The exhibit and speaker series Redefining the landscape - Women in STEM will feature narratives and large-scale portraits of the women who are shaping STEM in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) and the Physical Sciences Division.
The exhibit aims to shed light on what inspires and challenges female graduate students, postdocs, researchers, and faculty who have pursued a career in STEM.
Redefining the landscape will open on Thursday, March 5 at 3 pm with a presentation by University of Chicago Provost Ka Yee C. Lee, professor of chemistry. The opening reception will be in the atrium of the William Eckhardt Research Center from 4 to 6 pm.
“Visibility matters,” said exhibit organizer Neli Fanning, the equity, diversity, and inclusion director in the Physical Sciences Division. “Women are and have been an integral part of science for centuries. We hope this exhibit highlights that the STEM fields can indeed be accessible to women from all backgrounds. It's a message of tacit motivation and hope.”
The twenty-nine Pritzker Molecular Engineering and PSD faculty members, students, and staff profiled in the exhibit wrote narratives to accompany their portraits. Many shared what inspired them to become a scientist, the challenges women in STEM experience, and the unique paths they have followed.
Sunanda Prabhu-Gaunkar, a postdoctoral scholar who works in PME’s STAGE lab, applies her background in quantum electronics and product design skills to create innovative theatre and film projects. Her piece in the exhibit presents her career path and highlights her mentors, who instilled confidence in her and helped her make career choices.
“I want to encourage other women scientists to pursue interdisciplinary paths and to not be fearful of carving unique careers that highlight their strengths, in and outside of academia,” said Prabhu-Gaunkar.
The women who participated recalled the mentors who reassured them that they belong in the sciences and strengthened their decision to pursue a career in STEM.
Rachel Weathered, a PhD student in PME, credits her older brother for introducing her to science and engineering, and says he continues to be a mentor to her. For Weathered, engineering is an opportunity to be creative while pursuing the hard sciences.
“I think while celebrating women in STEM, we can also celebrate individuality,” said Weathered. “There are endless paths women can take in STEM, and that's encouraging.”
As part of the series, Angela Olinto, dean of the Physical Sciences Division, will moderate a student panel and host a colloquium of six guest speakers on March 6, March 9, and March 12.
PME students and postdoctoral scholars in the exhibit include:
- Erica Budina, PhD student
- Celine Calvino, postdoctoral scholar
- Bianca Edozie, PhD student
- Elizabeth M Y Lee, postdoctoral scholar
- Sunanda Prabhu-Gaunkar, postdoctoral scholar
- Rachel Weathered, PhD student
—Article was adapted from a release on the Physical Sciences Division website.