies & Science Prize for Immunology! This honor was created to support and reward young investigators who demonstrate expertise with the potential for lasting impact on vaccine and immunotherapy discovery. Read more.

Karmella Haynes Leads Exploration of the Genome’s Dark Regions.

Biomedical engineer Karmella Haynes is leading a team of multi-disciplinary investigators who were awarded a four-year, $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to explore the dark matter of the genome. Read more. Image: Emory University & Georgia Institute of Technology.

Female scientists found to be almost entirely absent from Australian high school curriculum.
Female scientists are almost entirely omitted from Australian curriculum, a new study has found, with researchers warning the “alarming” lack of representation could be contributing to the gender gap in the field of STEM. Read more.

Patients have better outcomes with female surgeons, studies find.
People who are operated on by female surgeons are less likely to experience complications and need follow-up care than when males wield the scalpel, according to two major studies that suggest male surgeons have important lessons to learn. Read more.

The Making of an Ivy League President: Two Women’s Stories.

In “Necessary Trouble,” by Drew Gilpin Faust, and “Up Home,” by Ruth J. Simmons, the former presidents of Harvard and Brown recount their unlikely paths to leadership at two of America’s most elite universities. Read more. (Image: Left: Drew Gilpin Faust, President, Harvard University, USA makes a point during the session 'Women in Economic Decision-making' at the Annual Meeting 2013 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 25, 2013. Copyright by World Economic Forum. swiss-image.ch/Photo Michael Wuertenberg. Right: Dr. Ruth J. Simmons speaking at the National Press Club. Wikipedia.)

WINGS WorldQuest invites you and your guests to join them for the 20th Anniversary WINGS Women of Discovery Awards Gala.
The WINGS Women of Discovery Awards were established in 2003 to recognize extraordinary women making significant contributions to world knowledge and science through exploration. Join them October 12, 2023, in NYC at 583 Park Avenue for a truly unforgettable evening honoring our five pioneering 2023 Women of Discovery, their groundbreaking work, and their unceasing quest to build a better world for us all. Read more.

This archeologist reconstructs the past with animal bones.
Archaeologist Pamela Akuku studies ancient animal bones to learn more about how early humans lived. She’s currently studying remains from Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge (funded by SSHRC and the Leakey Foundation), where researchers previously discovered stone tools and evidence of early human ancestors going back as far as 2 million years. In this interview, Akuku shares her experiences and advice with Science News Explores. Read more.

Adele Wolfson Recognized for Her Work to Advance the Careers of Women in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology. 
Adele J. Wolfson, a professor emerita of chemistry and natural and physical sciences at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, received the Sustained Leadership Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Read more.

Interview: Loren Grush on Nasa’s first female astronauts: ‘People thought they’d be a distraction to the men in space’. 
The science reporter reveals the astonishing truth behind the stories in her new book, The Six, which follows the first women inducted into Nasa’s astronaut program in 1978. Read more.

Rosalind Brewer Steps Down as Walgreens Chief After a Short Tenure.

The company said the decision for Ms. Brewer to depart was mutual. She was one of the few women running a Fortune 500 company, and when she was appointed she was the only Black woman to hold that position. Read more.Image: Business Wire.

 

 

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