ELEVATING WOMEN IN STEM
Despite decades of messaging that “STEM is for boys,” the proportion of
women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics continues to rise. Today, women earn more than half of all PhDs in the biological sciences in the U.S. Women in STEM juggle career goals, family and social expectations, while navigating the obstacles presented by systemic bias and an increasingly competitive job market. During the past year, they’ve also confronted challenges of conducting research during a global pandemic. But despite these hurdles, many women find careers in STEM highly rewarding. Women at different career levels — from an undergraduate studying computational biology to long-time department chairs — talk about how their experiences at the University of Chicago have shaped and directed their research and perspectives.
STORIES BY ALISON CALDWELL, PHD
18
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DIVISION
