AWIS Annual Awards
The AWIS Annual Awards highlight members’ career achievements that demonstrate strong leadership, innovative thinking, and a commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
The 2025 Annual Award Cycle is Now Closed.
Thanks you to everyone who submitted a nomination! Applicants will be notified soon.
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Award Categories
These awards recognize AWIS members who are making significant contributions to increasing workplace diversity, promoting into leadership positions, and advocating for more inclusive practices in STEM. See below for past recipients.
NEW THIS YEAR!
- We are using a new platform for submissions. You will use your AWIS login information to access the application.
- Each applicant must submit three recommendation questionnaires from colleagues and a supervisor.
- We are only accepting self-nominations. Encourage a fellow AWIS member to apply (You can also be a reference for them)!
Spark Award
Highlights a student or early career leader in STEM who is a visible and vocal advocate for diversity and inclusive scientific practices.
Meridian Award
Recognizes a mid-career professional whose diversity and inclusion efforts represent a true leader in the pursuit of workplace equity.
Zenith Award
Honors senior career professional’s lifetime of innovative achievements and commitment to workplace diversity in STEM.
2025 Award Recipients
Spark Award
 | Mercy Anawe — Spark Award Mercy Anawe is a doctoral candidate in the department of Biological Science at Purdue University. Her research explores the role of the dynamic interaction between dengue virus nonstructural protein 1 and Apolipoprotein A1 (a major component of High-Density Lipoprotein) in humans. Anawe has held leadership positions with the Purdue Women in Science Program and the Program Committee of AWIS to organize workshops that support professional success and IDEA values. She has mentored many students as a teaching assistant, served as a judge at the Purdue Undergraduate Research Conferences and the Indiana State Science Olympiad, Ivy Tech. Anawe is a member of ‘Women & Hi Tech Indiana.’ She founded Shining Mums which provides support and resources to pregnant and parenting students at Purdue to help them balance their academic responsibilities with pregnancy/motherhood. She also founded the Mercy Anawe Foundation to curb period poverty in Nigeria. |
 | Sneha Michaela Chaturvedi — Spark Award Sneha Michaela Chaturvedi is an MD/PhD candidate at Washington University School of Medicine. She works in the lab of Dr. Joseph Dougherty investigating molecular sex variation in early neurodevelopment. Her interest in investigating the biology of sex differences originates from her long-term involvement and leadership in the American Medical Women’s Association. She also serves as co-chair of the Sex and Health Collaborative, leading a national team of over 100 physicians and trainees in creating and disseminating sex and gender-based health education material. Chaturvedi developed Ethics Seminars and led discussions in her lab to combat ableism and ensure inclusive lab practices. She has dedicated countless hours to ensuring science is accessible to students from marginalized backgrounds through her work in outreach programs. She teaches high school students about science topics, accompanies immigrants to medical appointments to act as an interpreter, and she has led efforts to collect clothing for Unhoused STL and pack period kids for the St. Louis Period Alliance. |
 | Michelle Farley — Spark Award Michelle Farley is a PhD Candidate in Biological Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on ecological influences on biology and speciation, with a particular focus on how environmental conditions shape skeletal variation of the foot in nonhuman primate and hominin species. Her secondary research examines the history and ethics of collection practices of human remains in the sciences. She co-designed a course that highlighted minority voices, non-Western perspectives, and overlooked histories in the biological sciences. Her leadership roles include serving on the Student Health Insurance Advisory Committee and the Student Advising Graduate Education (SAGE) advisory board. Within SAGE, she worked on two focus groups with a unified goal of facilitating education, discussions, and self-reflection on topics of diversity and inclusion on campus and in the local community, culminating in a book and dialogue series. Farley also advocates for inclusion and accessibility by writing and speaking about living with a rare disease. She has worked as a consultant for pharmaceutical companies in developing educational programs for patients and community-engaged disease research. |
 | Yuhan (Sherlyn) Weng — Spark Award Throughout graduate school, Yuhan (Sherlyn) Weng has consistently advocated for inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in science through outreach, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary initiatives. At the Expanding Your Horizons Conference, Sherlyn led a bioinformatics workshop for high school girls, empowering young women to envision themselves in a field where women remain underrepresented. As an international student herself since age 15, she recognizes the unique challenges of adapting to new cultures and has led workshops for incoming international PhD students, providing practical guidance on adapting to a new learning environment to ensure that they can focus on thriving academically without being hindered by avoidable barriers. At the School of Medicine, Sherlyn has extended her IDEA advocacy to physicians by co-organizing the annual Physician-Scientist Training Pathway Bioinformatics Bootcamp, connecting them with resources such as the San Diego Supercomputer Center to enable physicians from resource-limited labs to participate in cutting-edge genomic and AI-driven research. Through these initiatives, Sherlyn fosters inclusion at multiple levels, from high school outreach to graduate student support to professional training. |
 | Rosie Yagmur Yegin, PhD — Spark Award Driven by a mission to create a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world, Dr. Yegin earned her BS in Food Engineering, then an MS and PhD in Food Science and Engineering from Texas A&M University. During her postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Dr. Yegin developed biodegradable packaging and antimicrobial films that reduce food waste, improve food safety, combat food insecurity, and minimize microplastic pollution—advancing practical, environmentally friendly solutions for a circular economy. She served as the CEE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Postdoctoral Representative, supporting initiatives foster a more inclusive CEE community. She also co-facilitated MIT’s Leadership and Professional Strategies and Skills course, mentoring women in STEM to build leadership confidence and professional skills. To inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, Dr. Yegin volunteers with Girlstart, mentors through the AWIS Mentoring Program, connects with students worldwide as a STEM Pen Pal, and contributes to global humanitarian engineering initiatives through Engineers Without Borders. |
Meridian Award
| Marianna Burks, PhD — Meridian Award Dr. Marianna Burks is an Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and serves as the Science Specialist for the Student Support Services TRIO program at UNL. She teaches introductory biology courses and provides research mentorship and support to STEM students. She serves as a Co-Director for the NSF-funded STEM POWER Research Scholars Program, which matriculates first-year students from underrepresented populations into research before the start of the first semester of college. Nearly 45 students entered UNL through the STEM POWER program as STEM majors with a nearly 95% retention rate. She is also the Faculty Advisor to the Student RSO Minority Pre-Health Association, which builds community and service opportunities for minority-identifying students in pursuit of careers in healthcare. She works to cultivate a sense of belonging for students in STEM and has developed experiential learning events for pre-college and secondary education students to experience what biology learning looks like in college. Dr. Burks understands the importance of representation in the sciences and is intentional about supporting students seeking opportunities in science. |
 | Angela K. Pannier, PhD — Meridian Award Dr. Angela K. Pannier is the inaugural Swarts Family Chair of Biological Systems Engineering and Professor of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL). Both an engineer and biologist by training, Dr. Pannier’s research focuses on engineering biomaterials and cellular systems for gene and cell therapies, tissue engineering, and vaccine development, with applications in human health and agriculture. She is a Fellow of both the Biomedical Engineering Society and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and serves as Associate Editor for Science Advances and on the Editorial Boards of Experimental Biology and Medicine and Regenerative Medicine Frontiers. Dr. Pannier served as faculty advisor for the UNL student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers for ten years, co-founded the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Women Supporting Women Network for Success, and serves on the Executive Committee for the Nebraska Women in STEM Statewide Initiative. As a member of UNL’s AWIS Steering Committee and co-chair of the university’s strategic planning team, she has championed institutional policies that promote inclusion, diversity, and equitable access to opportunity. Through her leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, Dr. Pannier inspires and empowers future generations of women in STEM. |
Zenith Award
 | Marlene Belfort, PhD — Zenith Award Professor Marlene Belfort has led research in microbial genetics and biochemistry over four decades and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is co-founder of WISH (Women in Science and Health) at University of Albany to provide advocacy for STEM women, leading to an NSF ADVANCE grant Project SAGES “Striving to Achieve Gender Equity in STEM.” Dr. Belfort is also founder and director of a Graduate Pathway for Scholars (GPS) program that works to attract exceptional, underrepresented graduate students to join the faculty after completing postdoctoral studies elsewhere. She is on the leadership team of the Success in Science program funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to support retention of students in STEM. Dr. Belfort published a book in 2025 entitled Mommy Can Boys Also be Doctors? A Message to Young Scientists and Other Humans. The book describes how she, as the child of immigrants, overcame adversity, discrimination and illness to rise to the top of her research field. The book contains chapters on resilience, women supporting women, and building diverse communities in academia. |
 | Angeliki Rigos, PhD — Zenith Award Dr. Angeliki Rigos is a scientist, educator, and consultant. Dr. Rigos began her career as a Principal Scientist at Physical Sciences Inc. She transitioned to Assistant, then Associate Professor of Chemistry at Merrimack College. In 2017, she became the Executive Director of the MIT Tata Center for Technology and Design and in 2019, Program Manager for the DOE funded Center for Enhanced Nanofluidic Transport and Associate Director for Graduate Programs at the MIT Energy Initiative. She co-founded the MIT Leadership and Professional Skills and Strategies Program. In 2021, she founded the nonprofit Epistimi, Inc. to offer leadership training to women in STEMM globally. Dr. Rigos has been part of the leadership team of the MIT Club of Boston since 2018. Dr. Rigos holds a BA in Chemistry from Cornell University, a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Northeastern University and is an alumna of HERS Denver 2015. She served as President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association for Women in Science and President of the MIT Club of Boston. She has been teaching leadership to graduate students and postdocs in the MIT Physics Department for the past 6 years. |
Past Recipients
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Jubilee Cabellon — Spark Award PhD Student and Lab Procurement Manager in the Mishanina Lab at University of California at San DiegoJubilee (Jubi) Cabellon is studying for her PhD in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She received her B.S. in Biochemistry from California State University at Long Beach after transferring from Cerritos Community College. At UCSD, she is studying the effects of epilepsy-causing mutations in mitochondrial RNA processing in Dr. Tatiana Mishanina’s lab and serves as the lab’s procurement manager. She mentors two undergraduate students, Avery Ontiveros and Aaron Bagaoisan. Cabellon co-founded with Dr. Mishanina the Triton TRaCK (Transfer-to-Research and Career Knowledge) program, an initiative that encourages transfer students from the surrounding community colleges to learn more about research opportunities at UC San Diego. As the now-director of the program, she has collaborated with programs such as STARTNeuro (for life sciences research), EMPOWER (for engineering students), the Triton Transfer Center, the UCSD Admissions center, and the Student Success Center. She has facilitated interactions between these groups and potential-transfer students to increase awareness of all the opportunities at UC San Diego and beyond. When not participating in research and these initiatives, she maintains an online store, ItsKindaCatchyShoppe, on etsy. |
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Elizabeth Carlen, PhD — Spark Award Living Earth Collaborative postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. LouisDr. Carlen is a Living Earth Collaborative postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis and a former National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow. She currently studies how urbanization and environmental racism drive the evolution of urban wildlife. Dr. Carlen earned a PhD in Biological Sciences from Fordham University where she studied how urbanization influences the evolution of feral pigeons from Boston, MA to Washington, DC. As a graduate student, she served as the president of the Biology Graduate Student Association as well as chair of the Society for the Study of Evolution’s Graduate Student Advisory Committee. She has also served on the diversity committees for the Society for the Study of Evolution and the American Society of Naturalists where she works to make their annual meeting more inclusive by proving menstrual supplies in all restrooms and promoting disability awareness. She has mentored over two dozen students and her research has been featured on Saturday Night Live and in the New York Times, WIRED magazine, and multiple popular science books. Dr. Carlen is a co-founder and editor of the urban evolution blog Life in the City: Evolution in an Urbanizing World. |
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Sarah Adjei-Fremah, PhD — Spark Award Assistant Professor at Winston-Salem State UniversityDr. Sarah Adjei-Fremah is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). She holds a PhD in Energy and Environmental Systems from North Carolina A&T State University and MS from South Dakota State University. Her research focuses on the effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on mitochondrial dysfunction in liver and neuronal cells. Through her work, Dr. Adjei-Fremah aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms of PFAS-induced damage, contributing to a deeper understanding of environmental toxicology. Dr. Adjei-Fremah has secured NSF HBCU-UP and other grants to support scholarships and workforce training for Black and African American students. She is the faculty advisor for the Nu Zeta Chapter of the TriBeta Biological Science Honor Society, mentoring students pursuing graduate education and STEM careers. She also serves as a mentor through the NSF ENGAGED program at Wake Forest University and collaborates with community partners to raise awareness of PFAS. Her contributions have earned her the New Researcher of the Year and WSSU Emerging Researcher of the Year awards. She enjoys empowering the next generation of scientists through participation in NC Scifest and the STEM Gems program and brings hands-on science experiences to K-12 classrooms through the BIO-on-the-Go initiative. |
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Mahnoor N. Gondal — Spark Award PhD Candidate, Bioinformatics at the University of MichiganMahnoor Gondal is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Bioinformatics at the University of Michigan. Her current research focuses on investigating mechanisms of cancer immune evasion, particularly related to the dysregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. As one of the executive members of the Girls Who Code initiative at the University of Michigan, she facilitates coding sessions for high school girls and connects students with inspiring female professionals. Ms. Gondal also mentors first-year PhD students through the Peer Mentorship Program. Her leadership roles include collaborating and directing the Single-cell Spatial Analysis Program Trainee-Forum, the student sub-committee of the Preliminary Aims Review Committee, and miLead Consulting. Additionally, Ms. Gondal is active in organizations dedicated to advancing women’s empowerment in STEM, such as Athena, Graduate Women in Science, and Women in Cancer Research. She received the Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award from the American Association for Cancer Research, the Student Service Award from the Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics at the University of Michigan, and the Gupta Values Scholarship Award. |
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Kiley J. McLean, PhD — Spark Award Postdoctoral research fellow at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute’s Policy and Analytics Center Dr. McLean is a researcher, educator, and advocate dedicated to advancing health equity and access for individuals with disabilities, particularly autistic adults. She received dual master’s degrees in Special Education and Social Work from Columbia University and a Social Welfare PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently serves as a postdoctoral research fellow at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute’s Policy and Analytics Center where she and her team address health disparities affecting autistic adults through innovative, community-engaged research. Prior to this, she worked in the Aging and Health Equity in Developmental Disabilities Lab at the Waisman Center. Dr. McLean’s work employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, focusing on the social determinants of health, and explores the intersection of disability, health disparities, and social justice to develop evidence-based practices and policies that enhance healthcare access and outcomes for marginalized communities. Her commitment to service extends beyond academia, as she actively collaborates with organizations like the Autism Society of America and the East Madison Special Olympics team, aiming to translate research into practice and improve healthcare access and outcomes for diverse populations. |
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Moriah R. Beck, PhD — Meridian Award Talaty Endowed Full Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Director of the First Year Research Experience in STEM in the Cohen Honors College at Wichita State UniversityDr. Beck received a Bachelor’s of Science in forensic science from Eastern Kentucky University and a PhD in biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis where she used NMR to solve the structure of a novel virulence factor from a pathogenic, dimorphic fungus. As a Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Beck continued to use NMR to study protein structure and function. Her current research is aimed at understanding regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in processes that include cancer, cardiomyopathy, and Listeria infections. Dr. Beck has demonstrated a long-term commitment to increasing diversity and gender equity in STEM. She was the student director of the Young Scientist Program at Washington University at St. Louis and established an annual Expanding Your Horizons STEM conference for middle school girls. Six years ago, she established a First-Year Research Experience in STEM program that recruits, matches, and supports students from a variety of backgrounds to engage in faculty-mentored research projects at Wichita State University. As a co-PI on WSU’s NSF funded ADVANCE Catalyst and recent Adaptation award, Dr. Beck is engaged in strategic planning to establish policies to increase diversity, equity and inclusion for STEM faculty. |
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Lady Catherine Cantor Cutiva, PhD — Meridian Award Assistant Research Scientist at The University of IowaDr. Lady Catherine Cantor-Cutiva holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, an M.Sc. in Health and Safety at Work from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, an M.Sc. and a PhD in Health Sciences from Erasmus Universiteit – Erasmus Medical Center. She completed a post-doctorate program at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on the work-relatedness of voice disorders in occupational voice users. She has led an international research collaboration, mentoring students and colleagues from South America, resulting in a novel assessment tool, accessible in multiple languages. In addition, Dr. Cantor Cutiva’s work addresses occupational health disparities affecting bilingual speakers highlighting the intersection of language, voice, and occupational health, and informing targeted interventions. Dr. Cantor Cutiva’s research contributions have been widely published in peer-reviewed journals, and she has presented her findings at numerous international conferences. Her work has earned her several awards, including the Vocology Latin American Academic Recognition and the National Award to Research Trajectory Luis H. Ramírez Collazos. She is actively involved in mentoring both graduate and undergraduate students. In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Cantor Cutiva serves on several editorial boards, including the Journal of Voice and Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology. |
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Lora Billings, PhD — Zenith Award Dean and Professor of the College of Science and Mathematics at Montclair State University Dr. Billings is an applied mathematician specializing in the analysis of dynamical systems and chaos. A strong advocate for women and minorities in STEM, Dr. Billings strives to foster a supportive and inclusive academic community for her students. In 2018, she became the first woman appointed as Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. The College proudly enrolls 50% women and reflects the demographics of the University, which is designated a Hispanic Serving Institution. Dr. Billings was invited to Brazil in 2018 to promote women in STEM at higher education institutions through the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program. She was honored with an AWIS Mentoring Award in 2019 and founded a student chapter at Montclair State. Currently, she leads the University’s participation in the Garden State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, a program funded by the National Science Foundation that promotes minority student success in STEM through professional development and experiential learning opportunities. Dr. Billings also serves as co-PI on an NSF HSI grant to introduce and measure the impact of psycho-educational counseling in summer undergraduate research and internships. She is currently the editor-in-chief of the SIAM Journal on Applied Dynamical Systems. Dr. Billings was a program director in the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation from 2014 to 2017. |
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Mary Munson, PhD — Zenith Award Professor and Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology Department, and the Associate Vice Provost for Equity in Science in the Office of Health Equity, at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA; President-Elect for the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Dr. Mary Munson has an active biochemistry, cell biology and structural biology research lab that has been continually NIH-funded since 2005. She has mentored and trained ~75 students and postdoctoral fellows from a wide diversity of backgrounds. Her lab studies the structures and functions of proteins that regulate the transport of cargos between different organelles in cells, and export of materials to the outside of cells; these pathways are critical for cell growth, division, communication and when dysregulated, can lead to human disease. She co-leads the Investigator Career Advancement Program at UMass Chan which supports and mentors new tenure-track junior faculty, especially those from backgrounds under-represented in medicine. From 2019-2013, she was chair/co-chair of the Women in Cell Biology committee of the American Society for Cell Biology and is currently co-PI on the NIH-funded (UE5GM139190) ASCB MOSAIC award which helps promising postdoctoral K99/R00 MOSAIC scholars transition into independent research-intensive faculty positions through mentorship, professional skills training workshops, and an annual Inclusivity Summit. She received the UMass Chan Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion in 2022 and the UMass Chan Women’s Faculty Committee’s Outstanding Mentoring to Women Faculty Award in 2023. She was elected as a 2022 Fellow of ASCB, and a 2023 Fellow of the AAAS. |
 | Julie Yuk Wah Huang, PhD — Spark Award Staff Scientist, Alector Inc. Dr. Julie Huang received a bachelor’s of science in Geobiology from Caltech and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Stanford where she developed a passion for understanding how we can leverage the complex community of microbes and our immune system to fight diseases. Dr. Huang was a Fulbright Scholar and served as an international scientific ambassador to Germany helping to foster dialogue and understanding between the cultures. She completed post-doctoral training at Amgen Inc. in the Inflammation and Oncology Department and led pivotal proof of concept studies as a research scientist at Caribou Biosciences to help develop novel therapies for cancer. Now, as a staff scientist at Alector Inc., Dr. Huang leads teams and collaborates with the global scientific community to develop biomarker strategies to support clinical trials evaluating novel medicines for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a first-generation low-income (FLI) student, Dr. Huang’s journey had its share of challenges, but she had the support of mentors and sponsors who recognized her potential. She developed a passion for science communication and mentorship, and co-founded the Stanford FLI Undergraduate Mentoring Program. She is a Board member of the nonprofit ScholarMatch, a mentor and leader with AWIS, Women in Bio, and the Monte Jade Asian American Mentorship Program. |
 | Giselle Y. López, MD, PhD — Spark Award Assistant Professor Pathology and Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine Dr. López is an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Neurosurgery at Duke University. She is a physician scientist, combining clinical practice in surgical neuropathology with a research laboratory focused on identifying new biomarkers and treatments for oligodendroglioma, a kind of brain tumor. Dr. López was a founding member of the Latino Honors Caucus at the University of Maryland, College Park. Since then, she has shown an unwavering commitment to supporting diverse trainees. As a clinical and research fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, she headed the Mentoring Committee for the Diversity Advisory Group for Graduate Medical Education. Now on faculty at Duke, she has co-Chaired the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Pathology PhD Program and the “Getting Back to Basics” Program which provides programing and support to research faculty at Duke from under-represented backgrounds. During the pandemic, she launched a virtual shadowing program in pathology, targeted to address inequities in access to clinical shadowing opportunities and building pathways into medicine and science for students from diverse backgrounds. She actively recruited students from historically excluded backgrounds into the program. In recognition of her efforts, both on the research and diversity fronts, she was recently recognized as one of the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s 40 Under Forty. |
 | Leigh-Ana Rossitto — Spark Award PhD Candidate, Xu Chen and Rich Daneman Labs, University of California San Diego Leigh-Ana Rossitto is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences program at University of California San Diego, studying Alzheimer’s disease and brain metabolism in the labs of Drs. Xu Chen and Rich Daneman. She is interested in brain-body crosstalk and undercovering the molecular underpinnings of metabolic therapies, such as the ketogenic diet, in Alzheimer’s and aging. Outside of the lab, she devotes her time to initiatives that increase inclusivity, accountability, and community engagement in higher ed and science, especially for those from historically excluded backgrounds. She developed the Biomedical Application Assistance Program to increase transparency and provide resources and mentorship to students applying to the BMS Graduate Program (>800 students annually). Rossitto also helped lead her program’s first-ever climate survey to identify groups of students with unmet needs, develop and execute evidence-based initiatives, and monitor outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds. She has run many workshops on food and housing security, gender issues, and more for UCSD grad students. She is also passionate about mentoring, working with high school and college students both in the lab and through the organization Kesem. She aims to enable more diverse scientists to enter the biomedical field and work alongside her to address complex questions in disease and aging research. |
 | Tandeka Boko, MD — Meridian Award
Assistant Professor of Life Sciences and Director of NASA NC Space Grant at Forsyth Technical Community College; and Visiting Faculty Program Research Collaborator with Berkeley National Laboratory Dr. Tandeka Boko earned her medical doctorate from the University of Iowa and completed her clinical training at Methodist Central Hospital. She now conducts research primarily in anatomy and physiology education at the community college level, focusing on learning how to learn. Her contributions were recognized by an Excellence in Teaching Award and the C. David Kepple Memorial Faculty Award. She recently added research projects in computational biology to expand her capacity to mentor underrepresented undergraduate STEM students. Dr. Boko facilitates community-based group discussions and activities around breaking down barriers that prevent marginalized people from obtaining food justice, equitable education, and safe living environments. She also collaborates with local and national leaders advocating for broader representation of ethnic minorities and women in STEM as well as educational and career pathways that improve their access, support, and retention. As faculty and staff in higher ed, she has been a committed member of the leadership of several grants, including National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Re-Envisioning Culture Undergraduate Biology Education, Featuring Underrepresented Talent in Urban and Rural Engagement with Science and Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Agency Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program Successful Transitions and Effective Pathways to National Laboratories. |
 | Cristina Chuck-Hernández, PhD — Meridian Award Full Research Professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey Dr. Cristina Chuck-Hernández is a research professor at the Bioengineering Department, Tecnológico de Monterrey, and affiliated with the Institute for Obesity Research within the Healthy Food Unit. She received a Bachelor’s of Engineering degree in Food Technology and Processing, a Master of Science and PhD in Biotechnology from Tecnológico de Monterrey, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (2009). Professionally, she has experience in Quality Assurance at Grupo Panificador Azteca and spent seven years as a consultant at IDEA, S.A de C.V. She also interned with UNIDO in Austria, emphasizing Energy and Climate Change. She was a foundational member of the Center for Protein Research and Development and actively championed the recruitment and mentorship of young female researchers. Dr. Chuck-Hernández has received awards for her work including the “Mujer TEC” (2015) and the National Award in Food Science and Technology (2019). She’s a Level 2 member of the Sistema Nacional de Investigadores and was accepted into the Mexican Academy of Sciences in 2021. She advises the student group Women in Engineering and Science on campus and leads the “SheStem Chair” for the INGENIA program which promotes scientific vocation among women. She is also on the board of the first Mexican chapter of the Institute of Food Technologists, the first in Latin America. |
 | Atefeh Taheri, PhD — Meridian Award Maintenance and Reliability Team Lead, Chevron Atefeh Taheri holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry from Sharif University of Technology, Iran, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University working on light-initiated electron transfer reactions related to solar cells. Dr. Taheri moved to California and was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis, working on developing carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen gas production catalysts, before transitioning to industry. She joined the Clorox Company as a product developer and formulator developing advanced disinfectants for healthcare facilities. She transitioned to Chevron Corporation as a fundamental scientist and has since assumed various organizational roles. Dr. Taheri currently serves as the Reliability and Maintenance Team Lead for the Western US lubricant plants and fuel terminals at Integrated Supply Chain within Chevron’s America Products business unit. In addition to her team lead role, she serves as the diversity and inclusion advisor for the global Integrated Supply Chain. She also holds leadership positions in various professional organizations, including serving as the 2023 Chair for the California section of the American Chemical Society (>3000 local CA membership) and actively engaging in the Association of Women in Science East Bay chapter. She is one of the leaders of Chevron PRIDE in Richmond—an Employee Resource Group supporting LGBTQA+ employees and allies. |
 | Hongmei Li-Byarlay, PhD — Zenith Award Research Associate Professor of Entomology and the Project Director for Pollinator Health, Agricultural Research and Development Program at Central State University Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay is a tenured Research Associate Professor of Entomology at Central State University – the first woman to hold this position. She has received ~12 million dollars in USDA and NSF funding since 2017 including a USDA NEXTGEN grant which provides opportunities for minority students in agricultural research and extension. Her lab has trained 40 minority students (19 female) in bee research and leadership skills. She is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and President-Elect of the International Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). She is the past Chair of the Diversity Inclusion Committee of ESA and a member of the Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Justice committee of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (North American Section). Dr. Li-Byarlay is on the editorial board of Current Research in Insect Science and subject editor of the journal Nature Scientific Reports. She is also a member of the AAAS STEMM Equity Achievement (SEA) Change initiative and community, NSF INCLUDES National Network, and Science Policy Committee of ESA. She participated in the United Nation Development Programme Africa – HBCU Summit 78th Session United Nation General Assembly. She has served on several review panels for NSF and USDA grant proposals and published 49 peer-reviewed papers and 6 book chapters. |
 | Jennifer Reineke Pohlhaus, PhD, Certified Diversity Executive — Zenith Award Chief Operating Officer at Ripple Effect Jennifer Reineke Pohlhaus holds a Bachelor’s and PhD degree in Biochemistry and a graduate certificate in Health Policy. Early in her career, Dr. Pohlhaus was selected as a recipient of the highly competitive AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Program and for two years provided senior policymakers with authoritative analyses of women’s advancement in academic science and engineering. In 2008, Dr. Pohlhaus joined Ripple Effect, an award-winning firm, to lead science and health policy consulting projects for government agencies. She has collaborated with federal researchers in several peer-reviewed studies to measure diversity along the student-to-researcher workforce pipeline. Dr. Pohlhaus is a Certified Diversity Executive®, a former BioCareers blogger, an AWIS mentor, and has been a member of AWIS for more than a decade. She has held volunteer Board positions with the AAAS Fellows Advisory Committee, the Montgomery County Chapter of the Project Management Institute, the Montgomery College Institutional Review Board, and the National Postdoctoral Association. She believes in bringing one’s whole self to work and infuses this concept into the culture at Ripple Effect which has received awards for Wellness in addition to being named one of the Top 101 Best and Brightest Companies to work for in the Nation®. |
 | Angela K. Wilson, PhD — Zenith Award John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, College of Natural Sciences, and Director, MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University; Immediate Past President, American Chemical Society Angela K. Wilson’s research encompasses a number of theoretical and computational chemistry areas including the development of quantum mechanical and quantum dynamical methods, transition metal and heavy element chemistry, and environmental science, and drug discovery. Her computational methods are utilized worldwide. She has held leadership roles such as at the U.S. National Science Foundation, where she led the Division of Chemistry (2018-2020) and as President and member of the Board of Directors of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. Dr. Wilson has also served as Associate Vice Provost for Faculty at the University of North Texas (UNT), where she worked on issues such as faculty climate and faculty success. She also founded and led the Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling at UNT. Dr. Wilson is Vice-President of a non-profit, QuSTEAM, which connects colleges, universities, and companies towards a national equitable scale-up of quantum education, with training opportunities for our future workforce. Throughout her career, she has been a significant advocate of workplace diversity in STEM. She has received numerous honors and awards, has published ~200 papers on not only her research, but also on achieving equity in the workplace. She has mentored approximately 200 students and postdoctoral fellows in her research group. |
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Claudia Garnica-Díaz — Spark Award
PhD Student, Botany, The Grace P. John Lab, University of Florida
As a PhD student from South America, Claudia Garnica-Díaz experienced challenges in relocating and beginning a PhD program in another country, especially one outside her native language. To improve the experience for future international PhD students, she designed and held a workshop which included academic strategies, avenues to connect with others (e.g., international social clubs), and basic administration (e.g., how to get a social security number).
She has recruited and mentored 15 undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds including Cuba, Mexico, and Iran to join Dr. Grace John’s Lab. She was also recently elected as Vice-President of the University of Florida’s chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Native Americans and Chicanos.
Garnica-Díaz has published two papers with international collaborators, one of which included the establishment of an open access database of Andean plant traits and a second review of tropical ultramafic ecosystems from her master’s degree research. The work from her master’s degree was featured in Forbes Magazine.
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Brandy E. Phipps, PhD — Spark Award Assistant Professor, Central State University Dr. Phipps research and collaborations focus on how to transform food production systems in ways that protect natural resources, produce nutrient-dense products, and increase diversity in the agriculture and STEM workforce – focusing on underrepresented and historically disadvantaged communities. Her current research work provides significant funding for Native American students to complete STEM degrees and have cross-cultural and experiential learning opportunities, undergraduate research training, and peer-mentoring to help them gain leadership skills. She has held or currently holds positions on IDEA councils/committees/task forces within her institution and professional societies, including her University’s DEI Council; the 2020 DEI task force of the American Society for Cell Biology; a multi-institutional committee to create equitable and sustainable partnerships between Predominately White Institutions (PWI) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI); a DEI taskforce/community of practice for aquaculture; and the 2022 AWIS National Education Awards Committee. Dr. Phipps has served as a session presenter, conference moderator, and invited lecturer at a number of conferences, workshops, and departments – focusing on IDEA topics within STEM research and education. In addition, she has been called upon to provide testimony to and briefed U.S. Congress on two occasions. |
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Abigail Stack — Spark Award Discovery Pathology Research Lead, Bayer Crop Science In her current role at Bayer Crop Science, Abigail Stack works to implement cutting-edge technologies to diagnose and control plant diseases. She has won multiple scientific and leadership awards at Bayer including R&D Science Fellow – a distinction reserved for the top 3% of Bayer R&D scientists globally who demonstrate technical excellence, project leadership, and science outreach. She actively participates in two business resource groups – one for women in science (WiSE) and one for the LGBTQ+ community (BLEND). Last year, she organized a panel discussion to highlight past R&D Science Fellows and encouraged women to apply to the program. This year, she co-organized a Fellows coffee chat for the BLEND group to highlight inclusion and encourage folks of all backgrounds to apply. Stack has held several leadership positions within the AWIS Sacramento Valley Chapter including webmaster, secretary, and president. Since 2018, she has organized the chapter’s annual mentorship program which includes ~60 individuals each year. She also served on the Annual Meeting Board for the American Phytopathological Society where she helped ensure speaker diversity in technical sessions. |
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Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil — Meridian Award
Newman Family Professor and Deputy Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology
Director, Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM), University of Michigan Dr. Jagsi’s research on the underrepresentation of women has reframed gender disparities as an ethical issue and led institutions, funders, and professional societies to change their policies regarding mentoring relationships, flexible work schedules, and transparency of compensation and promotion criteria. Her innovative research has also provided more autonomy and individualized care for breast cancer patients.
As deputy chair of her department, she is responsible for recruitment, development, promotion, and retention of a diverse faculty, redesign of the compensation plan, leads philanthropic development efforts, and oversees medical student and residency education as the Residency Program Director. As CBSSM Director, she leads over 50 faculty from multiple departments and schools, along with a staff of research associates and administrators in a tripartite mission that includes clinical service, education, and research.
Dr. Jagsi has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to gender equity at UM, where she co-chaired the task force on civility in the learning environment for the school’s re-accreditation, serves on the ADVANCE committee for women in medicine, served on the Anti-Racism Oversight Committee, and participated in the UM President’s committee to address cultural transformation across all of its campuses. She is the author of over 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals (H-index 80) and a fellow of ASCO, ASTRO, the Hastings Center, and the American Association of Women Radiologists.
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Darlene Mitrano, PhD — Meridian Award Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher Newport University (CNU) Dr. Mitrano’s research program focuses on the neuroanatomical correlates of psychiatric or psychological disorders, such as addiction, reward, insomnia, etc. She was hired by CNU to expand the new neuroscience program. She was instrumental in establishing animal care and use policies, securing the university’s first NIH grant, and hiring vendors to oversee the facility and comply with public health and laboratory animal welfare laws. A strong advocate of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), Dr. Mitrano is a member of CNU’s LGBTQ+ and Allies Faculty/Staff Affinity Group and helped establish Brain Awareness month to promote awareness of individuals’ gender, race, age, and weight biases. She has recruited students from a variety of backgrounds and supported students going through financial hardship. She is Chair of the International Studies Advisory Committee and was elected the Regional Vice President of the South for Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience. She was recently appointed to the new Laboratory Safety and Compliance Committee, chairing the subcommittee on Controlled Substances, to help CNU uphold OSHA lab safety standards. |
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Roshell Muir, PhD — Meridian Award Senior Research Associate, College of Medicine, Drexel University Dr. Roshell Muir conducts her research in the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV medicine at Drexel University. She has led various collaborations with groups from the Thai Red Cross and Military HIV Research Program, and the University of Washington. At Drexel, she co-founded the Postdoctoral Association and led its Resource Development Committee. She also served on the Women in Medicine and Science Committee and chaired the Women’s Leadership Summit 2020 Social and Advertising Subcommittee. As a member of the AWIS Philadelphia Chapter, Dr. Muir has served as Vice-President, Programs, Secretary and now President-Elect. She instituted the lunch and learn program as a way to offer important career development information in small, easily digestible bits. As an immigrant from the Caribbean and a woman of color, she has strived to schedule more diverse speakers and topics. |
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Rita R. Colwell, PhD — Zenith Award Distinguished Professor, the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Chair and Founder, CosmosID, and President of the Rosalind Franklin Society Despite being discouraged from pursuing science as a career, Dr. Colwell persevered, and as a result, her research on the use of remote sensing to predict cholera epidemics has vastly improved public health outcomes around the world. She was the first woman to serve as director of the National Science Foundation (1998-2004). Under her leadership, the organization assessed the extent of discrimination and harassment in the sciences, enhanced education and participation of underrepresented groups, and launched the ADVANCE initiative, which supports the advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers. In her book, A Lab of One’s Own: One Woman’s Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science, Dr. Colwell describes the harassment and discrimination she encountered in her career and solutions to address it. She has received many national and international awards as well as honorary degrees and held many advisory positions in the U.S. government, nonprofit science policy organizations, private foundations, and the international scientific research community. |
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Barbara Di Eugenio, PhD — Zenith Award Professor, Director of Graduate Studies Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Dr. Di Eugenio works in Artificial Intelligence and NLP (Natural Language Processing), investigating human-human interactions in order to inform technology that solves important societal problems. She has held leadership positions within the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL), including serving on the ACL executive board from 2018 to 2020. Dr. Di Eugenio was part of the team that worked on a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant that ran at UIC from 2005 to 2012. This program changed the gender representation in the Computer Science department and the College of Engineering; spearheaded initiatives such as bias training for faculty search committees that are now required at UIC; and investigated and suggested changes to university policies as concerns family leave, tenure rollbacks, and the like. She also designed the class Research Methods for Computer Science (CS590), intended to provide PhD students from varying educational backgrounds with foundational information (up to 90% of PhD students at UIC are international). Di Eugenio has received numerous awards, grants, and honors. She has authored more than 120 publications and graduated 14 PhD students (almost half of which were women), and 31 MS students. |
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Usha Rao, PhD — Zenith Award Professor of Chemistry, Saint Joseph’s University Dr. Rao is an author of many scientific publications in her field of environmental geochemistry, studying water pollution and sustainability. She serves as an Approved Expert Reviewer for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is a Mentor for Vice President Al Gore’s climate initiative, Climate Reality, volunteering her time to train climate activists and groups in climate science. At Saint Joseph’s University, Dr. Rao is the first woman to hold the rank of Full Professor in Chemistry, and the first person of color in the Natural Sciences to hold that rank. She created the University’s Office of Teaching and Learning which reaches several hundred faculty per year through its programs. Additionally, she co–developed the John P. McNulty Program for Leadership in Science and Mathematics to prepare gifted undergraduate women to persist and lead in the STEM fields. Her efforts have changed the structures of existing systems to welcome and empower women and minorities by providing financial, professional, and social support. Dr. Rao has served as a role model and mentor for thousands of students over her career and received the Elizabeth Bingham Mentoring Award from the Philadelphia chapter of AWIS. She is currently preparing an article for Lab Manager on ways in which employers can support women in STEM as they journey through important stages in their lives and careers. She also speaks on how STEM businesses can use reverse mentoring to jump start women and minorities’ leadership development. |
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Leadership AwardCommending an experienced STEM leader for fostering a high representation of women in leadership and supportive workplace policies.Dr. Maria Belen Carrillo-Rivas is a Pharmaceutical Business Executive and Drug Developer with a strong scientific background in driving the industry-leading pharmaceutical organization’s performance, quality, innovation, and excellence. As the recipient of 2021 Association of Women in Science (AWIS) Leadership Award. She’s pioneering a regulatory path forward for people living with rare diseases. Dr. Carrillo-Rivas played an integral role in the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine EUA submission and spearheaded decisions on submission strategy, readiness, and clinical data quality. Her diverse background is in academia, pharmaceutical, and biotech with expertise in preclinical sciences, clinical development, and regulatory submissions. She has a proven track record of leading large product portfolios, R&D programs, and complex regulatory submissions, building productive business partnerships that result in quality, sustainability, and business growth. |
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Leadership AwardCommending an experienced STEM leader for fostering a high representation of women in leadership and supportive workplace policies.Rachel Hutter, P.E. is Senior Vice President for International Facilities Operations Services and Worldwide Safety, Health and Engineering with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Today Rachel is fulfilling her childhood dream as she leads engineering at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Throughout her more than 22-year career with Disney, Rachel has held 10 different roles. Her current responsibilities span the globe to include oversight of teams in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. |
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Pinnacle AwardHonoring an individual’s lifetime of innovative achievements in STEM and commitment to workplace diversity.Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite is an internationally recognized scientist and scholar, winner of awards in the fields of science, arts, literature, and humanitarian affairs and author of several scientific papers, studies and books. Her career started in 1995 at University of London hospitals and institutes. Dr. El-Hashemite is the first Royal Princess qualified in science and medicine, having earned a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, Master of Science, Medical Doctorate (MD) and a Doctorate (PhD) in Human Genetics. |
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Next Generation AwardHighlighting an early career leader in STEM who is a visible and vocal advocate for diversity and inclusive scientific practices.Dr. Sarah Richardson is a computational and molecular biologist, as well as an entrepreneur. Dr. Richardson earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Maryland College Park and a Doctorate of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She leads the construction of genomic toolkits for non‐model prokaryotes, which she describes as using DNA to train bacteria to do tricks on command. |
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Game Changer AwardRecognizing an exemplary company whose diversity and inclusion efforts represent a true ally to the pursuit of workplace equality.Lockheed Martin is a Fortune 500 company that ensures workplace equity, diversity and inclusion, and the advancement of women in leadership. |
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Pinnacle AwardHonoring an individual’s lifetime of innovative achievements in STEM and commitment to workplace diversity.Carol W. Greider, PhD, is the Daniel Nathans Professor, and Director of Molecular Biology and Genetics and a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Greider received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1983 and a Ph.D. in 1987 from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1984, working together with Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, she discovered telomerase, an enzyme that maintains telomeres, or chromosome ends. At Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, she cloned and characterized the RNA component of telomerase. She expanded the focus of her telomere research to include the role of telomere length in cellular senescence, cell death and in cancer. In 1997, Dr. Greider moved her laboratory to the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In 2003 she was appointed as the Daniel Nathans Professor and Director of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. At Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Greider’s group continued to study the biochemistry of telomerase and determined the secondary structure of the human telomerase RNA. In addition she characterized the loss of telomere function in mice, which allowed an understanding of short telomere syndromes in humans such as bone marrow failure, pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases. Dr. Greider shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 with Drs. Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack Szostak for their work on telomeres and telomerase. Dr. Greider currently directs a group of eight scientists studying both the role of short telomeres in age-related disease and cancer as well as the regulatory mechanism that maintain telomere length. |
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Leadership AwardCommending an experienced STEM leader for fostering a high representation of women in leadership and supportive workplace policies.Freda C. Lewis-Hall, MD, DFAPA, is Pfizer’s Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer. During her 35-year career, Dr. Lewis-Hall has been on the frontlines of health care from the standpoints of a clinician, a researcher, and a leader in the biopharmaceuticals and life sciences industries. The common threads throughout have been her passion to advocate for better outcomes for all patients and her commitment to mentoring the next generations of women leaders in science and medicine. Trained as a psychiatrist, Dr. Lewis-Hall began her medical career in patient care and became well known for her work on the effects of mental illness on families and communities and on issues of health care disparities. She has held positions of leadership at the Howard University Hospital and College of Medicine, Vertex, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Pfizer. For the past decade, Lewis-Hall has served as Pfizer’s Chief Medical Officer, responsible for the safe, effective and appropriate use of Pfizer’s medicines and vaccines, and in this role she reshaped Pfizer’s medical policies and practices to intensify the company’s focus on patient engagement and inclusion. In her new role as Chief Patient Officer of Pfizer, Lewis-Hall will work to extend the reach of Pfizer’s patient-facing health information and education and amplify the voice of the patient inside and outside Pfizer. |
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Next Generation AwardHighlighting an early career leader in STEM who is a visible and vocal advocate for diversity and inclusive scientific practices.Mareena Robinson Snowden, PhD, is Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focuses on nuclear arms control verification sufficiency, nonproliferation, and modernization. Prior to joining Carnegie, Dr. Robinson Snowden served as a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow in the Office of Major Modernization Programs. This office is responsible for the modernization of warhead systems and ensuring access to the strategic materials used in the U.S. stockpile. Dr. Robinson Snowden became the first black woman to earn a Doctorate in Nuclear Engineering from MIT in 2017 and holds a Bachelor in Physics from Florida A&M University. Her story in STEM has been featured in MARVEL Comics, CNBC, BET and other national television, radio and print media. |
Pinnacle AwardHonoring an individual’s lifetime of innovative achievements in STEM and commitment to workplace diversity.Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, is the 2018 recipient of the AWIS Pinnacle Award which recognizes her contributions in STEM as a scientist, physician, philanthropist, and mentor. As Chief Executive Officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sue leads the organization’s vision for a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. Under her watch, the foundation has also been pushing harder on women’s empowerment while working towards closing gender data gaps to help accelerate progress for women around the world. Forbes magazine has named her one of the world’s seven most “powerful innovators” and in her current role she champions global development by getting the right interventions, to the right populations, in the right places, to save lives. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. Sue was listed among Fortune magazine’s “top 50 most powerful women in business” for seven years and, in 2010, was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and elected to the Institute of Medicine. |
Leadership AwardCommending an experienced STEM leader for fostering a high representation of women in leadership and supportive workplace policies.Melinda Richter, MBA, is the Global Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS. In her role, she fosters the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies external R&D engine and supports the innovation community by creating capital-efficient commercialization models that give early stage companies a big company advantage. Melinda has received numerous industry awards including: the PharmaVOICE 100; Fierce Biotech Top 15 Women; Most Influential Women in Business (San Francisco Business Times); MM&M 2017 Healthcare Transformer; BIO Super Hero; and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company in Biotech. She serves on various boards and advisory panels and is currently board member and Treasurer of the California Life Sciences Association (CLSA). |
Game Changer AwardRecognizing an exemplary company whose diversity and inclusion efforts represent a true ally to the pursuit of workplace equality.Salesforce is the global leader in customer relationship management (CRM), and is committed to a set of core values—trust, growth, innovation, and equality of every human being. For its efforts, Salesforce has been named the 2017 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work, one of Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Diversity three years in a row, and one of Comparably’s Best Companies for Women. Leading the charge on Equality and reporting directly to CEO Marc Benioff, Tony Prophet will be accepting the award on behalf of Salesforce. As its Chief Equality Officer, Prophet is focused on gender, LGBTQ, and racial issues—ensuring the company reflects the diversity and upholds the values of the communities it serves. |
Next Generation AwardHighlighting an early career leader in STEM who is a visible and vocal advocate for diversity and inclusive scientific practices.Rachel Haurwitz, PhD, is a co-founder of Caribou Biosciences and has been President and CEO since its inception. She has a research background in CRISPR-Cas biology, and is also a co-founder of Intellia Therapeutics. Rachel is an inventor on several patents and patent applications covering multiple CRISPR-derived technologies, and she has co-authored scientific papers in high impact journals characterizing CRISPR-Cas systems. Rachel earned an A.B. in Biological Sciences from Harvard College, and received a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. This award draws specific attention to her continued innovation at the helm of Caribou Biosciences, as well as her commitment to diversity and progressive workplace policies. |
Acknowledgements
Thank you to our featured partners for their support of AWIS.
We are grateful for all AWIS donors and supporters for helping women in science and related STEM fields achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.