Integrative Graduate
Education and
Research Traineeship

Highlight

Women in Science at Brandeis University

title page of presentation at Brandeis University

Projects:

IGERT: Time, Space, and Structure: Physics and Chemistry...

Institution:

Brandeis University

Primary Strategic Goal:

Learning: Build the Nation's research capability through critical investments in advanced instrumentation, facilities, cyber infrastructure, and experimental tools.

Secondary Strategic Goal:

Discovery: Foster research that will advance the frontiers of knowledge, emphasizing areas of greatest opportunity and potential benefit and establishing the Nation as a global leader in fundamental transformational science and engineering.

Achievement/Results

Brandeis University NSF-funded IGERT trainees organized a Women in Science series at Brandeis University. Several of the trainees worked with the university administration to obtain funding for the series, and the university assigned a staff person to aid in the organizational details. A variety of on and off campus speakers were brought in to deal with a number of issues that the IGERT trainees felt were important to young women and underrepresented trainees at the beginning of their careers. Professor Eve Marder, the Program Director of the Brandeis University IGERT was the keynote speaker for the 2009-2010 series, and her talk was entitled “Myths, Musings, and History.” About 50 students, postdocs, faculty, and staff attended, and there was a spirited discussion after the talk.

Address Goals

One of the fundamental problems that the nation faces is attracting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in science and engineering. The initiative shown by our IGERT trainees in developing and supporting these conversations is part of an ongoing series of conversations needed to provide tools young scientists need when facing career decisions.