onu alumni Alumni Spotlight
By Luke Olney ’10
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hen Dr. Teresa Woodruff ‘85 was a little girl, she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a school teacher, influencing and educating the younger generation. But when she became a student at Olivet Nazarene University, Teresa realized that her calling was to be a scientist. Now, more than 25 years later, she is doing both — and with remarkable results.
A new field: oncofertility Dr. Woodruff currently serves in a variety of capacities at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, including director of the Institute for Women’s Health Research and chief of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Fertility Preservation. One of her biggest endeavors has been providing fertility options to young men and women undergoing cancer treatments. In many cases, cancer patients survive the disease, but the strong treatments can damage their reproductive systems, which adversely affects overall health. “This was an area not being covered by experts in oncology or fertility,” Teresa explains. “It was an urgent, unmet need, where both sides needed to take part.” In 2006, Teresa coined the term “oncofertility,” which is now recognized as a word in the English language. The goal of oncofertility is to protect a patient’s fertility during cancer treatments. Teresa has written four allencompassing books on the subject, covering every aspect of the new field of study — including religious viewpoints and ethical questions about certain technologies. Thanks to Teresa’s research, more than 55 people receive fertility preservation consultations per year; 50,000 people visit the oncofertility websites per year; and there have already been 12 reported live births from ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Science mentoring When she’s not conducting her own research, Teresa uses her laboratory to serve the broader community — inspiring and encouraging high school girls by sparking their interest in science. The idea came to Teresa when she was asked to speak at a dinner for the Economic Club of Chicago. During the dinner, she sat with eight students from an all-girls charter school. “They had no interest in going to college, no aspirations,” Teresa recalls. “There was such a disconnect.” When Teresa got up to give her presentation, the girls were surprised that they had been sitting with the special speaker. After Teresa’s 20-minute talk, she returned to her seat with the girls. “They were so inspired and eager to talk about science — a noticeable difference from earlier,” says Teresa. The next day, Teresa called the charter school to see what else she
Na m e :
Teresa Woodruff ’85
L o cati on : Chicago, Ill. O ccupati on : Director of the Institute for Women’s Health Research and Chief of the Division of Obstetrics and GynecologyFertility Preservation, Northwestern University
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could do to inspire more of these students. Out of that conversation, the Women’s Health Science Program emerged in 2007. “On Saturdays, we bring young women into the lab to amplify the core concepts they learn at school during the week with real-world experiences,” Teresa explains. “The students are primarily African-American and Latina, and come from different socioeconomic backgrounds.” More than 100 faculty, staff and students at Northwestern currently volunteer in the WHSP program on Saturdays. These volunteers serve as mentors, helping high school students envision themselves on a professional trajectory. So far, 90 girls have participated in WHSP. Besides the 18 that are still in high school, each student has enrolled at a college or university — and two have already graduated!
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the majestic Lincoln desk, President Obama affirmed the significance of their contributions. “He told us that basic science matters to the health of our nation, and mentorship is important to ensure the next generation is ready to solve the world’s most pressing needs. That message was really strong,” Teresa recalls. On the same day, Illinois congresswoman Jan Schakowsky recognized Teresa’s work by reading a special citation into the congressional record. “I was awed, humbled and honored by the whole experience,” says Teresa.
Presidential recognition In December 2011, Teresa’s science mentoring program earned national recognition. She was invited to the White House on December 12, 2011, to receive the highest award given for science mentorship by the president of the United States. “We took a tour of the White House that morning. In the afternoon, we were transported to the West Wing, where we met John Holdren, director of the Office of Science and Technology. When we reached the area outside the Oval Office, the door opened, and there was President Obama.” Inside the Oval Office, the president greeted each recipient with a handshake. As they stood in front of
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Leaving a legacy Even after her once-in-a-lifetime visit to the White House, Teresa’s greatest reward is seeing that spark in
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President Barack Obama greets the 2010 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring recipients in the Oval Office, Dec. 12, 2011. Teresa Woodruff is pictured in red. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
the eyes of a student in her lab. In addition to helping students, Teresa works with high school science teachers. “These teachers are heroes — they are doing their best to keep students engaged in the sciences. Our program is just as transformative for them as it has been for the students.” Now, four other universities around the country have started the same program for students in their local communities. Eventually, Teresa would like to develop a core curriculum for high school science teachers to use. “If we do that, we could touch even more students – in Chicago and beyond.” She adds, “I want the program to have a long-term legacy.”
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