1971

Founding

Inspired by the Women’s Rights Movement and fired up by frustration and injustice in their own personal careers, thirty-five women establish the Association for Women in Science, incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in New York State in September.

1971

AWIS Takes on NIH

AWIS et al. v Richardson and Marston—National Institutes of Health (NIH) is required to freeze appointments to
study sections and advisory groups until women are given the chance to suggest names for the open positions. AWIS files suit against the NIH for underrepresentation of women.

1973

Moving on Up

Estelle Ramey, AWIS President, establishes the first national office of AWIS at 1717 R Street, NW, in Washington, D.C.

1974

From Humble Beginnings

Mary Moller, Jeri Sechzer, and Anne Briscoe found the first AWIS chapter in Greater New York.

1975

Success on Two Fronts

NAACP and AWIS win a lawsuit against the
Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for discrimination in higher education on the basis of sex and race.

1974–1978

AWIS Wins Lawsuit Against the NIH

1981

Parity in Toronto

AWIS annual meeting convenes in Toronto in conjunction with AAAS’s annual meeting, to discuss the theme of building gender parity in math education.

1981

Presidential Proclamation

At the request of women’s organizations,
President Jimmy Carter proclaims the first
“National Women’s History Week,” incorporating International Women’s Day on March 8th.

1982

Scientific Symposium

Symposium on “Women in Science” meets in
Washington, D.C., with the theme of improving the status of women in science and promoting equal pay.

1983

Together We Are Stronger

AWIS joins the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE), a group of nongovernmental organizations that works on a broad range of issues affecting the rights and opportunities of women and girls in education.

1987

Cosponsor

AWIS cosponsors a history of women in science symposium in Chicago at the AAAS annual meeting.

1988

At First Glance

Grants-At-A-Glance is founded as first comprehensive compendium of funding opportunities made available to AWIS members.

1992

AWIS Leads

AWIS chairs the Coalition for Women’s Appointments Environmental and Scientific Taskforces, involving over eighty organizations.

1994

NASA, DoE, and AWIS

“Taking the Initiative! A Leadership Conference for Women in Science and Engineering,” cosponsored by AWIS, NASA, and the Department of Energy (DoE), meets in Washington, D.C.

1995

AWIS at the UN

Accredited as a United Nations NGO, AWIS attends the “UN Fourth World Conference on Women” held in China, creating the first science and technology caucus for a
UN Women’s Conference.

1997

Presidential Award

AWIS wins the Presidential Mentoring Award for Creating Tomorrow’s Scientists: Models of Community Mentoring.

1999

CAWM-SET

AWIS Board Member is appointed to the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology (CAWM-SET) report, published in July 2000.

1999

AWIS Testifies

AWIS staff testify in Congress on “The Advancement of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development Act” (H.R. 3007).

2002

Grant Awardee

Sloan Foundation Mentoring Grant is awarded to AWIS for development of Institutional Climate Assessment Survey and Model Academic Policies.

2005

Remarks and Rebuttal

Following remarks made by Harvard’s president,
Lawrence Summers, AWIS launches media campaign in rebuttal.

2008

The Elsevier Grant

Elsevier Foundation grants AWIS an award to launch national Work/Life Balance Program.

2009

Nobel Laureate

Carol Greider, the first AWIS member to receive the
Nobel Prize in Medicine, is recognized for her work on telomeres.

2010

AWARDS

AWARDS Project headed by Phoebe Leboy, funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE grant, is launched. Collaboration begins with STEM disciplinary societies to address the underrepresentation of women among recipients of scholarly awards.

2011

40th Anniversary

Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of AWIS, in conjunction with the AAAS annual meeting, takes place in Washington, D.C.

2011

Hastings School of Law

AWIS partners with Hastings School of Law to provide institutions with solid economic data that compares the costs of implementing three best practice policies with the costs of a “leaky” pipeline.

2012

Top Mathematical Statistician as AWIS Spokesperson

AWIS announced the selection of Dr. Lee-Ann Hayek as AWIS spokesperson for the International Year of Statistics 2013 (IYSTAT).

2013

AWIS & Partners Lead Global Dialogue

AWIS, with more than 1,400 organizations in 111 countries, combine energies to promote the International Year of Statistics, a worldwide initiative highlighting contributions of the statistics field to finding solutions to global challenges.

2013

Presidential Inaugural Festivities

AWIS featured in Presidential Inaugural Festivities and invited to participate on a panel about the importance of mentoring in STEM.

2014

Aspen Institute

At “Filling the Skills Gap: The Untapped Resource,” AWIS partners with Aspen Institute to highlight dearth
of women in advanced manufacturing.

2015

Ohio State University

AWIS and Ohio State University partner on 2015 National Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Roadmap for Inclusion.

2015

Capitol Hill Briefing

AWIS joins the American Astronomical Association for Capitol Hill Briefing: State of the Universe highlighting diversity in STEM.

2016

United Nations Address

AWIS President Ann Lee Karlon addresses the United Nations on the occasion of the First International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

2016

United State of Women Summit

AWIS represents #WomeninScience at the White House’s United State of Women Summit.

2016

STEM to Market

AWIS awarded prestigious $420,000 Inclusion Challenge grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to launch STEM to Market (S2M), a two-part program that provides entrepreneurial awareness, skills, and support to a diversity of STEM women.

2017

Women’s March

AWIS members around the country joins millions for the Women’s March.

2017

ARPA-E Partners

The United States government agency tasked with promoting and funding research and development of advanced energy technologies Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy partners with AWIS on Women in Energy event.

2018

Revolutionizing the STEM Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

AWIS releases groundbreaking signature report Revolutionizing the STEM Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.

2018

Innovation Summit Awards

As part of its annual Summit, AWIS launches an awards program to recognize individuals and companies that promote workplace equality, diversity and inclusion.

2018

‘Hidden Figures’ Congressional Gold Medal Act

AWIS endorses the bipartisan Senate bill to recognize African American female mathematicians that contributed to the United States’ victory in the Space Race and award the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award the United States can bestow to a civilian, to Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden.

2018

Combating Sexual Harassment

AWIS endorses the Combating Sexual Harassment in Sciences Act of 2018, introduced by Science, Space and Technology House Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson. Through research and action, the House bill helps understand the prevalence of and addresses sexual harassment in the sciences.

2019

AWIS Names Sandra W. Robert, CAE, New CEO

“I am honored to serve the women who are advancing the world through their talents as STEM professionals” said Robert. “As we face the continued pressures of social, political, and environmental change, we need to ensure the access and equity of all talented professionals to the table, and AWIS is uniquely positioned to play a key leadership role in doing so.”

2019

The ARC Network

AWIS launches the ARC Network, the STEM equity brain trust, a priority initiative to create meaningful systemic change in academia.

2019

Equity in STEM Community Convening

The first ever Equity in STEM Community Convening, hosted by AWIS’ ARC Network, serves as a meeting space for researchers, practitioners, and change agents dedicated to creating equitable STEM workplaces.

2020

Pandemic Response

Science is in the spotlight, but shutdowns and social distancing take a toll. AWIS responds with its first virtual career fair and increases the frequency of member communications. AWIS membership embraces the move to an all-digital publication strategy.

2020

Antiracism Advocacy

Repeated acts of racial violence in the U.S. ignite global protests. AWIS issues a public statement against systemic racism, develops a robust Antiracism resource library, and creates discussion opportunities.

2020

New Programming

AWIS makes a strategic decision to reclaim its focus on women in science and strengthens member programming to address current social and professional challenges such as sponsoring a screening of the documentary Picture a Scientist and hosting a discussion on the harassment and implicit bias women in science continue to experience.

2021

50th Anniversary

AWIS celebrates the impact we have made over the last 50 years, connects with people and organizations that share our mission, and commits to continue championing women in science.