By Erica Colaianne
Full and equal access and participation in science will only improve outcomes. To help further achieve gender equality and empower women and girls around the globe, International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed annually on February 11. The United Nations includes gender equality as a core issue essential to improving society and enhancing global economic development.
In honor of this day, we are celebrating some of the inspiring women researchers at U-M. From exploring issues of equity in technology advancements, to studying transgender health care rights, and to developing pipelines to create greater diversity in STEM programs, the breadth and depth of impactful research conducted by women researchers at U-M is remarkable and has significant societal impact.
In this special series of Michigan Minds, conducted in partnership between U-M’s Office of the Vice President for Research and U-M’s Office of the Vice President for Communications Public Engagement & Impact Initiative, each individual discusses her research, the positive impact she hopes to have on the world, and her advice for women and girls embarking on their own journeys.
Listen to the full podcasts, watch the videos, and read more about each researcher below:
CREATING GREATER EQUITY IN STEM PROGRAMS
Erica Marsh, MD, is a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, chief of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and founder and director of the onWHARD collaborative. She joined Michigan Minds for this special series to explain her work, detail the need for creating greater equity in STEM programs, and provide words of encouragement for those aspiring to work in STEM fields.
IMPACTING SOCIETY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION RESEARCH
Shobita Parthasarthy, PhD, is a professor of public policy, professor of women’s and gender studies by courtesy, and Director of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy program at the Ford School of Public Policy. She joined Michigan Minds to discuss her vast research and public engagement work, share her experiences testifying before Congress, and offer words of wisdom for others who are embarking on journeys into STEM fields.
WORKING TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Anna Kirkland, PhD, is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG). Kirkland joined Michigan Minds to talk about her research, outline how scholars can impact change, and explain how she empowers others in STEM fields.
STUDYING HISTORY TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT
U-M doctoral candidate Allie Goodman, who studies urban history and the history of incarceration in 20th-century America before World War II, joined Michigan Minds to talk about her research and the importance of historical narratives in understanding societal challenges today. She also discusses the Reverb Effect podcast, which she produces through the U-M History Department.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH HISTORY
Undergraduate research student Ayse Eldes joined Michigan Minds to share how she became interested in STEM, her love for research, and why diversifying STEM fields is vitally important.
