All Entries in the "STEM Fields" Category
How Mothers’ Genes Affect Breast Milk and Infant Health
A team of researchers led by the University of Minnesota has identified several hundred components of human milk that are determined by women’s genetic differences. Many of these genes were found to affect infant gut microbiomes.
Grants or Gifts Relating to Women in Higher Education
Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
Trudy Mackay Wins Darwin-Wallace Medal for Excellence in Evolutionary Biology
Presented annually by the Linnean Society of London, the Darwin-Wallace Medal recognizes outstanding research on evolutionary biology. Dr. Mackay was honored for her work on advancing the understanding of quantitative traits.
Beth Beason-Abmayr Recognized as a Distinguished Educator by the American Physiological Society
A faculty member for nearly three decades, Dr. Beason-Amayr currently serves as chair of Rice University’s biosciences department, where she works to advance undergraduate education and research opportunities.
Grants or Gifts Relating to Women in Higher Education
Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Presents Its Highest Honor to Jennifer West
Dr. West, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia, has spent the past three decades developing nanomedicine technologies to address unmet medical needs.
Study Finds Race-Gender Biases in Public Perceptions of Scientists’ Credibility
In an online experiment using two short documentary films, viewers consistently rated Black women scientists as less warm and less competent than Black men and White scientists of both genders, particularly when they introduced a White test subject.
Global Study Finds Women Have More Sensitive Hearing Than Men
In an examination of 13 different global populations, a new international study has found biological sex as the most influential factor on hearing amplitude, with women averaging two decibels more sensitive hearing than men.
The National Academy of Sciences Awards the 2025 Public Welfare Medal to Mary-Claire King
Dr. King, the American Cancer Society Professor of Medical Genetics and Genome Sciences at the University of Washington, was honored by the National Academy of Sciences for her outstanding use of forensic genetics to reunite families torn apart by violence from around the world.
Maria Grant Recognized for Outstanding Research on Retinal Diseases
Currently serving as chair of the department of opthlamology and visual sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Grant uses stem cell research to understand and address a wide range of retinal diseases.
Three American-Based Women Professors Receive 2025 Suffrage Science Awards
The Suffrage Science Award is an international prize presented to women scientists who are pioneers in their field. This year’s cohort of 12 awardees includes Danielle Julie Carrier of the University of Tennessee, Priyamvada Natarajan of Yale University, and Thuc-Quyen Nguyen of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Promotes Two Women to Endowed Chairs
Nikki Edge and Susan Emmett have been promoted to new endowed chairs in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Caltech’s Pamela Bjorkman Named the 2025 Wolf Prize Laureate in Medicine
The Wolf Prize is presented annually by the Wolf Foundation to exceptional individuals in various scientific and artistic fields. Dr. Bjorkman, longtime professor of biological engineering at Caltech, is the only woman professor in this year’s cohort of Wolf Prize Laureates.
The Gender Gap in STEM Majors is Shrinking at Top Universities and Growing at Other Institutions
Over the past two decades, there has been an increase in the number of women majoring in physics, engineering, and computer science at highly selective college and universities. However, the gender gap in students studying these historically male-dominated fields has grown significantly at less selective institutions.
Women Represent Less Than a Quarter of the Global Cybersecurity Workforce
Currently, there is a severe shortfall in the number of professionals working in cybersecurity – a field where women are significantly underrepresented. By advancing women’s participation in the field, scholars at Duke University hope to mitigate this shortfall, ultimately leading to a stronger global cybersecurity workforce.
Sarah Ruiz Honored for Early-Career Contributions to Health Education
The Society for Public Health Education has presented its 2025 M. Elaine Aud Horizon Award to Sarah Ruiz, assistant professor at New Mexico State University, for her contributions to the public health profession and education.
Boni Elewski Receives Gold Medal Award from the American Academy of Dermatology
Dr. Elewski, chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is an international leader in fungal and psoriasis research and dermatological clinical trials.
Anna Balazs Receives International Recognition for Materials Science and Soft Matter Research
Johannas Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany has presented its 2025 Gutenberg Research Award to Anna Balazs, professor of chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.
Study Highlights the Benefits of Receiving Perinatal Care Through the Indian Health Service for Native Women
The Indian Health Service is a federal agency dedicated to providing healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives. When pregnant and postpartum Native women have access to the federal program, they are significantly more likely to receive high-quality maternal care than those without access.
Salem College Creates Pathway for Students to Earn an Accelerated Nursing Degree
In an effort to strengthen the North Carolina and broader healthcare workforce, Salem College has partnered with Winston-Salem State University to create a pipeline for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing at WSSU.
Franklin Institute Recognizes Katharine Suding for Transformative Contributions to Restoration Ecology
A distinguished profesor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Suding is a plant community ecologist who studies ecosystem landscape and population biology.
Grants or Gifts Relating to Women in Higher Education
Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
University of Nebraska Launches Online Resource Platform for Women in Agriculture
The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program at the University of Nebraska was created to provide unbiased support to agricultural women throughout the state. The program’s latest initiative, Agri-Essentials, is an online resource platform featuring learning and networking opportunities.
Michigan State University’s Teresa Woodruff Honored by Society for Women’s Health Research
Dr. Woodruff has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to women’s health research. She founded the field of oncofertility in 2006, sparking research into the reproductive options of cancer patients and cancer survivors.
Two Women Scholars at American Universities Recognized for Achievements in Biomedical Technology
The award winners are Kiana Aran of the University of California, San Diego and Amanda Randles of Duke University in North Carolina. Both women were recognized for developing breakthrough biomedical technologies.
Lise Alschuler Will Be the First Woman President of Sonoran University of Health Sciences
“I am thrilled to lead Sonoran University into its next exciting chapter.,” said Dr. Alschuler. “Together, we will shape the future of health sciences education rooted in the healing power of nature.”
Childhood Exposure to Trauma Linked to Heart Disease in Black Women
While both Black men and women study participants reported similar experiences with childhood trauma, the association between past trauma and heart complications was only found among Black women.
Women Physicians Are Significantly More Likely to Die by Suicide Than Other Women
According to a new study led by doctors at the University of California, San Diego, women physicians are 53 percent more likely to die by suicide than women who are not physicians.
Dusa McDuff Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Association has recognized Barnard College’s Dusa McDuff for her lifelong contributions to the field of symplectic geometry and topology and her mentorship of other women in mathematics.
Stanford’s Fei-Fei Li Wins Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
Among a cohort of seven recipients, Dr. Li was the only woman to receive the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. She is a leading expert in machine learning whose contributions have contributed to the modern understanding of artificial intelligence.
Study Finds Low-Quality Diets Are Pervasive Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women
The majority of pregnant and postpartum women receive low ratings on the Health Eating Index, a diet quality score based on federal guidelines for health eating habits.
Naomi Halas Awarded the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry
A University Professor at Rice University, Naomi Halas was honored for her creation and development of nanoshells, which are used in many biomedical and chemical applications.
Leah Stokes Recognized for Outstanding Climate Science Communication
ClimateOne has honored Leah Stokes, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, for her outstanding scientific contributions and efforts to communicate climate change research to the public.
Study Examines Women’s Underrepresentation Among Practicing Plastic Surgeons
Women represent just 18 percent of all practicing plastic surgeons in the United States. A new study has identified several potential barriers to entry that may be the cause of women’s underrepresentation in the field.
Grants or Gifts Relating to Women in Higher Education
Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
